Millennium City: Richard M. Daley & Global ChicagoMain MenuChicago in 1989Richard M. DaleyA Livable CityDiversity and NeighborhoodsGlobal ChicagoInto the MillenniumAboutComplete Interviews and TranscriptsBiographies of and links to each full-lenth interview and corresponding transcript.David Greensteinc7fc3212990439fbd3c1dd961272d52f1519d8e6Dan Harpereff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd452Larissa Mukundwa0c6cb03c337751b5774fa39d09352cf04aec006eUniversity of Illinois at Chicago Library
Memo from the Chicago City Council wars
1media/EXHRMD_Nata07_0030_0192_020a_thumb.jpg2020-06-19T14:47:43-05:00Dan Harpereff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd45254A memo from Chicago's Council Wars issued by Mayor Harold Washington's press office. It answers criticisms from Alderman Ed Vrdolyak, one of Washington's opponents in city council, May 14, 1985. EXHRMD__Nata07_0030_0192_020aplain2020-07-01T18:08:43-05:001985-05-14Dan Harpereff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd452
The “council wars” were the frequent, bitter disputes between Chicago’s first African American mayor, Harold Washington (1983-1987), and a bloc of aldermen who opposed most of his policies. The conflicting sides coalesced largely along racial lines, and Washington’s opponents made what struck many observers as explicitly racist appeals.
When Mayor Washington passed away unexpectedly in 1987, the council wars ended.
David Axelrod, a political consultant to Washington and, later, to Mayor Richard M. Daley, discusses the Council Wars and Washington's career:
Reflections on the council wars
Mailryn Katz, public relations consultant to Mayor Daley: Helen Shiller, 46th ward alderman (1987-2011):
