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Harold, the People’s Mayor: The Biography of Harold Washington
“Harold Washington was one of the most spellbinding and irresistible characters I have encountered in my 40 years in journalism and politics. Part philosopher, part street brawler and always entertaining, Harold was as big and ebullient as the town he came to lead.” —David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama
Harold, the People's Mayor is the authorized biography of Chicago's first black mayor, written by the late civil rights activist and prolific author Dempsey Travis, a man whose personal friendship with Washington spanned more than 50 years. Travis drew on recollections, notes, and several hundred hours' worth of interviews with Washington and his close associates in order to craft a portrait of Washington that spans his childhood, military years, political career, and death. Travis gained deep insights into Washington during the years he knew him, both as a boy and a man, and those combined with his encyclopedic knowledge of Chicago politics have resulted in an essential work of political biography and Chicago history.
Published to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Washington's untimely passing, this is a firsthand personal account of the life and career of one of the country's most significant big-city mayors and influential African American politicians, a man who former President Barack Obama credits as an inspiration.
Moving, comprehensive, and well-researched, Harold, the People's Mayor is required reading for anyone interested in 20th-century big-city politics and in this remarkable figure and how he lived, worked, and rose to transform the political landscape of Chicago.
Harold, the People's Mayor is the authorized biography of Chicago's first black mayor, written by the late civil rights activist and prolific author Dempsey Travis, a man whose personal friendship with Washington spanned more than 50 years. Travis drew on recollections, notes, and several hundred hours' worth of interviews with Washington and his close associates in order to craft a portrait of Washington that spans his childhood, military years, political career, and death. Travis gained deep insights into Washington during the years he knew him, both as a boy and a man, and those combined with his encyclopedic knowledge of Chicago politics have resulted in an essential work of political biography and Chicago history.
Published to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Washington's untimely passing, this is a firsthand personal account of the life and career of one of the country's most significant big-city mayors and influential African American politicians, a man who former President Barack Obama credits as an inspiration.
Moving, comprehensive, and well-researched, Harold, the People's Mayor is required reading for anyone interested in 20th-century big-city politics and in this remarkable figure and how he lived, worked, and rose to transform the political landscape of Chicago.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Dempsey J. Travis
28 books6 followersDempsey J. Travis was an entrepreneur, historian and self-made multi-millionaire. He was the president of Travis Realty Company®, which has been listed among the Largest 100 Black Business in America by Black Enterprise Magazine. Mr. Travis was also listed for seven years in Ebony Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans and as Black Businessman of the Year by Dollar and Sense Magazine.
Mr. Travis authored 25 best selling books including An Autobiography of Black Chicago, An Autobiography of Black Politics, Real Estate is the Gold in Your Future, and, Harold: The People’s Mayor, to name a few titles. His last book before his death was "Obama's Race to the White House." An autobiography was in process at the time of his death. He was financial editor for Dollars and Sense Magazine for several years, and was also a contributing writer for Ebony Magazine and Black Scholars.
Among his other achievements, Mr. Travis was listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Finance and Industry, and Who’s Who in the World. He was also listed among the People Who Have Made a Difference in the Chicago Sun-Times’ Sesquicentennial Celebration issue. He was the subject of numerous radio and television programs, with five shows receiving Emmy nominations, as well as hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. Mr. Travis was presented with the Black Enterprise Magazine First Annual Finance Achievement Award by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller at the White House on February 21, 1975.
Always active in civics, Mr. Travis was coordinator of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s first civil rights march in Chicago in 1960, and he is a past president of the Chicago NAACP branch. He participated in several presidential administrations including President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1966 civil rights meetings, President Richard Nixon’s Housing Task Force, and President Gerald Ford’s Presidential Task Force on Urban Renewal and the Presidential Task Force on Inflation.
Mr. Travis was one of the first African Americans appointed as a trustee of various organizations including the Chicago Historical Society, Northwestern Memorial Hospital; member of the Chicago Board of Roosevelt University; and member of The Auditorium Board. He served two terms as president of the Dearborn Real Estate Board, and was elected first V.P. for the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. He founded The United Mortgage Bankers of America and served as president from 1961 to 1974. He received Ameritech’s Small Business Community Service Award in 1995. He was also inducted into the Junior Achievement Chicago Business Community Hall of Fame in 1995. Dempsey Travis was a graduate of the Northwestern University’s School of Mortgage Banking. He served in the United States Army for four years. Mr. Travis was born and raised in Chicago, and was married to his wife for over 50 years.
Mr. Travis authored 25 best selling books including An Autobiography of Black Chicago, An Autobiography of Black Politics, Real Estate is the Gold in Your Future, and, Harold: The People’s Mayor, to name a few titles. His last book before his death was "Obama's Race to the White House." An autobiography was in process at the time of his death. He was financial editor for Dollars and Sense Magazine for several years, and was also a contributing writer for Ebony Magazine and Black Scholars.
Among his other achievements, Mr. Travis was listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Finance and Industry, and Who’s Who in the World. He was also listed among the People Who Have Made a Difference in the Chicago Sun-Times’ Sesquicentennial Celebration issue. He was the subject of numerous radio and television programs, with five shows receiving Emmy nominations, as well as hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. Mr. Travis was presented with the Black Enterprise Magazine First Annual Finance Achievement Award by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller at the White House on February 21, 1975.
Always active in civics, Mr. Travis was coordinator of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s first civil rights march in Chicago in 1960, and he is a past president of the Chicago NAACP branch. He participated in several presidential administrations including President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1966 civil rights meetings, President Richard Nixon’s Housing Task Force, and President Gerald Ford’s Presidential Task Force on Urban Renewal and the Presidential Task Force on Inflation.
Mr. Travis was one of the first African Americans appointed as a trustee of various organizations including the Chicago Historical Society, Northwestern Memorial Hospital; member of the Chicago Board of Roosevelt University; and member of The Auditorium Board. He served two terms as president of the Dearborn Real Estate Board, and was elected first V.P. for the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. He founded The United Mortgage Bankers of America and served as president from 1961 to 1974. He received Ameritech’s Small Business Community Service Award in 1995. He was also inducted into the Junior Achievement Chicago Business Community Hall of Fame in 1995. Dempsey Travis was a graduate of the Northwestern University’s School of Mortgage Banking. He served in the United States Army for four years. Mr. Travis was born and raised in Chicago, and was married to his wife for over 50 years.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 17, 2017
Excellent book. It was written by someone who knew him well. His childhood friend.
April 30, 2019
A decent read about a singular figure against some titanic challenges. The writing style is a bit tepid. The real fire comes from the transcripts of Washington's speeches! RIP
May 12, 2009
June 5, 2009
The jacket description says it all, i.e., an authorized biography. It's readable, but it's a record of political wins and short on the former Mayor's life prior to his political life. We learn nothing of the things and people that formed him and his philosophy of government; there is only passing mention of mother, father or siblings. I learned more about him in the Wikipedia entry.
There is, however, an enormous recording of the difficulty minority politicians had in participating in government. Southern states had nothing on Chicago when it came to excluding Blacks and Latinos from any real representation by the White power structure.
I did not live in Chicago, at the time, but I don't doubt the underlying racism of the White politicians who so vehemently opposed him; I grew up in Chicago. My family was an active participant in the Ward politics of the time.
The jacket description says it all, i.e., an authorized biography. It's readable, but it's a record of political wins and short on the former Mayor's life prior to his political life. We learn nothing of the things and people that formed him and his philosophy of government; there is only passing mention of mother, father or siblings. I learned more about him in the Wikipedia entry.
There is, however, an enormous recording of the difficulty minority politicians had in participating in government. Southern states had nothing on Chicago when it came to excluding Blacks and Latinos from any real representation by the White power structure.
I did not live in Chicago, at the time, but I don't doubt the underlying racism of the White politicians who so vehemently opposed him; I grew up in Chicago. My family was an active participant in the Ward politics of the time.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews