Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington ( born April 15, 1922 in Chicago, † November 25, 1987 ) was an American politician and from 1983 until his death, the first African American mayor of Chicago. The Democrat was from 1980 a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Washington had to prevail against fierce internal opposition within his own party. Although Chicago is a stronghold of the Democrats, he succeeded initially only with difficulty, to prevail in elections and as mayor, as many white Democrats rather with his Republican opponents worked together than with him.
Early years
Washington studied at Roosevelt College (now Roosevelt University ) and graduated there in 1949 with a B. A. from. In 1952, he completed his law studies at the Northwestern University School of Law from Evanston and worked as a lawyer. In 1965, he got a seat in the House of Representatives from Illinois, in 1976 one in the State Senate in 1980 and finally one in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Election for Mayor of Chicago ( 1983)
Chicago was ruled to Washington Times for decades by Democrats, the whole state of Illinois is a Democratic stronghold. In effect, this meant the normal case that the winner of the Democratic primary would be the future winner of the election. In the pre-election civil rights had brought more than 100,000 African Americans in Chicago to be registered as new voters. Washington benefited from these voices, while the voices of the white populations on the incumbent Mayor Jane Byrne and challenger Richard M. Daley, the son of decades incumbent mayor, Richard J. Daley, segregating. Washington won with 37 % before Byrne ( 33%) and Daley (30 %).
During the Republican challenger, Bernard Epton, appeared as a blip before the election campaign, was in the direct run-up to the election that this was supported by many white Democrats and grassroots organizations. Among them was Edward "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak. Vrdolyak was chairman of the Democrats in Cook County, in which Chicago is located, and thus a very serious size.
The elections even proved to be voting by ethnic origin. While Epton got 90% of votes in the districts with a predominantly white population, there were only 3 % in those with predominantly black. In Washington, the numbers were reversed. Overall, Washington had four percentage points ahead.
As mayor (1983-1987)
His first term turned out to be similar. Washington had to confront to 21, the opposed his reforms in the so-called "Council Wars" and refused to nominate its candidates for government offices by a majority of 29. The 29, also known as the " Vrdolyak 29" were led by the " Eddies ". Besides Eddie Vrdolyak these were several influential white Democrats. They were supported by the Minister of Justice of Illinois, Richard M. Daley, U.S. Congressman Bill Lipinski, Dan Rostenkowski and other white Democrat from Illinois.
Washington was able to govern with his veto rights. The " Eddie " lacked a 30 vote to override his veto can, his coalition of African Americans, Latinos and white liberals voted for him. Washington fought in the courts for making electoral reform reversed, which had established its predecessor. When the court consequently ordered a extra option under the old mode, he managed to get through 25 own candidates for the city council. Together with his voice as chairman so they could outvote the 25 other City Council members.
The re-election in 1987, he won safely. Despite the short time until his death he succeeded even to overthrow the Eddies. Vrdolyak moved to the Republican Party, the former person responsible for public parks, Kelly, and Finance, Burke, lost their posts.