Editing Frank Rizzo Era (section)

== Legacy ==

Frank Rizzo's legacy divides Philadelphia to this day. Supporters remember him as a defender of working-class neighborhoods, a tough leader who stood against crime and disorder, and an authentic representative of white ethnic Philadelphia. Italian Americans particularly claimed Rizzo as one of their own who achieved the highest office. Critics see Rizzo as a racist who used law enforcement to oppress African Americans, who polarized the city for political advantage, and who represented the worst aspects of backlash politics. The truth includes elements of both: Rizzo did represent genuine concerns of white working-class voters, but he also exploited racial fear and presided over a police department that brutalized Black residents.<ref name="weigley"/>

The Rizzo era's effects persist in Philadelphia's political geography. The racial polarization of the Rizzo years shaped subsequent elections; voting patterns in mayoral races often followed lines established in the 1970s. The white ethnic neighborhoods that supported Rizzo have continued to vote differently from Black neighborhoods. The issues Rizzo exploited—crime, race, neighborhood preservation—remained central to Philadelphia politics. Understanding the Rizzo era is essential to understanding modern Philadelphia: its divisions, its politics, and its continuing struggles with race and inequality.<ref name="daughen"/>