Milton Street Is, Literally, An Uncle Tom (Not In That Way)

I guess the question you’re asking right now is: Will I ever stop doing new “Milton!” logos every time I come up with a new reason to post about America’s Greatest Politician? The answer, of course, is no. But this is a new Photoshop for a reason: It’s all about old school Milton.

Yes, back before he was a mayoral candidate in 2007, Milton Street was many other things: hot dog vendor, duck boat owner, squatters’ rights advocate, Mayor’s older brother, a man named “Thomas Street”, consultant, Mister Softee driver (?), etc. This was all detailed in a Phillymag article in 2003 that they’ve helpfully reposted on the website in order to give us a fuller picture of Ol’ Milty.

And, oh man, you can’t make this shit up. It’s a fantastic read, t let’s charticle the highlights for you anyway:

• The night Daniel Faulkner was killed, Milton Street took Mumia Abu-Jamal out to dinner earlier in the evening.
• Smithsonian magazine described Street as a “resourceful North Philadelphia black … not to be dismissed as just another sorehead.” (sorehead. n. (slang.) One who is easily offended, annoyed, or angered.)
• His lady friend’s home in Moorestown has a lawn jockey on the front.
• He used to go by Thomas, but after his brothers starting having kids, he decided to go by Milton so his nephews and nieces wouldn’t call him “Uncle Tom.”
• He used to race his nephews every Christmas, until one started running track — good man — and nearly beat him. He put an end to the race so he wouldn’t lose. “Now you have to carry that defeat around with you for the rest of your life,” he said. “You’ll never beat me.”
• He didn’t have good positions for his hot-dog carts outside Penn Relays, so he called up Ed Rendell’s office and got a better position.
• He once said: “I don’t have no morals.”

And that’s just about half of it. Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah for Milton Street.

In Search of Milton Street [Phillymag]