DOLTON-- William “Bill” Shaw, the first black mayor of south suburban Dolton, died Wednesday night after a four-year battle with colon cancer.
Shaw was 71. He died in his Dolton home at 8:45 p.m., surrounded by family and loved ones, according to Sean Howard, a spokesman for the Shaw family.
Shaw was hospitalized for his cancer when he won re-election as Dolton’s mayor for the third time in 2005.
Shaw was born in Hope, Arkansas on July 31, 1937 but moved to Chicago at an early age with his family. Shaw was drawn to politics as a child, but his first position as an elected public official came in 1982 when he was elected the Illinois State Representative of the 34th Legislative District.
After five terms, he spent 10 years in the Senate before he was elected mayor of Dolton in 1997.
Shaw is survived by his long time companion, Debra Green, three adult children, two grandchildren, his twin brother and former Cook County Commissioner Robert Shaw, his sister Barbara Shaw-Brown and many other relatives.
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