Crump, (Edward Hull) ‘Boss’ (1874–1954)

US Democratic mayor, US representative and political boss. As Democratic mayor of Memphis 1911–17, he took over public utilities and opposed the Ku Klux Klan, but resigned after failing to enforce prohibition. He served in the US House of Representatives 1931–35, and controlled Tennessee Democrats until 1948.

He was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi. A self-made man, he began his political machine as Memphis, Tennessee, councilman in 1905. He established E H Crump Insurance in 1920.