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Robert T. Kellam, Sr. was a former American politician and bureaucrat, who served as alderman of Chicago's 18th Ward from 1977 to 1991.

Early life and family
Kellam graduated from Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, then from the University of Illinois before serving in the Army Air Corps during World War Two.

Before entering politics himself, Kellam was an assistant to Alderman James T. Murray and Congressman William T. Murphy.

Political career
Before being elected Alderman, Kellam was a longtime Democratic precinct captain and publicity director for the Chicago Traffic Safety Commission.

Kellam was first elected Alderman for the 18th Ward in a 1977 special election following the death of Alderman Edward Hines. He admitted that year that he'd "had ambitions to become alderman since 1967, but was patient and waited until it was my time."

In 1983, Kellam defeated challenger George Eddings, a black assistant principal, to win reelection. Following the election of Harold Washington that same year, he became an ally of Edward Vrdolyak during the "Council Wars" of the 1980s.

In 1986, the 18th Ward was one of seven altered by court decree to create additional majority-Black and Hispanic districts, and a special election was called. Kellam faced faced ten challengers including former state Representative Monica Faith Stewart, but won outright with 12,666 votes to Stewart's 4,720.

Kellam's closest bid for reelection came in the aftermath of the Council Wars, when the presence of three white candidates prevented him from achieving a first-round majority. He was joined in the runoff by community activist Eldora Davis, a black woman. One observer noted that "Kellam's organization was everywhere in his areas, while Davis' troops were nonexistent even in the black neighborhoods." Kellam won 55% of the vote to Davis' 45% "in a ward that is nearly equally split in black and white population."

Following the death of Harold Washington, Kellam supported Richard M. Daley during both his campaign and administration.

Kellam voted against the Gay Rights Ordinance of 1986 and the first Human Rights Ordinance of 1988, both of which failed. A second attempt to pass the Human Rights Ordinance in December 1988, with the backing of Mayor Daley, succeeded without Kellam's support.

Kellam sat on the Budget and Government Operations, Claims and Liabilities, Capital Developments, and Ports, Wharves, and Bridges Committees during his tenure.

Personal Life
Kellam was involved in the founding of the Wrightwood Little League and was president of St. Thomas More's Holy Name Society. He also was a past state deputy of the Knights of Columbus in Illinois.

His son, Robert T. Kellam, Jr., is a Lieutenant in the Chicago Police Department.