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Harold Washington's American Dream
Impeccable. Arousing. Nostalgic. Educational. The Harold Washington: the Man and the Movement, exhibit was an amazing experience for anyone, but most surely for those of us still learning Chicago history. Kudos to the Chicago Historical Society and the illuminating sponsors who dreamed this exhibit, and made it happen. It is an unforgettable memorial to a giant.
What this exhibit does most perfectly is to portray Harold Washington’s brilliance, and humanity – and, how those two qualities, along with his charisma made him an unbeatable mayoral candidate. What the exhibit also did was to jog my memory of a former president of the United States who shared such attributes. Like William Jefferson Clinton, Harold Washington’s life and leadership taught lessons that America is still learning, yet realizing as truth.
Both, giants in their humanity and political brilliance, taught us that not only is all politics local – but it is always directly connected to America’s heart strings and purse strings. The exhibit offered viewers an entrée into the intricacies of the Harold Washington campaign, a personal view of how his brilliance and charisma broke down barriers and forged a niche in American and political history; and, a bird’s eye view of one politician’s compassion for his fellow man.
Thanks to this magnificent exhibit, this newcomer to the Midwest, has a deeper understanding of why native Chicagoans believe theirs is an incomparable city. And, thanks to a man like Harold Washington, Chicago is no longer viewed as one-dimensional…a city with irreversible diversity issues. Under Mayor Washington’s leadership, people began to look beyond color and class, and see the larger picture. He became Mayor of this great city, in large part, because he made people open their eyes.
This wonderful memorial to a giant reminds us that one man can, indeed, make a difference in the way the world perceives us. One particular anecdote, found in his second eloquent acceptance speech, says it all. In jest, the Mayor says, Chicagoans could now go anywhere in the world, and the first question asked would be: "Where’s Harold?” Indeed. His election to Mayor of Chicago spoke volumes about Chicago…and America’s possibilities.
Harold Washington not only accepted that Chicago was a melting pot, he recognized the importance of each member of that melting pot. While he had an amazing knack for listening and learning from this community of "others;" his genius was in hearing the questions, no matter in what language, dialect, or accent they were spoken…and, realizing they deserved one honest answer.
What Harold Washington knew is that while there is no reality in America’s true melting pot, there is reality in the American dream – and, that is what makes us one. He believed we must never stop trying to create a society where we all live together equally and harmoniously. He never did. And, as we become increasingly a population of “others;” as our ports continue to be the starting line for people’s dreams, leaders must never forget that addressing the needs of the least of us, addresses the needs of the most of us. Harold understood this.
In the end, Harold Washington taught America, not just Chicago, a very basic lesson: That, politics is not rocket science. That, Americans, no matter what our color, our ethnicity, or our economic level, all have the same basic needs. Harold Washington, as all great politicians are first and foremost, caring human beings. Because of his boundless capacity for caring, he forged himself a place in political history. And, through serving all, without malice or prejudice, he helped make real the American dream. Janis F. Kearney is a Chicago writer, former journalist and diarist to President Bill Clinton. A Harvard W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow, she is currently completing William Jefferson Clinton: from Hope to Harlem; and a personal memoir, Cotton Field of Dreams.
Kearney Communications 5138 S. Kenwood Ave.#2 Chicago, IL 60615 (773)493-2007 --ph (773)493-5747 - fax janisfk@aol.com
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