Who We Are
Honorary Co-Chairs | Steering Committee | Legacy Committee | Civic CommitteeThe Harold Washington Commemorative Year combines the efforts of many, and here they are…
Honorary Co-Chairs
Sincere thanks to…The Honorable Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago
The Honorable Danny K. Davis, United States House of Representatives,
7th Illinois Congressional District
The Honorable Richard Durbin, United States Senate, Illinois
The Honorable Barbara Flynn Currie, Illinois House of Representatives, 25th District
The Honorable Luis V. Gutierrez, United States House of Representatives,
4th Illinois Congressional District
The Honorable James M. Houlihan, Cook County Assessor
The Honorable Barack Obama, United States Senate, Illinois
The Honorable David Orr, Clerk of Cook County
The Honorable Pat Quinn, Lt. Governor of Illinois
The Honorable Bobby L. Rush United States House of Representatives,
1st Congressional District
The Honorable Helen Shiller, Chicago City Council
The Honorable Ed H. Smith, Chicago City Council
The Honorable Tom Tunney, Chicago City Council
The Honorable Miguel del Valle, City Clerk of Chicago
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Steering Committee
Here are the folks who got together to plan the many HWCY activities.Antonio Dickey, official photographer for Mayor Harold Washington, current official photographer for Mayor Richard M. Daley, and contributing photographer to Harold! Photographs from the Harold Washington Years
Ron Dorfman, prominent local writer and editor, and editor of Harold! Photographs from the Harold Washington Years
Jesus (Chuy) Garcia, Executive Director, Little Village Community Development Corporation, and former member of the Illinois Senate
Susan R. Gzesh, Director, Human Rights Program, University of Chicago
Trent A. McCain, Principal, McCain Law Offices, PC
Salim Muwakkil, senior editor of In These Times, and author of Harold! Photographs from the Harold Washington Years
Marc PoKempner, prominent local independent photojournalist, and contributing photographer to Harold! Photographs from the Harold Washington Years
Dick L. Simpson, Professor of Political Science, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times contributing columnist, and former member of the Chicago City Council
María de los Angeles Torres, Director, Latin American and Latino Studies Program, University of Illinois-Chicago, and former Executive Director of the Commission on Latino Affairs during the Harold Washington administration
Laura S. Washington, Ida B. Wells-Barnett University Professor, DePaul University, and Chicago Sun-Times contributing columnist
Esther Wong, Executive Director, Chinese American Service League
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Legacy Committee (in formation)
These are the generous individuals, corporations, foundations and institutions that make the Harold Washington Commemorative Year possible.Our Monetary Donors
Titanium Level Members ($10,000+)
Platinum Level Members ($5,000 - $9,999)
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Gold Level Members ($2,000 - $4,999)
The Irving Harris Foundation / Joan W. Harris
Laurie Glenn
Silver Level Members ($1,000 - $1,999)
Bronze Level Members ($500 - $999)
Robert C. Howard
Madeline Murphy Rabb
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Our In-Kind Donors / Co-Sponsors
Titanium
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Special Thanks
… and a very special note of thanks to the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, and its President, the Rev. Dr. Sid L. Mohn.
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Civic Committee (in formation)
Harold was beloved. He had countless supporters, friends, colleagues, staff members and fans. Here are some of them:Sam Ackerman, social justice activist and Deputy Personnel Commissioner during the Harold Washington administration
Stephen J. Alexander, Senior Research Fellow, Egan Urban Center, DePaul University, and former member of the Department of Economic Development during the Harold Washington administration
David R. Askew, Esq., Director of Pro Bono and Community Service, Wildman, Harrold LLP
Albert L. Bennett, Harold Washington Professor of Sociology, Roosevelt University
Michael Bennett, Professor of Sociology and Executive Director, Egan Urban Center, DePaul University, and former member of the Department of Economic Development during the Harold Washington administration
Timuel D. Black, Jr., prominent civil rights activist, author, historian and professor emeritus at the City Colleges of Chicago
Josie Brown Childs, former staff member in the Departments of Special Events and Cultural Affairs during the Harold Washington administration
Hon. Marlow H. Colvin, Illinois House of Representatives, 33rd District
Vera L. Davis, Executive Director, Black Metropolis Research Consortium, University of Chicago
Rick Garcia, Director of Public Policy, Equality Illinois
Jacquelyne Grimshaw, Vice President for Policy, Transportation & Community Development, Center for Neighborhood Technology
Sokoni T. Karanja, Executive Director, Centers for New Horizons
Jean D. Lachowicz, President, Urbs In Horto Communications,Inc.
Hon. Blanche M. Manning, United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois
Dr. B. Herbert Martin, Sr., Pastor, The Progressive Community Center - The People’s Church
Alton Miller, Associate Dean, School of Media Arts, Columbia College Chicago, and former press secretary to Mayor Harold Washington
Dawn Clark Netsch, Professor Emerita, Northwestern University School of Law, and former Illinois Senator and Comptroller
Walter A. Netsch, prominent architect and former Chicago Park District commissioner during the Harold Washington administration
Dr. Alice L. Palmer, former member of the Illinois Senate, and Founding Executive Director of Chicago Cities in Schools
Matthew J. Piers, Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd., and Deputy Corporation Counsel during the Harold Washington administration
Jane Ramsey, Executive Director, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, and former Director of Communications in the Office of the Mayor during the Harold Washington administration
Ruth M. Rothstein, Chair, Board of Trustees, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, and CEO of Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center during the Harold Washington administration
Bill Stamets, filmmaker, photographer, writer and college instructor
Roy G. Svenson, Assistant Vice President, Chicago Community Bank
Dempsey J. Travis, prominent entrepreneur, author, civil rights activist and historian
Blanca Vargas, National Chaplain, League of United Latin American Citizens, and former member of Harold Washington’s mayoral transition team
Edward Wilkerson, Jr., internationally renowned jazz musician and composer of the jazz opera, Harold in Chicago
Elizabeth Wilkerson, noted author, and librettist for the jazz opera, Harold in Chicago
Kale Williams, former Executive Director, Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities, and former Senior Scholar, Loyola University Chicago Center for Urban Research and Learning
Audra M. Wilson, Esq., Director of Diversity Education and Outreach, Northwestern University School of Law
Conrad W. Worrill, Director, Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, Northeastern Illinois University
Quentin D. Young, National Coordinator, Physicians for a National Health Program, and President of the Chicago Board of Health during the Harold Washington administration
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