Harold Washington, Mayor of Chicago, Has Lawrence County Roots

For those of you who missed the program last Monday at Pinkstaff, co-sponsored with Illinois Humanities, because of the rain, here is a condensed version of the Harold Washington story.  Harold Washington was elected mayor of Chicago on April 12, 1983, and served until November 25th, 1987, when he died in office. He was the first African- American Mayor of Chicago.

Harold Washington was born in Chicago on April 15th, 1922, the son of Roy and Bertha Washington. Roy L. Washington (father of Harold) was born in Lovelaceville, Ballard Co. Kentucky on April 12th, 1897, the son of Mack and Arbella Washington. Mack Washington (Harold's grandfather) became a minister in the A.M.E. Church and the family moved about as Mack received assignments to various churches.

ln 1916 they were living in Pinkstaff, Lawrence County Illinois and son, Roy was attending Lawrenceville Township High School in Lawrenceville. Mack and Arbella's home in Pinkstaff became the site of an event important enough to be reported in the local newspaper. The Lawrenceville Republican of 11 November 1915 reports as follows:

 Last night shortly after retiring, Reverend Washington was suddenly aroused from his slumber by a knock at the door. On opening the door to investigate, a crowd of people rushed in, each with a large package. Of course, the surprised minister knew what this meant after a while. This is what is known as a surprise pound party. Those who brought pounds were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Tann, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Clingman, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Casey, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wimberly, Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Goins, Mrs. Elihue Anderson, Blanch Portee, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Tompkins, Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Valls, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Anderson, Mrs. Harl Portee, Troy Anderson, Lewis Harris, Doc Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Portee, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. James Morris and Misses Evelyn and Martha Morris. Reverend Washington fully enjoyed such a surprise as this and did not feel in the least offended. (A ‘pound party’ was when everyone brought a pound of various food items such as flour, sugar, meat, etc.)  Several people mentioned above have descendants living in Lawrence County today.

Reverend Mack had been instrumental in raising money and then building St. James A.M.E. Church in Lawrenceville. The first services were held there on August 10, 1916, with Reverend Mack Washington officiating. Mack served as minister at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Pinkstaff, and St. James A.M.E. Churches until 1922. Upon leaving Lawrenceville Mack pastored churches in Decatur and Springfield, Illinois. Reverend Mack Washington died at the home of another son, Booker, on April 28th, 1957, in St. Louis Missouri.

Rev. Mack and Arbella Washington’s son Roy graduated in the senior class of 1917 at Lawrenceville Township High School. In the 1917 Lawrenceville yearbook there is a senior photo and Glee Club photo of Roy Washington.

On July 29th, 1916, at the age of 19, Roy Washington married Bertha Jones, age 18 in Carrier Mills, Illinois. After his marriage, Roy completed his high school education from Lawrenceville high school in 1917.  At the same time Roy was finishing high school, Bertha was starting their family. Their first son, Roy Jr. was born in 1916 and daughter, Geneva, was born in 1918.

With high school behind him, Roy took Bertha and their two children to Cook County where he enrolled in Chicago's Kent College of Law. Their third child, Edward, was born in Chicago in 1920, and the fourth child, Harold, arrived on April 15th, 1923, the same year that Roy graduated from law school. Roy passed the Illinois State Bar examination on April 12,1923.

Roy and Bertha were divorced in 1928, with Roy receiving the custody of the children. Roy Jr. and Geneva were sent to southern Illinois to live with their grandparents, while Edward and Harold remained with their father. Roy and the children moved near the south side of Chicago, where Roy became active in the Democratic Party, serving as a precinct captain.

Five years after his divorce, Roy married Arlene Jackson on June 30th, 1933. Roy continued the study of law and in1937 he was awarded his second law degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Roy accomplished another lifetime goal on September 20th,1942 when he was appointed Evangelist of the A.M.E. Church by Bishop J.A. Gregg. ln 1942 Roy also became a member of the Illinois State Bar Association. At the height of his career as an attorney, Roy was stricken with cancer of the pancreas. He died on November 7th, 1953, at the age of 56 and was buried in Lincoln Cemetery, Chicago.

Harold Lee was the youngest son of Roy and Bertha Washington, and he grew up on the south side of Chicago. Harold attended DuSable High School where he was active in Track, Baseball, and Boxing. In 1939 Harold joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) and spent time at Camp Bitely, Michigan and Camp Stockton, Illinois. In 1942 Harold passed a Civil Service Exam and became a clerk in the Chicago office of the U.S. Treas. Dept.

On July 22nd, 1942, Harold married Nancy Dorothy Fitch in Chicago. At the time of their marriage, Harold was 20 and Nancy was 17. On February 8th, 1943, Harold was called to active duty in the U.S. Army. Rising through the ranks from private to first sergeant, he received three Overseas service Bars, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal and WWll Victory Medal. He left the military with an impressive record and was discharged on January 20th, 1946. After the military, Harold enrolled at Roosevelt University under the GI Bill. He majored in political Science, served as president of his senior class and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1949.

In 1950, Harold and Nancy's marriage ended in divorce. They had no children. Later Harold entered Northwestern University and earned a Law Degree. He formally entered politics in 1954 and rose through the political ranks serving the public like his father. He was an Illinois State Representative from 1964 -1976. He served in the Illinois State Senate from 1976 to 1980. In November 1980 Harold was elected to the U.S. Congress. On April 12th, 1983, he was elected Mayor of Chicago. He was re-elected on April 7th, 1987.

During the four years and seven months that he served, he left the city of Chicago with a remarkable record of leadership and accomplishment. He accomplished many goals that his father, Roy, a Lawrenceville High School graduate and his grandfather, Mack, a pastor of Pinkstaff, had dreamed about. Mayor Harold Washington collapsed at his desk with a heart attack on November 25th, 1987, at age 65. He was buried at Oak Wood Cemetery in Chicago.

(My apologies to John King who researched the slave history of Harold’s great grandmother.  I couldn’t find my notes to add to this biography, but hopefully that will appear later.)   

Left: Rev. Mack Washington, Pastor of Bethel and St James AME churches in Pinkstaff and Lawrenceville, Harold's grandfather; Middle photo: Roy Washington, graduate of LTHS 1917 and father of Mayor Harold Washington on the right