Council remembers Washington

Sunday marks the 20th anniversary of the death of Harold Washington, the larger-than-life politician who fell victim to a heart attack early in his second term as Chicago mayor.

During a city council meeting last week, Mayor Richard M. Daley and many aldermen fondly recalled the late mayor.

Daley lost to Washington in a dramatic Democratic primary in 1983 but backed him in the general election. And he was effusive in praising the man during the hour-long council tribute.

"He gained (my) confidence, he knew what direction the city was (headed), and he said it very openly and very frankly," Daley said.

Second Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti remembered his encounters with Washington. While working as an attorney for the city, Fioretti said Washington's common mantra to him and all of the litigators in city hall's fifth-floor office was, "be good, be fair and be just."

The council passed a resolution citing Washington's academic career: Graduation from DuSable High School, earning a bachelor's degree in political science from Roosevelt University, and gaining his law degree from Northwestern University.

Washington's political career began in 1965 when he was elected as a state representative. He became a state senator in 1977. In 1981 he was elected to Congress, a position he held until he returned to Chicago and was elected mayor in 1983.

Third Ward Alderman Pat Dowell, who worked for Washington during his second term, called him a man of great intellect.

"He could make you sweat with his inquisitive questioning," Dowell said.

Thirty-seventh Ward Alderman Emma Mitts fondly recalled Washington as an articulate speaker.

"When Harold said something, he made you pull your dictionary out," Mitts said.

Even those who sometimes found themselves on the other side sang his praises on this day.

In winning her first term, Fourth Ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle defeated Timothy Evans, a Washington ally. Today, Preckwinkle calls Washington a pioneer in Chicago politics when it came to open and transparent government, as well as giving more opportunities to blacks and Latinos in city government.

"I had great respect for Harold Washington," Preckwinkle said.

Fourteenth Ward Alderman Ed Burke said Washington possessed what all political leaders envy: an ease with voters.

Burke was part of a bloc of 29 aldermen that consistently opposed Washington during his first term, an era known for the infamous "Council Wars." It was a period so contentious that Chicago was dubbed by some as "Beirut by the Lake."

But on a day of remembrance, Burke was respectful.

"He had the engaging style of a neighbor, but he had the tough political ability to survive," Burke said.

Today, Washington's memory has been preserved at the many sites across the city that are named after him. These include a library, a city college, a cultural center and a park.

Twenty-eighth Ward Alderman Ed Smith said he had the privilege to serve in the city council during the Harold Washington era. Despite the political divide, Smith felt in the end everyone involved benefited by changing their attitudes and becoming more effective legislators. Smith paid tribute to Washington by summing up his impact.

"I think ultimately Chicago became a better place," he said.