Remembering Mayor Harold Washington.
Friday will mark the 24th year since Harold Washington died.
Harold was the first elected Black mayor of Chicago and its most progressive one.
By the way, you always called him “Harold.” It was no disrespect. In fact, he would always joke, “Everywhere you go, London, Paris, Rome or China, they will ask you the same thing: How’s Harold?” And he would break into his great grin and laugh.
Those born over the past quarter century may not know much about this great progressive politician. But there is much to learn from him.
As I said, he was the first African American elected as Chicago’s mayor. The Chicago Democratic Machine opposed him at every turn. The City’s legislative body, the City Council, was made up of a corrupt bunch led by