Hazel Beard
Encyclopedia
Hazel Fain Beard is the first woman and the first Republican
to have served as mayor
of Shreveport, Louisiana
, since the era of Reconstruction. A fiscal conservative
, Mrs. Beard grappled with many economic and social problems during her single term as mayor from 1990-1994.
Prior to her mayoralty service, Beard was a small business
owner and a member of the Shreveport City Council from southwest Shreveport. She was the first woman to have been chairperson of the city council.
Beard entered the mayoral race against three serious opponents, including the African-American dentist
C. O. Simpkins, a Democrat
, and two fellow council members, Republican Carolyn Calhoun Whitehurst and Democrat Bill Bush. Simpkins was a veteran of the civil rights movement
. Bush, a businessman, led in the pre-election polls. Whitehurst, a real estate
operator, later Carolyn C. Huckaby, is descended from a prominent De Soto Parish family: her father, Reimer Calhoun, was a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate
from 1944-1952. Whitehurst, who represented a southeast Shreveport council district, had the support of the Shreveport Times.
Simpkins led in the primary, but Beard secured the second slot to proceed to the general election
. She then prevailed, 38,604 votes (59 percent) to Simpkins' 26,341 (41 percent).
The Beard administration granted the first riverboat
gambling
license in Shreveport history. The designation went to Harrah's. Beard created a Growth Management Issues Committee, chaired by former Democratic Mayor James C. Gardner
and Wendell Collins, a telephone
company executive who thereafter became the city's chief administrative officer under Beard's successor as mayor, Robert W. "Bo" Williams
.
In 1992, when Mayor Beard welcomed U.S. President George H.W. Bush to Shreveport during Bush's ill-fated reelection campaign, the president mistakenly referred to her as "Nasal" Beard. The mayor accepted the slip of tongue with humor.
Hazel Beard is the widow of Charles Carroll Beard (November 24, 1920 - May 30, 2002). After her term as mayor ended, the Beards moved to Kingsland
in Llano County
in central Texas
.
As mayor, Beard appointed the Republican activist Harriet Belchic
to the Shreveport Women's Commission and the Riverfront Redevelopment Advisory Committee. The only major project that was accomplished was the Riverfront Park which was at first poorly designed due to the seasonal overflows of the nearby Red River from which rising water would flood the park's fountains and foul the waterpumps.
As mayor, Beard had often expressed her being opposed to any form of legalized riverboat gambling legislation which then Governor Edwin Edwards had pushed hard for legislative approval. With Shreveport-Bossier as having as many as 5 gaming licenses granted, the area stood to benefit financially from such efforts. Sensing political pressure and fearing that she would be considered an opponent to such economic developments that casinos would bring to the area, Mayor Beard stated her support. But as deals were being made in Baton Rouge, she would then recant her support by making public statements that she was against the future expansion of gambling, expecting to have just one riverboat operation in Shreveport. When Harrah's Casino opened to much fanfare in Shreveport, then Governor Edwin Edwards (who was a strong proponent of legalized gambling in Louisiana) could be overheard at the podium expressing his displeasure with Beard's anti-gaming comments and was reported to have told Beard during a chat at the dais that he (Edwards) "...had never had worked with nor known a Louisiana mayor who was as stupid as she...." To which witnesses said Beard was shocked and speechless at his comments.
It was widely anticipated that former Mayor John Brennan Hussey
, the man she had succeeded, would challenge Beard for reelection in 1994, but Beard surprised political observers by not seeking reelection. Hussey ran as expected, but two city council members, Republican Bo Williams and Democrat Roy Cary, an African- American, went into the general election, which Williams won by a comfortable margin.
Former Mayor Gardner, in his memoirs entitled Jim Gardner and Shreveport, Vol. II, describes Beard accordingly:
". . . a large woman physically and had been a high school
basketball
player. . . . totally self-assured, [this] gave her strength as mayor. Her public appearances and demeanor were of one who was acting under a voter mandate to change everything. She began her term in office by asking for the resignation of all board and commission members, something not done before or since. At her inauguration, she had stated that 'the era of darkness was gone, the era of light had begun.'. . . This made me uncomfortable with Mayor Beard . . . but we did develop a comfortable working relationship."
Beard received her college degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport
at the age of fifty-five in 1985. In 2007, she received the LSUS "Distinguished Alumnus Award" when she delivered the commencement address in a ceremony at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City
. Beard is, meanwhile, active in such groups as Mothers Against Drunk Driving
and the Christian
Women's Job Corps.
Beard's archival material is located at LSUS.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to have served as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, since the era of Reconstruction. A fiscal conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
, Mrs. Beard grappled with many economic and social problems during her single term as mayor from 1990-1994.
Prior to her mayoralty service, Beard was a small business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
owner and a member of the Shreveport City Council from southwest Shreveport. She was the first woman to have been chairperson of the city council.
Beard entered the mayoral race against three serious opponents, including the African-American dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
C. O. Simpkins, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and two fellow council members, Republican Carolyn Calhoun Whitehurst and Democrat Bill Bush. Simpkins was a veteran of the civil rights movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
. Bush, a businessman, led in the pre-election polls. Whitehurst, a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
operator, later Carolyn C. Huckaby, is descended from a prominent De Soto Parish family: her father, Reimer Calhoun, was a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1944-1952. Whitehurst, who represented a southeast Shreveport council district, had the support of the Shreveport Times.
Simpkins led in the primary, but Beard secured the second slot to proceed to the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. She then prevailed, 38,604 votes (59 percent) to Simpkins' 26,341 (41 percent).
The Beard administration granted the first riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
license in Shreveport history. The designation went to Harrah's. Beard created a Growth Management Issues Committee, chaired by former Democratic Mayor James C. Gardner
James C. Gardner
James Creswell Gardner, I, known as Jim Gardner , was a power company executive best known as the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, who served a single term from 1954-1958....
and Wendell Collins, a telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
company executive who thereafter became the city's chief administrative officer under Beard's successor as mayor, Robert W. "Bo" Williams
Robert W. "Bo" Williams
Robert Warren "Bo" Williams is a former Republican mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, having served a single term from 1994-1998....
.
In 1992, when Mayor Beard welcomed U.S. President George H.W. Bush to Shreveport during Bush's ill-fated reelection campaign, the president mistakenly referred to her as "Nasal" Beard. The mayor accepted the slip of tongue with humor.
Hazel Beard is the widow of Charles Carroll Beard (November 24, 1920 - May 30, 2002). After her term as mayor ended, the Beards moved to Kingsland
Kingsland, Texas
Kingsland is a census-designated place in Llano County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,584 at the 2000 census. Texas Ranch to Market Road 1431 runs through the community.-Geography:...
in Llano County
Llano County, Texas
Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 19, 301. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River....
in central Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
As mayor, Beard appointed the Republican activist Harriet Belchic
Harriet Belchic
Harriet Cameron Belchic was a Republican political activist from Shreveport, Louisiana, who was also the first woman ever granted both bachelor of science and master of science degrees in geology from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge...
to the Shreveport Women's Commission and the Riverfront Redevelopment Advisory Committee. The only major project that was accomplished was the Riverfront Park which was at first poorly designed due to the seasonal overflows of the nearby Red River from which rising water would flood the park's fountains and foul the waterpumps.
As mayor, Beard had often expressed her being opposed to any form of legalized riverboat gambling legislation which then Governor Edwin Edwards had pushed hard for legislative approval. With Shreveport-Bossier as having as many as 5 gaming licenses granted, the area stood to benefit financially from such efforts. Sensing political pressure and fearing that she would be considered an opponent to such economic developments that casinos would bring to the area, Mayor Beard stated her support. But as deals were being made in Baton Rouge, she would then recant her support by making public statements that she was against the future expansion of gambling, expecting to have just one riverboat operation in Shreveport. When Harrah's Casino opened to much fanfare in Shreveport, then Governor Edwin Edwards (who was a strong proponent of legalized gambling in Louisiana) could be overheard at the podium expressing his displeasure with Beard's anti-gaming comments and was reported to have told Beard during a chat at the dais that he (Edwards) "...had never had worked with nor known a Louisiana mayor who was as stupid as she...." To which witnesses said Beard was shocked and speechless at his comments.
It was widely anticipated that former Mayor John Brennan Hussey
John Brennan Hussey
John Brennan Hussey , an attorney who specializes in contracts, served for two terms as the Democratic mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana. Before serving as mayor, he was a member of the Shreveport City Council, serving as its chairman in 1980.He defeated then Democrat Donald W...
, the man she had succeeded, would challenge Beard for reelection in 1994, but Beard surprised political observers by not seeking reelection. Hussey ran as expected, but two city council members, Republican Bo Williams and Democrat Roy Cary, an African- American, went into the general election, which Williams won by a comfortable margin.
Former Mayor Gardner, in his memoirs entitled Jim Gardner and Shreveport, Vol. II, describes Beard accordingly:
". . . a large woman physically and had been a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. . . . totally self-assured, [this] gave her strength as mayor. Her public appearances and demeanor were of one who was acting under a voter mandate to change everything. She began her term in office by asking for the resignation of all board and commission members, something not done before or since. At her inauguration, she had stated that 'the era of darkness was gone, the era of light had begun.'. . . This made me uncomfortable with Mayor Beard . . . but we did develop a comfortable working relationship."
Beard received her college degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Louisiana State University in Shreveport is a branch of the Louisiana State University System in Shreveport, Louisiana. Opened in 1967, LSUS is the only public four-year university in the Shreveport-Bossier metro area....
at the age of fifty-five in 1985. In 2007, she received the LSUS "Distinguished Alumnus Award" when she delivered the commencement address in a ceremony at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
. Beard is, meanwhile, active in such groups as Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization in the United States that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and overall push for stricter alcohol policy...
and the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Women's Job Corps.
Beard's archival material is located at LSUS.