Harold Washington

1922–1987 (age 65)

Politician

Biography

Harold Washington, resting at Oak Woods Cemetery, became a symbol of new possibilities for Chicago when he was elected the city’s first African American mayor, bringing urgency, fairness, and hope to municipal leadership.

He approached politics with a commitment to inclusion and integrity, and his tireless advocacy for neighborhoods large and small continues to be celebrated by those who watched him transform civic life.

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