Oak Woods Cemetery is a large lawn cemetery in Chicago , Illinois . Located at 1035 E. 67th Street, in the Greater Grand Crossing area of Chicago's South Side . Established 171 years ago on February 12, 1853, it covers 183 acres (74 ha).
122-476: Oak Woods is the final resting place of several famous Americans including Harold Washington , Ida B. Wells , Jesse Owens , and Enrico Fermi . It is also the setting for a mass grave and memorial for Confederate prisoners of war from Camp Douglas , called the Confederate Mound. Oak Woods Cemetery was chartered on February 12, 1853. It was designed by landscape architect Adolph Strauch who created
244-609: A Chicago city college , in Englewood, and Chicago State University in Roseland is located directly outside the district at its southern edge; in addition, there are five seminaries in Hyde Park: Catholic Theological Union , Chicago Theological Seminary , Lutheran School of Theology , McCormick Theological Seminary and Meadville Lombard Theological School . U.S. Cellular Field , home of
366-642: A mass grave , which came to be known as Confederate Mound, reputedly the largest documented mass grave in the Western Hemisphere . In response to the establishment of the Confederate memorial, in 1896, Thomas D. Lowther, a pre-war resident of the South, erected near it an abolitionist monument. The abolition monument is a large black marble cenotaph to pre-war southerners, "unknown heroric men", "martyrs" who had opposed slavery and disunion. Near
488-571: A "Bill of Rights" for students; both measures were roundly defeated. The next year, Washington went to the state capital at Springfield to protest Illinois legislators' coming probe of "subversives.". The probe of investigation would outlaw the Communist Party and require "loyalty oaths" for teachers. He led students' opposition to the bills, although they would pass later in 1949. During his Roosevelt College years, Washington came to be known for his stability. His friends said that he had
610-400: A "remarkable ability to keep cool", reason carefully and walk a middle line. Washington intentionally avoided extremist activities, including street actions and sit-ins against racially segregated restaurants and businesses. Overall, Washington and other radical activists ended up sharing a mutual respect for each other, acknowledging both Washington's pragmatism and the activists' idealism. With
732-465: A bill which would authorize the creation of a civilian review board, consisting of both patrolmen and officers, to monitor police brutality . Both black independent and white liberal legislators refused to back the bill, afraid to challenge Daley's grip on the police force. After Washington announced that he would support the AAPL, Metcalfe refused to protect him from Daley. Washington believed that he had
854-578: A black police officer and one of the founders of the Afro-American Patrolmen's League (AAPL). The aim of the AAPL was to fight against the racism which was directed against minority officers by the rest of the predominantly white department. Soon after the creation of the group, Robinson was written up for minor infractions, suspended, reinstated, and then placed on the graveyard shift on a single block behind central police headquarters. Robinson approached Washington and asked him to fashion
976-587: A ceremony was held on April 19, 1988, changing the name of Loop College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago , to Harold Washington College . Harold Washington Elementary School in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood is also named after the former mayor. In August 2004, the 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m ) Harold Washington Cultural Center opened to the public in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Across from
1098-667: A clinic for sickle cell anemia screenings. He served as a Chicago alderman from 1983 until his election to Congress in 1993, and he was an ally of Mayor Washington in the Council Wars of the 1980s. While in Congress, Rush consistently voted with the Democratic position over 90% of the time. When he did break from the party, he usually took positions more liberal than other Democrats, rather than taking positions held by Republicans. Rush ran against incumbent Richard M. Daley in
1220-418: A few Chicago neighborhoods such as Hyde Park. The district's largest white ethnic groups are Irish (7.1%), German (6.2%), Polish (4.5%) and Italian (3.2%), mirroring the demographics of the neighboring third and thirteenth congressional districts. There are also sizable Dutch , Swedish , Czech , Palestinian , Greek and Lithuanian populations in the area of Oak Forest, Orland Park and Tinley Park,
1342-409: A former Democratic alderman. Despite the campaign support of Jackson for Rayner, Stewart won the election, although Rayner did get over 40% of the vote. Stewart served only one term and lost the 1980 Democratic primary to reform candidate Harold Washington . He left Congress in 1983 upon being elected mayor, after winning a contentious three-way primary with 37% of the vote. His successor in Congress
SECTION 10
#17327803998761464-546: A full-length portrait depicting Washington wearing women's lingerie. The work was unveiled on May 11, 1988, opening day of SAIC's annual student exhibition. Within hours, City aldermen and members of the Chicago Police Department seized the painting. It was later returned, but with a five-inch (13 cm) gash in the canvas. Nelson, assisted by the ACLU , filed a federal lawsuit against the city, claiming that
1586-528: A group of supporters, "In the old days, when you told people in other countries that you were from Chicago, they would say, 'Boom-boom! Rat-a-tat-tat!' Nowadays, they say [crowd joins with him], 'How's Harold?'!" In later years, various city facilities and institutions were named or renamed after the late mayor to commemorate his legacy. The new building housing the main branch of the Chicago Public Library , located at 400 South State Street ,
1708-571: A massive decrease in ridership on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). Assertions that the overall crime rate increased were incorrect. The 29, also known as the "Vrdolyak 29", were led by Vrdolyak (who was an Alderman in addition to Cook County Democratic Party chairman) and Finance Chair, Alderman Edward Burke . Parks superintendent Edmund Kelly also opposed the mayor. The three were known as "the Eddies" and were supported by
1830-410: A mile. The district was created following the 1830 U.S. census and came into existence in 1833, five months before Chicago was organized as a town; the state was previously represented in the U.S. House of Representatives with representative elected on an at-large basis. The district included Southwestern Illinois until 1853. It included the state's northern edge until 1863. Since that time,
1952-488: A nominal stand-in), was supported by many high-ranking Democrats and their ward organizations, including the chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, Alderman Edward Vrdolyak . Epton's campaign referred to, among other things, Washington's conviction for failure to file income tax returns (he had paid the taxes, but had not filed a return). Washington, on the other hand, stressed reforming
2074-648: A number of bureaucratic reconceptions and roadblocks, and is currently spearheaded by the DuSable Heritage Association . Despite tumult between Washington and the City Council, Washington enjoyed positive approval among the city's residents. An April 1987 Chicago Tribune poll of voters indicated that there was a significant age and gender gap in Washington's approval, with Washington being more popularly approved of by voters under
2196-439: A number of political jobs. Some Democratic legislators would oppose any measure backed by Washington, Thompson and Republican legislators. For many years, human rights had been a campaign issue brought up and backed by Democrats. Thompson's staffers brought the bill to Washington and other black legislators before it was presented to the legislature. Washington made adjustments in anticipation of some legislators' concerns regarding
2318-446: A population that has voted Republican more often; Republican support has passed the 10% mark, and George W. Bush received 17% of the vote here in 2004 . His was the best showing by a Republican presidential candidate in the district in over 40 years. The district has since the early 1970s elected representatives who dissented from the city's Democratic establishment. William L. Dawson , U.S. Representative from 1943 to 1970, maintained
2440-490: A result, the amendments were defeated, and Congress passed the Voting Rights Act Extension. By the time Washington faced re-election in 1982, he had cemented his popularity in the 1st Congressional District. Jane Byrne could not find one serious candidate to run against Washington for his re-election campaign. He had collected 250,000 signatures to get on the ballot, although only 610 signatures (0.5% of
2562-403: A separate gathering of Chicagoans. Initial reactions to the pronouncement of his death were of shock and sadness, as many black people believed that Washington was the only top Chicago official who would address their concerns. Following his death, President Ronald Reagan issued a statement calling Washington a "dedicated and outspoken leader who guided one of our nation's largest cities through
SECTION 20
#17327803998762684-520: A singer, and the couple divorced in 1928. Bertha remarried and had seven more children, including Ramon Price, who was an artist and eventually became chief curator of The DuSable Museum of African American History . Harold Washington grew up in Bronzeville , a Chicago neighborhood that was the center of black culture for the entire Midwest in the early and middle 20th century. Edward and Harold stayed with their father, while Roy Jr. and Geneva were cared for by their grandparents. After attending St. Benedict
2806-644: A time, Mack Washington became a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, serving numerous churches in Illinois until the death of his wife in 1952. Reverend I.M.D. Washington died in 1953. Harold Lee Washington was born on April 15, 1922, at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, to Roy and Bertha Washington. While still in high school in Lawrenceville, Illinois , Roy met Bertha from nearby Carrier Mills and
2928-411: A vote) to enable him to bargain for more concessions. Washington was accused of failing to file a tax return, even though the tax was paid. He was found guilty and sentenced to 36 days in jail. (1971) Washington also passed bills in honor of civil rights figures. He passed a resolution in honor of Metcalfe, his mentor. He also passed a resolution in honor of James J. Reeb , a Unitarian minister who
3050-628: A ‘landscape-lawn cemetery’ on the 183 acres emphasizing grade changes with curving streets and well-planned drainage creating a uniform composition which was free of fences. The first burials took place in 1860. After the American Civil War (1861–1865), several thousand Confederate soldiers , prisoners who died at Camp Douglas , were reburied here. According to a plaque on the site, soldiers were buried in "concentric trenches". A monument and marker, which former Kentucky lieutenant governor John C. Underwood helped construct, probably inflates
3172-524: Is an archival collection detailing the organization's work. It is located in the Chicago Public Library Special Collections, Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago, Illinois. Washington, during his mayorship, announced a plan to redevelop a commercial site into a DuSable Park , named in honor of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable , the honorary founder of the city. The project has yet to be completed, has experienced
3294-693: Is home to Irish Fest, held annually on Memorial Day weekend. Business and industrial presences in the district include Panduit Corporation [3] , an electrical manufacturer in Tinley Park; Parco Foods [4] , a cookie manufacturer in Blue Island; and Midwest Suburban Publishing, publisher of the SouthtownStar , in Tinley Park. In addition to Washington Park and those sites associated with the University of Chicago and IIT, district locations on
3416-404: Is said to have said, "If every woman Harold slept with stood at one end of City Hall , the building would sink five inches into LaSalle Street !". At Northwestern Law School, Washington was the only black student in his class (there were six women in the class, one of them being Dawn Clark Netsch ). As at Roosevelt, he entered school politics. In 1951, his last year, he was elected treasurer of
3538-593: Is split between this district and the 2nd district . They are partitioned by North 5000E Rd, East 6000N Rd, Cardinal Drive, Durham St, East Armour Rd, East Marsile St, Bisallion Ave, and the Kankakee River. The 1st district takes in the municipalities of Manteno , northern Bourbannais , and part of Bradley . The departure of the steel industry , along with other manufacturing jobs from the South Side in recent decades, has created economic difficulties which
3660-400: The Bronzeville neighborhood, Washington became involved in local 3rd Ward politics under Chicago Alderman and future Congressman Ralph Metcalfe after graduating from Roosevelt University and Northwestern University School of Law . Washington was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1983, representing Illinois's first district . Washington had previously served in
3782-568: The Chicago White Sox , is less than 1,000 feet (300 m) west of the district's northwestern border. Other area cultural and entertainment attractions include the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago's Washington Park , and First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park; several square miles of Cook County Forest Preserves can be found on three sides of Oak Forest, and Oak Forest's Chicago Gaelic Park [2]
Oak Woods Cemetery - Misplaced Pages Continue
3904-1013: The Cook County Bureau of Health Services ; as well as the University of Chicago Hospitals in Hyde Park, Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago Lawn, St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island, Jackson Park Hospital in South Shore and St. Bernard Hospital in Englewood. Local educational institutions include the University of Chicago in Hyde Park, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Douglas, Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights and Kennedy-King College ,
4026-707: The Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. He created the city's first environmental-affairs department under the management of longtime Great Lakes environmentalist Lee Botts . Washington's first term in office was characterized by conflict with the city council dubbed " Council Wars ", referring to the then-recent Star Wars films and caused Chicago to be nicknamed " Beirut on the Lake ". A 29-alderman City Council majority refused to enact Washington's legislation and prevented him from appointing nominees to boards and commissions. First-term challenges included city population loss and
4148-772: The Illinois State Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives from 1965 until 1976. The earliest known ancestor of Harold Lee Washington, Isam/Isham Washington, was born a slave in 1832 in North Carolina. In 1864, he enlisted in the 8th United States Colored Heavy Artillery, Company L, in Paducah, Kentucky. Following his discharge in 1866, he began farming with his wife, Rebecca Neal, in Ballard County, Kentucky. Among their six children
4270-646: The Junior Bar Association (JBA). The election was largely symbolic, however, and Washington's attempts to give the JBA more authority at Northwestern were largely unsuccessful. On campus, Washington joined the Nu Beta Epsilon fraternity, largely because he and the other people who were members of ethnic minority groups which constituted the fraternity were blatantly excluded from the other fraternities on campus. Overall, Washington stayed away from
4392-492: The National Register of Historic Places include: Democrats routinely dominate politics in the district, with the main focus of competition being the party primary . Only twice since 1966 has a Republican candidate for Congress received over 20% of the vote, and the Democratic nominee has topped 80% in every presidential race during that time. The district's expansion into the suburbs in the 1990s has incorporated
4514-650: The Voting Rights Act , legislation that opponents had argued was only necessary in an emergency. Others, including Congressman Henry Hyde , had submitted amendments designed to seriously weaken the power of the Voting Rights Act. Although he had been called "crazy" for railing in the House of Representatives against deep cuts to social programs, Associated Press political reporter Mike Robinson noted that Washington worked "quietly and thoughtfully" as
4636-412: The "nondiscriminatory progressive principles." He chaired a fund-raising drive by students, and then was named to a committee that supported citywide efforts to outlaw " restrictive covenants " in housing, the legal means by which ethnic minorities (especially blacks and, to a lesser extent, Jews) were prohibited from purchasing real estate in predominantly white neighborhoods of the city. In 1946, after
4758-768: The 1980's". Thousands of Chicagoans attended his wake in the lobby of City Hall between November 27 and 29, 1987. On November 30, 1987, Reverend B. Herbert Martin officiated Washington's funeral service in Christ Universal Temple at 119th Street and Ashland Avenue in Chicago. After the service, Washington was buried in Oak Woods Cemetery on the South Side of Chicago. Immediately after Washington's death, rumors about how Washington died began to surface. On January 6, 1988, Dr. Antonio Senat, Washington's personal physician, denied "unfounded speculations" that Washington had cocaine in his system at
4880-413: The 1980s, but redistricting since that time – which redrew the district lines with the goal of maintaining three Chicago districts with black populations exceeding 60% – has reduced the percentage of black residents in the district to 70% in the 1990s. The current figure is 65%. Outward migration has caused the South Side's population to decrease over the years, and the district was expanded geographically to
5002-399: The 1980s, more than 90% of the district's residents were black. While successive redistrictings have given the district a larger percentage of white voters, it is still one of the most reliably Democratic districts in the country; with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+28, it is the fourth most Democratic district of the eight that divide Chicago. The district has not sent a Republican to
Oak Woods Cemetery - Misplaced Pages Continue
5124-523: The 1999 election for Mayor of Chicago. Despite the support of fellow congressmen Jesse Jackson Jr. and Danny Davis , he was backed by only three out of 50 aldermen and lost the election by a margin of 72–28%. He had a 55–45% advantage among black voters. In the 2000 congressional primary Rush emerged with a 61–30% win over challenger Barack Obama resulting in Obama's only electoral defeat. In Congress, Rush focused on urban revitalization issues, and he
5246-584: The 2012 primary and general elections, and the boundaries became effective on January 3, 2013. As of the 2020 redistricting, the district will still be centered primarily around the Chicago's South Side , now with a greater portion of Will County, and a corner of northern Kankakee County. The 1st district takes in the Chicago neighborhoods of Oakland , Burnham Park , Auburn Gresham , Washington Heights , Greater Grand Crossing , Chatham , and Burnside ; most of Ashburn , Roseland , and Calumet Heights ;
5368-627: The 3rd Ward headquarters for advice on how to run their own organizations. Like he had at Roosevelt College, Washington avoided radicalism and preferred to work through the party to engender change. While working with the Young Democrats, Washington met Mary Ella Smith. They dated for the next 20 years, and in 1983 Washington proposed to Smith. In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Smith said that she never pressed Washington for marriage because she knew Washington's first love
5490-485: The April 7, 1987, mayoral general election defeated Vrdolyak (Illinois Solidarity Party ) by 11.8%, 53.8% to 42.8%, with Northwestern University business professor Donald Haider (Republican) getting 4.3%, to win reelection to a second term as mayor. Cook County Assessor Thomas Hynes (Chicago First Party), a Daley ally, dropped out of the race 36 hours before the mayoral general election. During Washington's short second term,
5612-462: The Chicago patronage system and the need for a jobs program in a tight economy. In the April 12, 1983, mayoral general election, Washington defeated Epton by 3.7%, 51.7% to 48.0%, to become mayor of Chicago. Washington was sworn in as mayor on April 29, 1983, and resigned his Congressional seat the following day. During his tenure as mayor, Washington lived at the Hampton House apartments in
5734-583: The Eddies lost much of their power: Vrdolyak became a Republican, Kelly was removed from his powerful parks post, and Burke lost his Finance Committee chairmanship. From March 1984 to 1987, the Political Education Project (PEP) served as Washington's political arm, organizing both Washington's campaigns and the campaigns of his political allies. Harold Washington established the Political Education Project in 1984. This organization supported Washington's interests in electoral politics beyond
5856-565: The Hampton House apartments where Washington lived, a city park was renamed Harold Washington Park , which was known for "Harold's Parakeets", a colony of feral monk parakeets that inhabited Ash Trees in the park. A building on the campus of Chicago State University is named Harold Washington Hall. Six months after Washington's death, School of the Art Institute of Chicago student David Nelson painted Mirth & Girth ,
5978-695: The House of Representatives were focused on becoming an advocate for black rights. He continued work on the Fair Housing Act, and worked to strengthen the state's Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC). In addition, he worked on a state Civil Rights Act, which would strengthen employment and housing provisions in the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 . In his first session, all of his bills were sent to committee or tabled. Like his time in Roosevelt College, Washington relied on parliamentary tactics (e.g., writing amendments guaranteed to fail in
6100-571: The Hyde Park Historical Society created an interactive directory application for monuments at the cemetery. Harold Washington [REDACTED] Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician who was the 51st Mayor of Chicago . Washington became the first African American to be elected as the city's mayor in April 1983. He served as mayor from April 29, 1983, until his death in 1987. Born in Chicago and raised in
6222-593: The Illinois House and named Best Legislator of the Year. His defiance of the "idiot card", a sheet of paper that directed legislators' votes on every issue, attracted the attention of party leaders, who moved to remove Washington from his legislative position. Daley often told Metcalfe to dump Washington as a candidate, but Metcalfe did not want to risk losing the 3rd Ward's Young Democrats, who were mostly aligned with Washington. Washington backed Renault Robinson ,
SECTION 50
#17327803998766344-494: The Judiciary Committee. In addition to Daley's strong-arm tactics, Washington's time in the Illinois House was also marred by problems with tax returns and allegations of not performing services owed to his clients. In her biography, Levinsohn questions whether the timing of Washington's legal troubles was politically motivated. In November 1966, Washington was re-elected to the House over Daley's strong objections;
6466-515: The League was deciding factor in the re-election of Leon DesPres who was an independent voice in the City Council. Washington was a close friend of the founders of the League and worked with them from time to time. The League was key in electing Anna Langford, William Cousins and A. A. "Sammy" Rayner who were not part of the Daley machine. In 1963 the group moved to racially integrate and formed Protest at
6588-605: The Moor Boarding School in Milwaukee from 1928 to 1932, Washington attended DuSable High School , then a newly established, racially segregated public high school, and was a member of its first graduating class. In a 1939 citywide track meet, Washington placed first in the 110-meter high hurdles event, and second in the 220-meter low hurdles event. Between his junior and senior years of high school, Washington dropped out, claiming that he no longer felt challenged by
6710-560: The Office of the Mayor. PEP helped organize political candidates for statewide elections in 1984 and managed Washington's participation in the 1984 Democratic National Convention as a "favorite son" presidential candidate. PEP used its political connections to support candidates such as Luis Gutiérrez and Jesús "Chuy" García through field operations, voter registration and Election Day poll monitoring. Once elected, these aldermen helped break
6832-550: The Polls at a citywide conference which Washington independent candidates had gained traction within the black community, winning several aldermanic seats. In 1983, Protest at the Polls was instrumental in Washington's run for mayor. By then, the YDs were losing to independent candidates. After the state legislature failed to reapportion districts every ten years as required by the census, the 1964 Illinois House of Representatives election
6954-520: The Senate and eligible for his pension, decided to retire from the Senate. Although Daley and Taylor declined at first, at Partee's insistence, Washington was ultimately slated for the seat and he received the party's support. Daley had been displeased with Washington for having run a symbolic challenge in 1975 to Daley-backed Clyde Choate for Illinois Speaker of the House (Washington had only received two votes). Additionally, he had ultimately helped push
7076-803: The Senate refused to accept the amendment. On June 30, 1979, the legislature adjourned. In 1980, Washington was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois's 1st congressional district . He defeated incumbent Representative Bennett Stewart in the Democratic primary. Anticipating that the Democratic Party would challenge him in his bid for re-nomination in 1982, Washington spent much of his first term campaigning for re-election, often travelling back to Chicago to campaign. Washington missed many House votes, an issue that would come up in his campaign for mayor in 1983. Washington's major congressional accomplishment involved legislation to extend
7198-462: The South Side of Chicago and continues southwest to Joliet . From 2003 to early 2013 it extended into the city's southwest suburbs until reaching the border of Will County , and covered 97.84 square miles (253.4 km ), making it one of the 40 smallest districts in the U.S. (although there are four smaller districts in Illinois). The district had a population that was 65% African American,
7320-409: The U.S. House of Representatives since 1935 . After the civil rights movement gained support from national Democratic Party for major legislation to restore constitutional rights, including the franchise in the South, most African Americans shifted to support the Democratic Party. Democratic congressional candidates routinely receive over 80% of the vote here. The Democratic trend runs right through to
7442-436: The activism that defined his years at Roosevelt. During the evenings and weekends, he worked to supplement his GI Bill income. He received his JD in 1952. From 1951 until he was first slated for election in 1965, Washington worked in the offices of the 3rd Ward Alderman, former Olympic athlete Ralph Metcalfe . Richard J. Daley was elected party chairman in 1952. Daley replaced C.C. Wimbush, an ally of William Dawson , on
SECTION 60
#17327803998767564-484: The age of 55 and by male voters. A 1993 survey of historians, political scientists and urban experts conducted by Melvin G. Holli of 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. On November 25, 1987, at 11:00 am, Chicago Fire Department paramedics were called to City Hall. Washington's press secretary, Alton Miller, had been discussing school board issues with
7686-414: The area due to loss of jobs. In redistricting after the 1990 U.S. census , the district was extended into the suburbs for the first time in 90 years. Chicago is home to 70% of the district's residents (down from 90% in the 1990s), although roughly 60% of the district's area is outside the city border. The district's white population (almost 30% of its residents) is concentrated in the suburban areas and in
7808-437: The area is still trying to overcome. The district's median household income as of 2000, $ 37,222, trailed the national average by 11.4%. The unemployment rate (7.6%) was more than double the national rate, and nearly 20% of district residents were living in poverty. These problems are more pronounced within the Chicago portion of the district – 14 of the district's 18 suburbs had median household incomes over $ 40,000 as of 1999, with
7930-537: The area within the city's South Side. The current 1st district has a minority-majority population: 51.3% of the residents are African-American . It has been represented in Congress by African Americans since 1929. Tens of thousands of African Americans moved to Chicago from the rural South in the Great Migration . They were confined by discrimination to the South Side of Chicago and gradually replaced ethnic whites who moved out to suburbs. At one point during
8052-567: The beginning of the war, Lowther had been forced to flee his home in Florida because of his anti-slavery and pro-Union stance. The cemetery contains the graves of many prominent African Americans, including Chicago's first African-American mayor, Harold Washington . Journalist and anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells , Olympic sports hero Jesse Owens , business and publishing magnate John H. Johnson , Gospel music pioneer Thomas A. Dorsey and Gospel music star Albertina Walker are also buried in
8174-408: The bill, before speaking for it in April 1979. On May 24, 1979, the bill passed the Senate by a vote of 59 to 1, with two voting present and six absent. The victory in the Senate was attributed by a Thompson staffer to Washington's "calm noncombative presentation". However, the bill stalled in the House. State Representative Susan Catania insisted on attaching an amendment to allow women guarantees in
8296-474: The cemetery. The cemetery is also the final resting place of 45 victims of the Iroquois Theatre fire , in which more than 600 people died. Famous nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi has his final resting place here, as do several other faculty members of the University of Chicago . The cemetery also has a section for U.S. veterans of several wars, and a separately-maintained Jewish section. In 2022,
8418-539: The college had moved to the Auditorium Building , Washington was elected the third president of Roosevelt's student council. Under his leadership, the student council successfully petitioned the college to have student representation on Roosevelt's faculty committees. At the first regional meeting of the newly founded National Student Association in the spring of 1948, Washington and nine other delegates proposed student representation on college faculties, and
8540-404: The commission, he felt like Daley's "showcase ni***r". In 1969, Daley removed Washington's name from the slate; only by the intervention of Cecil Partee , a party loyalist, was Washington reinstated. The Democratic Party supported Jim Taylor, a former professional boxer, Streets and Sanitation worker, over Washington. With Partee and his own ward's support, Washington defeated Taylor. His years in
8662-604: The communities of Homer Glen , Braidwood , Wilmington , Manhattan , Frankfort , Channahon , New Lenox , Lockport Heights , Bonnie Brae , Mokena , Arbury Hills , Frankfort Square , Wilton Center , Andres , Symerton , Ritchie , Rest Haven , Custer Park , Lakewood Shores , Lorenzo ; eastern Braceville ; eastern Godley ; eastern Minooka ; western Elwood ; Lockport east of the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal; most of Braidwood ; part of Diamond ; part of Coal City ; and part of Joliet . Kankakee County
8784-478: The coursework. He worked at a meatpacking plant for a time before his father helped him get a job at the U.S. Treasury branch in the city. There he met Nancy Dorothy Finch, whom he married soon after; Washington was 19 years old and Dorothy was 17 years old. Seven months later, the U.S. was drawn into World War II with the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on Sunday, December 7, 1941. In 1942, Washington
8906-460: The district has included all or part of Cook County; since 1883 the population of the district has been primarily residing on Chicago's South Side . Historical populations reflected waves of immigration into the area: previous majority populations were ethnic Irish, German, and east European. Beginning in the mid-19th century, the Irish were the first to establish their physical and political control of
9028-460: The district's loyalty to Mayor Richard J. Daley . His successor Ralph Metcalfe initially continued that stance but publicly broke with Daley over an incident of police brutality in 1972, establishing a rift that persists. When Metcalfe died less than one month before the election in 1978 , Democratic party officials named loyalist Bennett M. Stewart to take his place on the ballot, and Republicans replaced their candidate with A.A. "Sammy" Rayner ,
9150-400: The district's three largest suburbs. The Kenwood-Hyde Park area for several decades had a significant Jewish community. Existing buildings attest to its history, as the former Kehilath Anshe Ma'ariv temple (its second location) has been the headquarters of Jesse Jackson 's Operation PUSH/Rainbow Coalition since 1971 [1] . The area also includes a notable presence of Black Muslims and is
9272-708: The entire life picture at the time and the more important things are abandoned." In 1970, the Board of Managers of the Chicago Bar Association ruled that Washington's license be suspended for only one year, not the five recommended; the total amount in question between all six clients was $ 205. In 1971, Washington was charged with failure to file tax returns for four years, although the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) claimed to have evidence for nineteen years. Judge Sam Perry noted that he
9394-490: The first African American to chair a congressional committee. The district is currently represented by Jonathan Jackson who was elected to succeed longtime incumbent Bobby Rush in 2022. The district was adjacent to the 2nd district to the east and south, the 7th district to the north, and the 3rd and 13th districts to the west, and also bordered the 11th district at its southwest corner. The district's northeast border followed Lake Michigan 's shoreline for almost
9516-448: The first complaint was filed in 1964; the second was filed by January 1967. A letter asking Washington to explain the matter was sent on January 5, 1967. After failing to respond to numerous summons and subpoenas, the commission recommend a five-year suspension on March 18, 1968. A formal response to the charges did not occur until July 10, 1969. In his reply, Washington said that "sometimes personal problems are enlarged out of proportion to
9638-485: The first round ensured at least 24 supporters in the city council. Six weeks later, when Marlene Carter and Luís Gutiérrez won run-off elections, Washington had the 25 aldermen he needed. His vote as president of the City Council enabled him to break 25–25 tie-votes and enact his programs. Washington defeated former mayor Jane Byrne in the February 24, 1987, Democratic mayoral primary by 7.2%, 53.5% to 46.3%, and in
9760-417: The highest percentage of any congressional district in the nation, but with redistricting that percentage has now declined to 52%. It includes the home of former President Barack Obama . The 1st is a majority-minority district, and has been since at least the 1920s. In 1929, it became the first district in the 20th century to send an African American to Congress when Republican Oscar Stanton De Priest
9882-828: The home of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan in Kenwood. As of 2000, 38% of the district's adult residents were married. In 2011, following the 2010 census , the state legislature redistricted. It expanded the district to cover parts of Cook and Will Counties. After redistricting , all or parts of Alsip , Blue Island , Calumet Park , Chicago , Country Club Hills , Crestwood , Dixmoor , Elwood , Evergreen Park , Frankfort , Frankfort Square , Harvey , Manhattan , Markham , Merrionette Park , Midlothian , Mokena , New Lenox , Oak Forest , Oak Lawn , Orland Hills , Orland Park , Palos Heights , Posen , Riverdale , Robbins , Tinley Park , and Worth are included. The representative for these districts were elected in
10004-435: The human rights laws in the state, restricting discrimination based on "race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, or unfavorable discharge from military service in connection with employment, real estate transactions, access to financial credit, and the availability of public accommodations." The bill's origins began in 1970 with
10126-597: The incumbent mayor Jane Byrne led and future mayor Richard M. Daley , son of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley , finished a close second. Harold Washington had massive majorities on the South and West Sides. Southwest Side voters overwhelmingly supported Daley. Washington won with 37% of the vote, versus 33% for Byrne and 30% for Daley. Although winning the Democratic primary was normally considered tantamount to election in heavily Democratic Chicago, after his primary victory Washington found that his Republican opponent, former state legislator Bernard Epton (earlier considered
10248-489: The mayor when Washington suddenly slumped over on his desk, falling unconscious. After failing to revive Washington in his office, paramedics rushed him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital . Further attempts to revive him failed, and Washington was pronounced dead at 1:36 p.m. At Daley Plaza, Patrick Keen, project director for the Westside Habitat for Humanity , announced Washington's official time of death to
10370-485: The national level; since the 1950s, Democratic presidential candidates have usually carry the district with well over 70 percent of the vote, and have done no worse than 64 percent/ Based in Chicago, the district includes the neighborhoods of Auburn Gresham , Burnside , Chatham and Greater Grand Crossing ; almost all of West Englewood ; the portion of Englewood south of 57th Street; the portion of Woodlawn west of Stony Island Avenue (i.e. excluding Jackson Park );
10492-488: The northwest corner of South Chicago . The district's area south of 95th Street is almost entirely west of Interstate 57 . The district includes the municipalities of Crestwood , Evergreen Park , Midlothian , Posen and Robbins , nearly all of Alsip , Blue Island and Oak Forest , parts of Calumet Park , Dixmoor , Markham , Orland Hills , Orland Park , Palos Heights , Tinley Park and Worth , and some small sections of Country Club Hills and Riverdale . In
10614-652: The number of soldiers buried as 6,000, but lists the names of more than 4,000. Another, smaller memorial commemorates the Union soldiers who died at Camp Douglas, often from contagious diseases. The bodies from Camp Douglas had originally been buried at Camp Douglas and the City Cemetery, which was closed and removed during expansion of Lincoln Park and urban renewal following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The bodies were exhumed and re-interred together in
10736-429: The only drug in Washington's system had been lidocaine , which is used to stabilize the heart after a heart attack takes place. The drug was given to Washington either by paramedics or by doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Bernard Epton , Washington's opponent in the 1983 general election, died 18 days later, on December 13, 1987. At a party held shortly after his re-election on April 7, 1987, Washington said to
10858-591: The opportunities found only at Roosevelt College in the late 1940s, Washington's time at the Roosevelt College proved to be pivotal. Washington graduated in August 1949, with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. In addition to his activities at Roosevelt, he was a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. Washington then applied for and was admitted to study law at the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. During this time, Washington
10980-464: The painting's confiscation and subsequent damaging violated his First Amendment rights. The complainants eventually split a US$ 95,000 (1994, US$ 138,000 in 2008) settlement from the city. Illinois%27s 1st congressional district Illinois's first congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Illinois . Based in Cook County , the district includes much of
11102-532: The party committee with Metcalfe. Under Metcalfe, the 3rd Ward was a critical factor in Mayor Daley's 1955 mayoral election victory and ranked first in the city in the size of its Democratic plurality in 1961. While working under Metcalfe, Washington began to organize the 3rd Ward's Young Democrats (YD) organization. At YD conventions, the 3rd Ward would push for numerous resolutions in the interest of blacks. Eventually, other black YD organizations would come to
11224-498: The rank of First Sergeant in the Army Air Forces . In the summer of 1946, Washington, aged 24 and a war veteran, enrolled at Roosevelt College (now Roosevelt University). Washington joined other groups of students not permitted to enroll in other local colleges. Local estimates place the student population of Roosevelt College at about 1/8 black and 1/2 Jewish. A full 75% of the students had enrolled because of
11346-605: The rewriting of the Illinois Constitution . The new constitution required all governmental agencies and departments to be reorganized for efficiency. Republican governor James R. Thompson reorganized low-profile departments before his re-election in 1978. In 1979, during the early stages of his second term and immediately in the aftermath of the largest vote for a gubernatorial candidate in the state's history, Thompson called for human rights reorganization. The bill would consolidate and remove some agencies, eliminating
11468-587: The six most affluent grouped in the southwest corner of the district. But black middle-class Chicago neighborhoods, such as Avalon Park and Chatham, have remained more stable, along with the more upscale Hyde Park-Kenwood area. Health care and higher education now constitute major economic sectors in the region. Hospitals in the district include Oak Forest Hospital in Oak Forest and Provident Hospital of Cook County in Grand Boulevard, both part of
11590-968: The south portion of Lemont ; the eastern portion of Alsip ; the northeastern portion of Evergreen Park ; the western portion of Markham ; the southeastern portion of Tinley Park ; and parts of Oak Forest , Orland Park , Crestwood , Beverly , Riverdale , Dixmoor , Harvey , Country Club Hills , and Matteson . Will County is split between this district, the 2nd district , and the 14th district . The 1st and 2nd districts are partitioned by South Harlem Ave, West Peotone Rd, North Peotone Rd, West Kennedy Rd, Rock Creek, and South Center Rd. The 1st and 14th districts are partitioned by West 135th St, High Rd, Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal, Thornton St, East 9th St, Madison St, East 12th St, East Division St, South Farrell Rd, Midewin National Tail Grass Prairie, West Schweizer Rd, Channahon Rd, DuPage River, and Canal Road North. The 1st district takes in
11712-496: The southern half of Kenwood (home of President Barack Obama ); the eastern portion of Ashburn ; parts of Avalon Park , Calumet Heights , Chicago Lawn , Douglas , Grand Boulevard , Hyde Park , Morgan Park , New City , Oakland , Roseland , South Shore , Washington Heights and Washington Park ; the portion of Beverly southeast of 97th Street and Prospect Avenue; the portion of West Pullman southwest of 119th Street and Racine Avenue; and approximately two square blocks at
11834-490: The southwest to gain residents, particularly as the state's congressional delegation has been reduced in numbers due to population changes and reapportionment. The district, which covered only nine square miles in the 1950s, is now more than ten times that size. Nearly half its current area was added for the 2000s. The district's population dropped by 27% in the 1950s, and by 20% in both the 1970s and 1980s, due to outward migration for suburbanization and because of people leaving
11956-718: The stalemate between Washington and his opponents in the city council. Due to PEP's efforts, Washington's City Council legislation gained ground and his popularity grew as the 1987 mayoral election approached. In preparation for the 1987 mayoral election, PEP formed the Committee to Re-Elect Mayor Washington. This organization carried out fundraising for the campaign, conducted campaign events, and coordinated volunteers. PEP staff members, such as Joseph Gardner and Helen Shiller , went on to play leading roles in Chicago politics. The organization disbanded upon Harold Washington's death. Harold Washington's Political Education Project Records
12078-477: The support of Ralph Tyler Smith , Speaker of the House . Instead, Smith criticized Washington and then allayed Daley's anger. In exchange for the party's backing, Washington would serve on the Chicago Crime Commission , the group Daley tasked with investigating the AAPL's charges. The commission promptly found the AAPL's charges "unwarranted". An angry and humiliated Washington admitted that on
12200-412: The time came to pass the act. During hearings in the South regarding the Voting Rights Act, Washington asked questions that shed light on tactics used to prevent African Americans from voting (among them, closing registration early, literacy tests, and gerrymandering). After the amendments were submitted on the floor, Washington spoke from prepared speeches that avoided rhetoric and addressed the issues. As
12322-521: The time of his death, or that foul play was involved. Cook County Medical Examiner Robert J. Stein performed an autopsy on Washington and concluded that Washington had died of a heart attack. Washington had weighed 284 pounds (129 kg), and suffered from hypertension , high cholesterol levels, and an enlarged heart . On June 20, 1988, Alton Miller again indicated that drug reports on Washington had come back negative, and that Washington had not been poisoned prior to his death. Dr. Stein stated that
12444-480: The twentieth century after the Great Migration from the South and concentration of blacks on the South Side due to de facto residential segregation, the district became the nation's first with a black-majority population. Since the 1920s, it has included the central area of Chicago's South Side African-American community. Over 85% of the district's residents were black during the period from the 1950s through
12566-599: The two married in 1916 in Harrisburg, Illinois . Their first son, Roy Jr., was born in Carrier Mills before the family moved to Chicago, where Roy enrolled in Kent College of Law. A lawyer, he became one of the first black precinct captains in the city and a Methodist minister. In 1918, daughter Geneva was born, and second son Edward was born in 1920. Bertha left the family, possibly to seek her fortune as
12688-406: The use of credit cards. This effort was assisted by Carol Moseley Braun , a representative from Hyde Park who would later go on to serve as a U.S. Senator. State Representatives Jim Taylor and Larry Bullock introduced over one hundred amendments, including the text of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, to try to stall the bill. With Catania's amendment, the bill passed the House, but
12810-514: The vote towards Redmond as a compromise candidate. The United Automobile Workers union, whose backing Washington obtained, were critical in persuading Daley to relent to back his candidacy. Washington defeated Anna Langford by nearly 2,000 votes in the Democratic primary. He went on to win the general election. In the Illinois Senate , Washington's main focus worked to pass 1980's Illinois Human Rights Act. Legislators rewrote all of
12932-512: The voters in the previous election) were required. With his re-election to Congress locked up, Washington turned his attention to the next Chicago mayoral election. In the February 22, 1983, Democratic mayoral primary, more than 100,000 new voters registered to vote led by a coalition that included the Latino reformed gang Young Lords led by Jose Cha Cha Jimenez . On the North and Northwest Sides,
13054-464: The west portion of Kenwood and Woodlawn ; and parts of South Deering , Near South Side , Douglas , Chicago Lawn , South Shore , South Chicago , Hyde Park , Washington Park , Morgan Park , and Mt. Greenwood . Outside of the Chicago city limits, the district takes in the Cook County communities of Midlothian , Posen , Robbins , Calumet Park , and Palos Park ; most of Blue Island ;
13176-506: The younger Daley (now State's Attorney), U.S. Congressmen Dan Rostenkowski and William Lipinski , and much of the Democratic Party. During his first city council meeting, Washington and the 21 supportive aldermen walked out of the meeting after a quorum had been established. Vrdolyak and the other 28 then chose committee chairmen and assigned aldermen to the various committees. Later lawsuits submitted by Washington and others were dismissed by Supreme Court Justice James C. Murray because it
13298-550: Was "disturbed that this case ever made it to my courtroom"—while Washington had paid his taxes, he ended up owing the government a total of $ 508 as a result of not filing his returns. Typically, the IRS handled such cases in civil court, or within its bureaucracy. Washington pleaded "no contest" and was sentenced to forty days in Cook County Jail, a $ 1,000 fine, and three years of probation. In 1975, Partee, now President of
13420-459: Was Isam/Isom McDaniel (Mack) Washington, who was born in 1875. In 1896, Mack Washington married Arbella Weeks of Massac County, who had been born in Mississippi in 1878. In 1897, their first son, Roy L. Washington, father of Mayor Washington, was born in Ballard County, Kentucky. In 1903, shortly after both families moved to Massac County, Illinois , the elder Washington died. After farming for
13542-483: Was a staunch supporter of gun control efforts before his adult son Huey (named for Black Panther leader Huey Newton ) was killed in a 1999 mugging . Following his son's murder, Rush remained a strong supporter of gun control. During his congressional tenure, Rush generally received perfect ratings of 100 from labor groups including the AFL-CIO and AFSCME , and occasionally also from Americans for Democratic Action ,
13664-538: Was beaten to death by a segregationist mob in Selma, Alabama . After the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. , he introduced a series of bills which were aimed at making King's birthday a state holiday. The first was tabled and later vetoed. The third bill he introduced, which was passed and signed by Gov. Richard Ogilvie, made Dr. King's birthday a commemorative day observed by Illinois public schools. It
13786-540: Was determined that the appointments were legally made. Washington ruled by veto. The 29 lacked the 30th vote they needed to override Washington's veto; female and African American aldermen supported Washington despite pressure from the Eddies. Meanwhile, in the courts, Washington kept the pressure on to reverse the redistricting of city council wards that the city council had created during the Byrne years. During special elections in 1986, victorious Washington-backed candidates in
13908-439: Was divorced from Dorothy Finch. By some accounts, Harold and Dorothy had simply grown apart after Washington was sent overseas during the war during the first year of his marriage. Others saw both as young and headstrong, the relationship doomed from the beginning. Another friend of Washington's deemed Harold "not the marrying kind." He would not marry again, but continued to have relationships with other women; his longtime secretary
14030-706: Was drafted into the United States Army for the war effort and, after basic training, sent overseas as part of a racially segregated unit of the U.S. Army Air Corps unit of Engineers . After the American invasion of the Philippines in 1944, on Leyte Island and later the main Luzon island, Washington was part of a unit building runways for bombers, protective fighter aircraft, refueling planes, and returning damaged aircraft. Eventually, Washington rose to
14152-522: Was elected to represent the district. The 1st has been represented by an African American Member of Congress ever since, the longest ongoing stretch of black representation for any seat in the House of Representatives. It has been held by a Democrat since 1935 when Arthur Mitchell , the first African American Democrat elected to Congress, took the seat as part of the New Deal Coalition . In 1949, district representative William Dawson became
14274-509: Was held at-large to elect all 177 members of the Illinois House of Representatives . With the Republicans and Democrats each only running 118 candidates, independent voting groups attempted to slate candidates. The League of Negro Voters created a "Third Slate" of 59 candidates, announcing the creation of the slate on June 27, 1964. Shortly afterwards, Daley created a slate which included Adlai Stevenson III and Washington. The Third Slate
14396-655: Was named the Harold Washington Library Center . The Chicago Public Library Special Collections, located on the building's 9th floor, house the Harold Washington Archives and Collections. These archives hold numerous collections related to Washington's life and political career. The building also contains Jacob Lawrence 's mural Events in the Life of Harold Washington . Five months after Washington's sudden death in office,
14518-498: Was not until 1973 that Washington was able, with Partee's help in the Senate, to have the bill enacted and signed by the governor. Washington ran a largely symbolic campaign for Speaker. He only received votes from himself and from Lewis A. H. Caldwell . However, with a divided Democratic caucus, this was enough to help deny Daley-backed Clyde Choate the nomination, helping to throw it to William A. Redmond after 92 rounds of voting. Redmond had Washington appointed as chairman of
14640-543: Was politics, saying, "He was a political animal. He thrived on it, and I knew any thoughts of marriage would have to wait. I wasn't concerned about that. I just knew the day would come." In 1959 Al Janney, Gus Savage, Lemuel Bentley, Bennett Johnson, Luster Jackson and others founded the Chicago League of Negro Voters, one of the first African-American political organizations in the city. In its first election, Bentley drew 60,000 votes for city clerk. The endorsement of
14762-568: Was then thrown out by the Illinois Election Board because of "insufficient signatures" on the nominating petitions. In the election, Washington was elected as part of the winning Democratic slate of candidates. Washington's years in the Illinois House were marked by tension with Democratic Party leadership. In 1967, he was ranked by the Independent Voters of Illinois (IVI) as the fourth-most independent legislator in
14884-556: Was union organizer Charles Hayes . Hayes lost the 1992 primary to Bobby Rush by a 42–39% margin following the House banking scandal , in which it was revealed that Hayes had 716 overdrafts on his congressional checking account. Rush had previously lost the 1988 and 1990 primaries to Hayes. Rush was a co-founder of the Illinois Black Panthers in 1968, establishing a program for free breakfasts for poor children and
#875124