Harold L. Washington
(April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987)
The
PEOPLE'S
MAYOR
The Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee
Honoring the man, the moment, the movement.
The Countdown Begins!
You are cordially invited.
MHWLC Celebrates the Life of
Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.
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The Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee joins millions around the world in remembering Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., a staunch advocate for human dignity, a fair society, and equal opportunity for everyone, regardless of race. Rev. Jackson was known around the world for his charismatic civil rights activism.
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After walking alongside Rev. Martin Luther King, he blazed a trail of his own, leaving a powerful legacy through his international, interracial, and multicultural political organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Chicagoans, of course, also remember Jesse for his pivotal role in convincing a reluctant Congressman Harold Washington to run for mayor. Jesse's tireless, massive voter registration drives were credited with Harold’s historic 1983 victory.​
Farewell, dear friend. You will always remain in our grateful hearts. To the Jackson family, we offer our deepest condolences.
Our Annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony Affirms Our Commitment to His Legacy
The Harold Washington Legacy Scholarship
"2022: The Year of Harold
A Centennial Celebration
The Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee designated the year 2022 as
"The Year of Harold: A Centennial Celebration" to commemorate Harold Washington's 100th birthday, April 15, 2022.
Photo: Current President and Centennial Event Chair Loisteen Walker on the left, MHWLC founder, the late Josie Childs, on the right.
Who We Are
We are a nonprofit organization whose mission and principles are shaped by our unwavering conviction that Harold Washington was one of our nation’s most influential, effective, and transformative mayors. We were founded in 2013 by Josie Childs, a community and political activist and close associate of Harold Washington. Many of our original members worked in his historic 1983 mayoral campaign or his administration or both.
Our mission is to perpetuate and honor the enduring legacy of Mayor Harold Lee Washington. Through education, commemoration, and events, we strive to inspire movements toward a more just and inclusive Chicago, promote social justice, and ensure that Washington’s legacy continues to inspire positive change.
What We Do
How We Work
Through a variety of educational and civic activities, we attempt to immortalize the global impact of Harold Washington’s social, civic, political and economic legacy. We educate the public about his pivotal role in advancing civil rights, housing equality, and voting access.
PAST EVENTS
Voter Registration
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--October 4, 2014
6K VOTER REGISTRATION route walks through the neighborhood where Harold Washington lived and worked and passes sites significant to him.
MHWLC Supports
Future Leaders
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In 2021, the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee was instrumental in establishing a scholarship at Harold's undergraduate alma mater, Roosevelt University, to support students preparing for public sector leadership.
Voter Education
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-- March 16, 2019
One of our community forums held to interview candidates for elected office; this one, held at Bethel Church, featured Chicago's mayoral candidates.
Annual Commemoration
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--November 25, 2020
Our annual wreath-laying ceremony at Harold's gravesite reunites voters, civic leaders, and members to remember him on the anniversary of his death.
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Memorial Plaque Graces City's Main Library
-- November 14, 2014
Members of the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee attended a Harold Washington Library ceremony at which Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel dedicated a plaque now mounted on the exterior of the building. The Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee was instrumental in launching that plaque project.