Thirty years ago today Chicago's only progressive Mayor died.
RIP Harold Washington (1922-1987).
Harold Washington was a creation of the Chicago Democratic Machine but rose above it. He built a coalition of black folk, Latinos and progressive whites which was able to defeat the Machine. For four and 1/2 years progressive politics was allowed to breathe in the city.
When Washington died the black political community imploded on itself. Alderman Tim Evans led one faction. Evans got his political start from the notorious Machine boss Claude Holman. Evans got the backing of progressive blacks, Latinos and whites simply because he was young -- not because of any accomplishments.
The other side was Alderman Eugene Sawyer. As a young man Sawyer had stood guard around Martin Luther King's house in Montgomery, Alabama during the bus boycott in 1955. He was elected by the aldermen to be the Mayor for the rest of Washington's term. But the Evans people would have none of it. They attacked Sawyer as a "race traitor" and "Uncle Tom". The same folks attacked Obama as not being "black enough" to run for office.
The Daleys loved the split in the black community and helped Evans force a special election. Richard Daley marched in, won the election and stopped cold progressive politics in the city. He ruled for 20 years and then turned over the city to Rahm Emanuel. In the last 30 years there has never been a serious black or progressive challenger that has run for Mayor.
= new reply since forum marked as read
It was so sad when he died.
He was hilarious. He also really did open the door for Chicagoans to vote for citywide and statewide African Americans. I don't know if Barack Obama or Carol Mosley Braun would have made it to senator without Harold Washington paving the way. My city is pretty racist and was even more so in those days. The only reason Harold Washington got in was that the primary vote was between 3 democrats and Harold got the People of Color vote the Progressive vote and the LGBT vote. Byrne and Daley Jr duked it out as the other two and lost.
The republican almost won in the general election. No one had heard of him before because Chicago was a one party city liberal or arch conservative, everyone was a democrat. His name was Bernie Epton and he had buttons that said "Bernie Epton, Before it's Too Late" .
That was another ugly race and Harold Washington won by a hair. The mostly racist city council tried to block his reforms. He did eventually gain more of their respect and the respect of more Chicagoans and won his second term. He had a lot of humor in his debates. He was brilliant and clever and lovable.
It was so sad when he died. I remember that day well. He had a massive heart attack in office.
