Harold Washington deserves mention among mayor embracing LGBTQ+ community
While I was elated about the appointment of Antonio King as the first Cabinet-level LGBTQ+ director of LGBTQ+ Affairs in the mayor’s office, I was very disappointed by the coverage in the Sun-Times.
In Fran Spielman’s recent story, she writes that the mayor “is apparently determined to follow in his predecessors’ footsteps.” She cites accomplishments on the LGBTQ+ front by mayors Richard M. Daley, Rahm Emanuel and Lori Lightfoot but makes no mention of Mayor Harold Washington or his support from the gay community.
Here is just a portion of how Washington is portrayed in his entry on the LGBT Hall of Fame website: “as mayor of Chicago, (Washington) promoted and facilitated LGBT political participation and empowerment, which laid (the) groundwork for passage of the City’s 1988 Human Rights Ordinance. He appointed the first mayoral liaison to the LGBT community; was the first Chicago mayor to address a gay rights rally; and established the City’s first official Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues.”
Yet Washington gets no mention at all in the Sun-Times’ coverage. The Black man who arguably laid the groundwork for King’s historic appointment is erased from history by one of the institutions we rely on for preserving our city’s institutional memory.
I will always remember attending the 1987 Gay Pride Parade and listening to Washington address his supporters afterward. I was filled with pride. This is the man who was recognized for doing so much for hiring of LGBTQ+ individuals that his detractors would refer to City Hall as Sissy Hall as a way to embarrass and discredit him.
It had the opposite impact on me and many others who worked at City Hall at the time. It made me swell with pride — a pride I’m sure Antonio King feels as he takes on his historic appointment in the Johnson administration.
Curtis Lawrence, former Sun-Times reporter and editor, University Village
‘80s Tom Cruise flick is Chicago classic
No "Risky Business" in Curious City's Susie An's best movies filmed in Chicago list?
How does this movie avoid a mention when it captures so many facets of our city and metro area? The Lake Shore Drive scenes, the Drake Hotel, North Shore smugness, the Porsche-swallowing lake and the perfectly-timed-to-the-soundtrack L train spark.
And of course Guido the killer pimp.
Mark Kusiak, Lincoln Park
Kudos to Cusack
I did not know a hell of a lot about John Cusack. Apparently, he knows some history, can absorb and weigh facts and reason soundly, and he can write an expository column really, really well.
Thank you for publishing his opinion piece in Wednesday's Sun-Times. It was nice to read an entire page and feel good about it.
Kevin Kann, Libertyville
Great debate
I enjoyed the Sun-Times, WBEZ and UChicago’s Institute of Politics and International House's hosted debate with U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. Don't mention your peers potential shortfalls until you are running against them! Very entertaining.
Mark Moran, Downers Grove