In Black America; The Honorable Harold Washington

you waste the in april of nineteen eighty three ella washington wrote a wave of white hispanic and black support that his city hard becoming chicago's first black mayor i'm john hanson join me this week on black america washington mayor of chicago this week on black america

fb it's because this is in black america reflections of the black experience in american society i think in a sense he has to understand it's a lot of continuing this process going on and what happened was just depressed but i think there's more shooting and i think you can pretty much on not like anant the extension of the chopper close election

in the world we rode the crest of a continuance of a full answer to that extent yes isolation obviously some real generous in a class by itself in this country for blacks and hispanics are becoming allows about the policy those clothes in that country to reduce the years ago would help stimulate the animal hell washington mayor city of chicago in april of nineteen eighty three and i was in a row the wave of white hispanic and black support led to city hall many say is alleging what's the single most important event spurred nationwide registration among blacks and other black to run for political offices and all levels of government the election a watermark now with the changing of the garden chicago's than a smaller government but also the shaming of the color and philosophy of the guard

i'm john anson this week there was a rare city of chicago and black americans were my history with a black woman artist bennett archbishop rowan i think anybody who was true entrepreneurs to get out too that includes i think that that would black candidates being involved in a spirited democratic primary that stress primary convention would be and added ingredient well we haven't experienced call a black experience which i don't think has been brought about less in this country we've come through the crucible we have something to offer we have our own we chew your unique populist way of presenting problems

we see deep into the problem of a world war and peace to us is bread and butter not just so more imperative on with that also in other words a black candidate can articulate these issues in my opinion than anyone else they can show the contradictions between spending to in a somewhat billions of dollars per year award which are we just don't need at the same time annoying foods i learned to sew security expansion of speeding cars to you're dead and others to these cities which must have money we can see the contradiction in their soul clinton expressed in very concrete terms so the bottom line is a blackout they would add something joe torre discussion in this country which is absolutely necessary i don't think the black at this time natalie should isolate themselves in a third party movement i think they have to make the choice between the lesser of two evils and i stress you know that one has to function you don't live in a vacuum is no a crap game and the countries involved

i happen to have opted for the democratic party because i think that a lot of those two evils i think there's a tremendous growth of growth in the body over that particular survive unless it gets a tremendous injection of grassroots strength from blacks hispanics and women and senior citizens in this country i think that pavel coalition building is absolute mr within the confines of democratic primaries and the bottom line is that the issue is resolved at the democratic convention but i think the issues must be brought out i am mindful of nineteen forty and it for a georgia inmate was approved provider very very useful to go and he forced with the truman to move into various civil rights the political question well whether or not a black candidate would emerge as the nominee of the remains to be seen i am simply saying this i'm

not about to narrow my thinking in terms of dialogue or possible choices to white kennedy period in nineteen sixty seven when cabbies dose was elected mayor of the city of cleveland ohio it marked the first time that a black had been chosen to lead a large city and the extent of the beginning of a new age of black politics since the beginning the edges of blacks have shown politics of the nature and transformed into novels delight black mayors in many of this country's largest cities today black mayors have moved into the mainstream of american politics bringing with them their own brand of expertise and sensitivity in april nineteen eighty three hell washington became the first black mayor of chicago the second largest city in the united states election a washington run the longstanding rule of chicago's democratic shame because he won the democratic primary and the general election as a largely anti war was asian independent though

he had one reluctance party support in some quarters how was she was more april fifteenth nineteen twenty two as a young man he ran errands for the democratic organization making political contacts that will later prove useful after graduating from du sol high school he had of the army air force stationed in the pacific after the war washroom attendant roosevelt university in chicago we study political science and economics and won election to the office of senior class president in nineteen forty nine after marijuana just received his ba degree here roel at northwestern university law school which granted him a law degree in nineteen fifty two from nineteen sixty five through nineteen seventy six l y sand surf was six terms in the illinois house of representatives and from nineteen seventy seven through nineteen eighty he was a member of the state senate require a reputation

as an innovative legislator and eloquent origin pay in road to pay it and then our lifetime quest that of our forefathers and we're still about the business i have no doubt that we shall prevail sometime a bit weary of doing the same shirt or a time of a terrorist attack we just can't seem to get the sustained attention of people who don't understand the cartoons were discovered all about and it functions but when it does these results are reported in october nineteen eighty three a cabinet office about six months i was invited to speak to the tv producers in chicago which is an annual allocation to the mayor to come in and best tv and best immediacy so desire well i gather even the best most mayors were far more circumspect in ireland of a base to before so as a rational greatly only the continuous operation the media live in a negative vitriolic says when a positive

sense on my scene when i spoke to them that year four years ago there was a lack of clarity in the media for minorities and women and i dwelt on that rather exhaustively sunset incessantly and tried to point out that one reason why she calls two was not quite where it should be it was only in the process of becoming what it should be with a cost to nosedive appeared quite came out the way it was really recording history where the reaction happened and it came out of a skewed fashion because people will interpret that means people of saddam's fall about the movie in the main and then regurgitate it in terms of just portraying and our allies have said that that have a torrid perspective because the ranks we're lopsided in the sense that it was dominated by most action in the defenses that you know women you know blacks and other minorities in there too would allow interpret size women in and help make new

more meaningful and reflect what was actually happening that's a common view with st louis's bicycle is still buys a chicago issue the boston chicago to people get pretty advanced that it would start and then they have to do something about it from get go that is restructure the whole makeup of it in terms of entertainment in terms of car ownership are out in terms of medical journals on the street at a person enter this live percenters a small slit the final product to reflect it was really close to actually support that as you're seeing and it's not just from a theater researchers say that this country is democracy i believe that i think is moving inexorably in that direction so far spread to vote impulse evoke an individual to confirm either give them oxygen only prevail is all segments of that democracy or her

and rebel groups estimate to whatever they want okay and who qualify in a nearby with its housing education whatever i believe that i think all people believe that it is a belief that keeps us going is the belief that we must be a factor in trying to make that true that keeps us as a race or even more so because of that i think we're unique position to make a serious contribution to buy pot to call the united states over the next two years if i will be as i've said that you hear in this room will be the main speakers them a domestic carriers in their quest to bring about her to bring about democracy and bring about the world but it does make a difference there's so many issues confirming that counted and the balanced coverage that need circumspect treatment that need serious relatively objective having an innocence also leaves advocates i am not of the school of thought that says that

newspapers are objective there's a lot of lonely i don't expect to be blowing up the uk they acknowledged that it'll be objective but i do like to see my interpretation in a new sound that after someone else's interpretation always being in a new citizen of this country to confirm it was a numbers of numbers problem most of them are in serious financial situations and are constantly on the quest for what is now the news was to cause a color that revenue enhancements well this is trouble our tax base is at the rodin by the federal government siphoning up with ours programs have been put back appoint <unk> pullback about these laws are heavy industry in many cases some of us are transferring from industrial services or deception our jobless rate has gone up our school systems have become a really because they were the cost a commitment to public education

of the last time that a bottle of people who in the past escalate themselves up the economic and education system and then a band that system when others like hispanics of a black gay man and so this is a conference and scissors frock we need help and portrayals of problems with the culture itself if you notice although as so so weird that the gradual coming together the citizens come through primaries in the consummate look to other avenues making it loud and clear that the senate bill has a responsibility to make sure that some of those dollars a return to the cities the reconstruction but that is unless it's difficult to get across gaza have to be siphoned through newspapers radio tv and a policy both papers in that medium many cases isn't typical of antithetical to what we translate it is difficult difficult difficult to impress upon people the fact that public housing must tell

a story and affordable housing is less so the housing problem was an urban housing programs that serve the attack country if you can get the message out but to the media if you've been watching the news in chicago over the past several months these notices of a lopsided statement being made about chicago public house over the players some ideas in chicago public housing was uses a market in the past assisted dessert maker's mark of higher higher higher it was a beautiful to machine used it not to provide for safely say a quiet peaceful how simple for people but to control of august the sticker that by treating people like cattle and using as i said before the chicago housing authority as a market for there by merchants of a narrow crescent of people saw their contractors a separate set of seconds it was a disgrace and while the reasons why was elected was because it was

so i wouldn't want to make a significant change that was done in nineteen eighty bear hell was in had to feed the organisation kantar and the party's first district and the state's congressional primary on the city's south side and then easily scored a victory over republican opponent in the ninety two percent black district while in congress bail was it was the fifth most frequent house democrat opponent of president reagan's policies on the key roll call votes in nineteen eighty two and help put together coalitions to preserve the key figures of the nineteen sixty five voting rights act against the administration's attempt to weaken it a nineteen eighty two male was it was a post again about running for mayor his present weapons because he wants to stay in congress a political developments and the black unity so change is mine scoring an upset primary victory mail was she received thirty six point three percent of the vote to jane barrett thirty three point five

percent in dailies twenty nine point eight percent the key to his success was a record primary turnout of sixty nine percent of the eligible black about who gave him at two percent of their votes while whites voters split their votes almost equally between bernie and daily fearful there was a lawsuit damaged his standing among blacks across the nation and national democratic party gave him more backing than any other mayor or candidate had ever received despite initial crew has on the part of his leading figures although the democratic national committee contribute ninety thousand dollars to his campaign trader chicago task force and pressured chicago's democratic leaders to back the party's nominee though democrats from across the nation campaign for him poles outside everest were believed to have generated more resentment than support from within the pro quo world of chicago politics the last two weeks of the campaign the tide against are awash in seemed to turn

on march twenty seven he was verbally abused by angry crowds we attended a church with walter mondale on the mostly white northwest side william zimmerman washington's media advisor believe that the un saintly behavior of the crowd forced many voters to face the consequences of their racism causing them to draw back quote from ally and they didn't want to cross unquote the election of an air was gentle april twelfth nineteen eighty three was an event of national importance says that was expected to increase by voter registration throughout the nation and in the unique status him as well the nation's most important black leaders during his first few months in office will wash and made several trips across the country receive an exuberant welcome in black communities and hares their members to register and vote we're now approaching what i think yigal was critical to a constitutional crises in the sense that the federal government through herk have decided so the

reason that the sec is that it can take over a political lock stock and barrel the chicago housing authority we maintain to get a gun goes tortillas and municipal corporation empowered by the state to take care of and one advantage is you go out and authority until the service contract with the government and they work hand in global each other impacts of the tragedy of a delivery service call housing the poor people in the us has seen is that the vatican over claiming that this matter has been warlords along with something must be done we have made a revolution as i mentioned situation there with a tie a new board with a prestigious people with an interim management team which is second to none we have the list at the support of the private sector and roasted additional so for good together advisor tina summer five miles we could find including the field tested former secretary

of commerce under your car and we have done something and therefore as the versions of the band we reached into the coffers of the city and pull out thirty million dollars and also just got out of authority as an active safe to permit them to get over that hump that combination of things we are positioned commitment and power is something that you just both sides lot of countries so far of public health is concerned we've done all signed because we feel chicago has turned a corner is heading in a new direction dramatizes morning on this war as we spoke about his own city wearing a summer direction we organize we prioritize really just talking about raising our bond rating for example for the first time in twenty eight years putting out a slew of information we haven't quite replicated the cities of miami really getting the insurance you got was making a new statement

and it was a lot to look and listen can see that we are making a mistake miller doesn't see that either doesn't want to see it or have been blinded by the fat a comedian in chicago in the main does not care about us making statements but simply want to go awry castigate anyone as mayor daley once that criticizes incessantly the things that is short of meeting in chicago not trying to go to chicago the trailer allow biases which you just gave them to overproduce motivated by an articulate opponents which brings about fifteen necessity effect shoddy continued the euphemistic when you exit the great intensity that everything it needs to work with and we can just get press in terms of his attitude and total destruction tons of makeup

and seventies fraught final product on parity with his government and with his people that there is nothing to stop what the voices there are few a number and most of the voices are we assume that a major media you don't find a black teenager was in the main in the back two major mcfarlane papers as one black region to abort i'm messed up intimately one gentleman who has dabbled in jazz of the city who calls of it sees a who describes the issues as he sees him who never backs up who is on the roads of the fraud as good and these women are sitting who knows history jewish artist paul is that political another hesitate to regurgitate so my opinion is the academy award modern journalism should be about revenge areas among you today chris

dodd's embarrassing mum was so skewed that he has been a pillar of strength in terms of trying to cast the issues in such a way that people understand that there are two sides of these issues that would be in a position to have those serious decisions well what must be done what is happening as chicago is not unique to chicago fire over country we said we got to get a handle on this question of parity in the media all we want to be second one hour from now my opinion to assess to saturate to be a part of that institution called immediately called a press radio tv and prayer you've got the about that has all these surveys of doing whatever is necessary to make certain that there is clarity led to boycott economical was that it's much is whatever it takes it's got you all the people left and wants is done

when you get on newspapers you've got the folk in such a way that you merit and deserve the kind of fight is going to the kitchen you have sort of just get you those of you in your own entrant to the future we can going into more as pristine waters going to seal which in my opinion is just about this bias as any institution in this country can possibly be and going into a fee or you're in a field was the first moment is used not as a shia was a solar to continue to be about other is that a frustrating legitimate ambitions of many people continue to fight off other than continue to and that was clear in three pro government is disheartening to a certain extent was also see a shout you are in a certain way is three prong movement which is culminating now with black says could have got to move into the business world

that other bidders world is the media we have not quite gotten a handle on it politics is just another medium is not damn it really be the most important we're moving a very moving well we've gone from the legislative area were cowards dispersed into executive air with concentrated polls will that color can't do it unless the people that represent understand the problem they're funny with a modern america that just has not been done so you're right question you talk about that immediate addition to raise your voice is a lot of boston and overseas doing so i think awareness about i think of what it cost the numbers always you lewis wallace talk about eighty percent minority here in miami and she called him a model populations roughly sixty five percent plus detroit is around sixty five percent

was going up up up it makes no sense that these papers in these centers continue to give the biases they get you know i know the most part they do that cater to the working a republican city they reach out to the suburbs and tried to embrace the suburban leadership we get to live based in the cities they'll probably said he's felt that that was in the service and they know the people ride around the control to a great extent the city you're in the forefront of a movement is going to do something about i committed to it i know that throughout this entire country the us on miami goes to prayer to which you speak is something that has to come i've won others will join in a quest to call us were wrapped up in each typically in a dance of life or death which are distinctive it was in the future for us today although the chicago city government continue to be plagued by racial polarization

and ridden with machine politics in nineteen eighty four male washing could be credited with some successes as a reformer he gave his support to a court designed to rid the city of the last vestiges of patronage and carrots city employees to unionize reduced a staggering budget deficit inherited from our present ministrations and cut down the size of the garbage crews maybe his most important achievement was says hiring of many more blacks women and hispanics to top posts the alamo hell washington mayor city of chicago in keeping with our commitment to keep you better informed in black america's conference convincing challenge on november fourteen the fourth of fraud and m university will hold its third annual national conference on what's the retention

of a tampa hyatt regency hotel in tampa florida for more information you make art not to cook in a ford retention coverage coordinator an area code nine or four or five nine nine three five to seven and you have a comment like approaches a cassette cavities problem right as the dresses in black america long on radio network ut austin austin texas seventy eight seven twelve that address again is in black america long long radio network ut austin austin texas seventy seven twelve for him black america's technical would lose a cliff hargrove i'm john cale harrison jr please join us next week you've been listening to in black america reflections of the black experience in american society in black america is produced and distributed by the center for telecommunication services at ut austin and does not necessarily reflect