Ceremony, book release party celebrate former Tacoma mayor Cain

Two events in Tacoma this week will mark the life of former Tacoma mayor and U.S. Senator Harry P. Cain. On Fri., April 15, the public is invited to attend a ceremony to officially dedicate the Harry P. Cain Promenade, a stretch of Broadway in downtown Tacoma between the Hotel Murano and the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center. The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at 1320 Broadway Plaza. On Sat., April 16, a book release party will be held at the main branch of the Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Ave. South, at 2 p.m. to mark the publication of “Raising Cain: The Life and Politics of Senator Harry P. Cain” by C. Mark Smith. Long acquainted with Cain, Smith began research on his biography of Cain in July 2008, and has written two articles about Cain. The first appeared in “Arches,” University of Puget Sound’s alumni magazine, in the spring of 2009, and “Columbia,” the journal of the Washington State Historical Society. Smith is a graduate of Clover Park High School and a history graduate of the University of Puget Sound. Cain (1906-1979) was elected mayor of Tacoma in 1940, and again in 1942 for a four-year term. He took a leave of absence in May 1943 to enter the United States Army and served in the European theater between 1943 and 1945. He resumed his duties as mayor of Tacoma until 1946, when he was elected to the United States Senate. Later, Cain served on the Subversive Activities Control Board and became a noted advocate of civil liberties. In November 2009, Tacoma City Council designated the pedestrian area of the 1300 block of Broadway Plaza as “Harry P. Cain Promenade,” recognizing his importance in the city’s history and on the national scene. For more information, visit http://www.raising-cain-book.com/ .

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THS meeting April 12 features Harry P. Cain biographer — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1745625&more=0

City Council to vote on Cain Promenade, Gilbert Park nominations — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1667429&more=0

Broadway promenade to bear name of former mayor, senator Cain — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1652979&more=0