Harold Washington

Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician. He became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.^[1] Before, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 1st congressional district. He was also a member of the Illinois State Senate and Illinois House of Representatives.

Harold Washington
51st Mayor of Chicago
In office April 29, 1983 – November 25, 1987
Preceded by	Jane Byrne
Succeeded by	David Orr (acting)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 1st district
In office January 3, 1981 – April 30, 1983
Preceded by	Bennett Stewart
Succeeded by	Charles A. Hayes
Member of the Illinois Senate from the 26th district
In office May 7, 1977 – November 20, 1980
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 26th district
In office March 22, 1965 – August 8, 1976
Personal details
Born	Harold Lee Washington (1922-04-15)April 15, 1922 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	November 25, 1987(1987-11-25) (aged 65) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Resting place	Oak Woods Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Dorothy Finch ​ ​ (m. 1942; div. 1950)​
Domestic partner	Mary Ella Smith (1967–1987)
Education	Roosevelt University (BA) Northwestern University (JD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1942–1945
Rank	First Sergeant
Unit	United States Army Air Corps United States Army Air Forces
Battles/wars	World War II  • South Pacific  • Central Pacific

Washington was born on April 15, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois.^[2] He studied at Roosevelt College and at Northwestern University School of Law.

He was married to Nancy Dorothy Finch from 1942 until they divorced in 1950. Then he was engaged to Mary Ella Smith until his death in 1987.

During his first term as mayor, Washington led the city through the "council wars" which were intense political disagreements between city hall and the city council.^[3] Despite this, Washington enjoyed positive approval among the city's residents.^[4]

Washington died suddenly on November 25, 1987 in Chicago City Hall from a heart attack, aged 65.^[5]

A 1993 survey of historians, political scientists and urban experts conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago ranked Washington as the nineteenth-best American big-city mayor to have served between the years 1820 and 1993.^[6] The Harold Washington Library is named after him.

References

1. Davis, Robert (April 12, 1983). "The election of Harold Washington the first black mayor of Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
2. Hamlish Levinsohn, Florence (1983). Harold Washington: A Political Biography. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. ISBN 0-914091-40-9.
3. Sheppard (May 17, 1983). "Rebels Win Court Decision in Chicago Council Dispute". The New York Times. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
4. Moser, Whet (February 1, 2016). "Rahm Emanuel: The Least Popular Mayor in Modern Chicago History". Chicago Magazine. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
5. Davis, Robert (November 26, 1987). "Mayor's death stuns city – black leader, 65, on verge of a dream". Retrieved January 26, 2008.
6. Holli, Melvin G. (1999). The American Mayor. University Park: PSU Press. ISBN 0-271-01876-3.

Other websites

• "The Legacy of Chicago's Harold Washington", Cheryl Corley, All Things Considered, November 23, 2007. Accessed November 23, 2007.
• Harold Washington on the Legacy of Richard J. Daley
• A Latino Resource Archived 2012-10-25 at the Wayback Machine
• Harold Washington at Find a Grave