Quotes from Harold Washington

I am not interested in splitting the white vote.

Let's not be overconfident, we still have to count the votes.

I cannot watch the city of Chicago be destroyed by petty politics and bad government.

Chicago is one city. We shall work as one people for our common good and our common goals.

What is so remarkable about the success of affirmative action is that it has been accomplished despite the Justice Department and the policies of the federal government.

The third fallacy is that affirmative action doesn't work.

Our concern is to heal. Our concern is to bring together.

I want to be a mayor who helped, really helped.

That fallacy flies in the face of studies that show, every day, in every way, things are getting a little worse for America's minorities relative to the progress made by those in the top percentiles of assets and income.

Throughout American history many of our social gains and much of our progress toward democracy were made possible by the active intervention of the federal government.

Affirmative action works but we're going to need to muster all our political resources if we are to keep it in place.

Business as usual will not be accepted by any part of this city.