Rising Star

by David J. Garrow

  9. Obama to Phil Boerner, 20 November 1985, Boerner Papers, Obama, DFMF, pp. 159–62, 170–71, 175–76, 178–79 (calling Cathy “Mary”); Obama Interview with Cathleen Falsani, 27 March 2004; Obama Commencement Address, Northwestern University, 16 June 2006; Obama, remarks at James C. Wright Middle School, Madison, WI, 4 November 2009, Public Papers of the Presidents 2009 Vol. II, p. 1636; Peter Slevin, “For Clinton and Obama, a Common Ideological Touchstone,” WP, 25 March 2007, p. A1; DJG interviews with Asif Agha, Jerry Kellman, Loretta Augustine-Herron, Yvonne Lloyd, Dan Lee, Cathy Askew, Stephanie Askew, Betty Garrett, Tom Kaminski, and Marlene Dillard.

  10. “Mayor Appoints Task Force on Steel,” 1 June 1984, and “Chicago’s Task Force on Steel Industry,” 30 October 1984, HWP POS Box 15, Fld. 109; “Steel and Southeast Chicago: Reasons and Opportunities for Industrial Renewal,” Northwestern University Center for Urban Affairs, November 1985, 354 pp.; Robert Bergsvik, “Chicago Steel Report Is Released,” DC, 4 December 1985, p. A3; “Good News, Bad News on Steel Job Scene,” TNW, January–February 1986, p. 6; Ann R. Markusen, “National Policies Cause Local Steel Decline,” TNW, March 1986, pp. 3–4; Markusen, “Planning for Industrial Decline: Lessons from Steel Communities,” Journal of Planning Education and Research 7 (1988): 173–84, esp. 181; Markusen, “City on the Skids,” CR, 23 November 1989; David Ranney, Global Decisions, Local Collisions (Temple University Press, 2003), pp. 108–20, esp. 111 and 118; Pierre Clavel and Sara O’Neill-Kohl, “Losing Out on Industrial Policy: The Chicago Case,” City & Regional Planning Working Paper, Cornell University, January 2010, esp. pp. 21–24. See also Robert Giloth and Josh Lerner to Kari Moe, “Task Force on Steel and Southeast Chicago, 23 May 1986, HWP CSS Box 25 Fld. 51; Rob Mier to Harold Washington, “Task Force on Steel and Southeast Chicago,” 27 May 1986, Rob Mier to Al Miller, “Release of Steel Task Force Pre-Publication Report,” 18 July 1986, and Rob Mier to Brenda Gaines, “Steel Task Force Pre-Publication Report,” 25 July 1986, all HWP DS Box 8 Fld. 29; and Wim Wiewel and Nicholas C. Rieser, “The Limits of Progressive Municipal Economic Development: Job Creation in Chicago,” Community Development Journal 24 (April 1989): 111–19.

  11. Gerald S. Kellman and Maurice Richards to Harold Washington, 19 December 1985, HWP FAS Box 13 Fld. 69; Richard Foster, “Local 1033 Joining with Community & Religious Organizations to Stop Plant Closings,” 1033 News & Views, January 1986, p. 1; Rob Mier to Harold Washington, “LTV Steel Potential Closure” and “LTV Steel Fact Sheet,” 2 January 1986, HWP DS Box 8 Fld. 29 and FAS Box 13 Fld. 69; Laurie P. Cohen and Thomas F. O’Boyle, “Ill Fated Merger: LTV, Dragged Down by Steel Subsidiary, Struggles to Survive,” WSJ, 6 January 1986, p. 1; Merrill Goozner, “Ailing LTV May Close Huge South Side Mill,” CCB, 13 January 1986, p. 1; Rob Mier’s 1989 interview with Betty Brown-Chappell; Obama, DFMF, pp. 150, 168–69; DJG interviews with Maury Richards, Jerry Kellman, Loretta Augustine-Herron, and Marlene Dillard. On Rob Mier, see also Mier et al., Social Justice and Local Policy Development (Sage Publications, 1993), his interview in Norman Krumholz and Pierre Clavel, eds., Reinventing Cities (Temple University Press, 1994), pp. 68–82; and Robert Giloth and Wim Wiewel, “Equity Development in Chicago: Robert Mier’s Ideas and Practice,” Economic Development Quarterly 10 (August 1996): 204–16.

  12. Obama to Phil Boerner, 20 November 1985 (noting he planned to be in D.C. December 20–24), Boerner Papers; Obama to Genevieve Cook, 5 January 1986, Cook Papers; Obama, DFMF, p. 204, 261–67; Tom Maliti (AP), “Obama’s Brother Chooses Life in the Slow Lane,” 26 October 2004; DJG interviews with Tom Kaminski, Zeituni Onyango, Beenu Mahmood, Hasan and Raazia Chandoo, and Genevieve Cook. On Abon’go Malik, see also Marshall Sella, “The Audacity of Bro,” GQ, July 2013.

  13. Thomas M. Burton and Dean Baquet, “FBI Mole Gave Alderman Cash Campaign Donation,” CT, 26 December 1985; Manuel Galvan and Burton, “Aldermen, Contractor Feel Heat,” CT, 28 December 1985; E. R. Shipp, “‘Council Wars’ at an End, Says Chicago Mayor,” NYT, 7 January 1986; Burton, “FBI Mole Gave Ald. Kelley Cash,” CT, 14 January 1986; Maurice Possley and Douglas Frantz, “FBI Phoned in Plays to Mole at Meetings,” CT, 16 January 1986; Frantz and John O’Brien, “Waste Firm Lobbyist Opened Doors for FBI Mole,” CT, 22 January 1986, pp. 1, 2; Irene Benjamin to Harold Washington, 27 January 1986, HWP COF Box 22 Fld. 62; Frantz, “FBI Mole Says He Tried to Buy ‘Veto-Proof’ Council,” CT, 2 February 1986, p. 16; Frantz and Mark Eissman, “City Counsel Disqualifies Himself as Payoff Prober,” CT, 6 February 1986, pp. 1, 7; James Strong and Burton, “Washington Aide Coffey Quits City Hall Post,” CT, 8 February 1986; John Camper and John Kass, “Scandal Gets Too Big for Mayor to Ignore,” CT, 9 February 1986, pp. 1, 18; Camper and Strong, “Probe Puts Buffer on Council Wars,” CT, 19 February 1986; Baquet and Strong, “City’s Counsel Quits,” CT, 20 February 1986, p. 1; John Camper, “City Hall Probe Puts Squeeze on Washington’s Inner Circle,” CT, 21 February 1986, p. 1; Ray Gibson, “City Garbage Disposal Contract Probed by Federal Grand Jury,” CT, 3 March 1986; Bob Wiedrich and Baquet, “Lobbyist Paid for City Aide’s Vacation,” CT, 6 April 1986, p. 1; Baquet and Wiedrich, “Claim of ‘Finder’s Fee’ for Ald. Kelley Probed,” CT, 11 April 1986, p. 1; Fran Spielman, “‘Dumb’ Mole Gave Me $28,500—Alderman,” CST, 2 May 1986, pp. 1, 14; Ray Gibson, “Alderman Tells of $28,500 Gift,” CT, 3 May 1986, p. 5; Baquet and William Gaines, “Waste Firm Courted Clout,” CT, 18 May 1986, p. 1; Baquet and Gaines, “Waste Management Hauls Loads of Clout,” CT, 16 June 1986, p. 1; Possley, “Mole Bribes of Officials Confirmed,” CT, 7 October 1986, p. 1; Burton and O’Brien, “City Hall Bribe Probers to Name Names,” CT, 21 November 1986, p. 1; Burton and Possley, “7 Indicted in City Hall Probe,” CT, 22 November 1986, p. 1; Andrew H. Malcolm, “2 City Council Members Among 7 Indicted in Chicago Inquiry,” NYT, 22 November 1986; Baquet and Gaines, “Chicago Clout Feeds Waste Empire,” CT, 23 November 1986, p. 2; Possley, “Mole’s Taping of Ald. Kelley Disclosed,” CT, 27 November 1986, p. 1; Possley, “Ex-Lobbyist Claims He Bribed Aldermen,” CT, 4 February 1987; Baquet, “Probe Looks Higher in Waste Firm Bribe,” CT, 9 February 1987; Possley and Robert Davis, “Ex-Ald. Kelley to Plead Guilty,” CT, 24 April 1987; William B. Crawford Jr., “Ex-Ald. Kelley Gets 1-Year Prison Term,” CT, 12 June 1987; Crawford, “Jury Sees How Mole Ran Sting,” CT, 22 September 1987; Crawford, “$5,000 Bribe Shown on Tape,” CT, 23 September 1987; Possley, “Incubator Figure Caught in Middle,” CT, 28 October 1987; Crawford, “Ex-Lobbyist Sentenced in Bribes to Former Aldermen,” CT, 15 March 1988; Joseph P. Fried, “Michael Burnett, 67, Criminal Who Exposed City Corruption,” NYT, 2 November 1996.

  Brian Kelly, “Harold Washington’s Balancing Act,” Chicago Magazine, April 1985, pp. 180–83, 200–207; Melvin G. Holli and Paul M. Green, Bashing Chicago Traditions: Harold Washington’s Last Campaign (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1989), pp. vii–viii, 19–22, 27–32, esp. 22; Ketchum v. Byrne, 740 F. 2d 1398, 7th Cir., 1984, cert. denied, 3 June 1985, 471 U.S. 1135; James Strong, “Council Factions Huddle to Draw Ward Boundaries,” CT, 25 October 1985, pp. 1, 12; Maurice Possley and Manuel Garcia, “Ward Remap Deal Could Put Minorities in Control,” CT, 30 October 1985, p. 1; Possley and Galvan, “Ward Remappers Draw Marzullo’s Wrath,” CT, 31 October 1985, p. 1; Possley, “Ward Remap in Judge’s Hands,” CT, 1 November 1985, p. 2; Strong and William B. Crawford Jr., “Final Draft of Ward Remap Drawn,” CT, 8 November 1985, p. 1; Hanke Gratteau, “Negotiations on Remap Boil Down to 3 Wards,” CT, 4 November 1985, p. 2; Ketchum v. City Council, 630 F. Supp. 551 (N. D. Ill.), 30 December 1985; Robert Davis and Galvan, “’86 Vote Ordered for Remap Wards,” CT, 31 December 1985, p. 1; Strong and Davis, “Remap Crusader New City Counsel,” CT, 1 March 1986, p. 1; Jeffrey D. Colman and Michael T. Brody, “Ketchum v. Byrne: The Hard Lessons of Discriminatory Redistricting in Chicago,” Chicago-Kent Law Review 64 (1988): 497–530; and Jud Miner’s 1990 interview with Betty Brown-Chappell. See also Robert J. McClory, “Washington at Midterm: A Look at the Record,” Illinois Issues, January 1985, pp. 20�
�24.

  14. Cohen and O’Boyle, “Ill-Fated Merger,” WSJ, 6 January 1986, p. 1; Goozner, “Ailing LTV May Close Huge South Side Mill,” CCB, 13 January 1986, p. 1; “Report: LTV Closing?,” DC, 13 January 1986, p. A2; Larry Galica, “1986: The Year They Loved to Hate,” DC, 31 December 1986, p. A2; “Churches Ask Steel Study,” CT, 15 January 1986, p. B1; “Rep. Stresses Reinvestment for LTV Steel,” DC, 15 January 1986, p. A3; IAF to CHD, “Minority Organizer Training Program,” 12 July 1985, IAFP Box 162 Fld. 1686; “Minority Organizers Training,” 14–16 January 1986, IAFP Box 163 Fld. 1693; Sharon A. Jacobson to Renee Brereton, 13 May 1986, IAFP Box 162 Fld. 1678; Matt O’Connor, “LTV to Idle 775 in Chicago,” CT, 22 January 1986, p. B1; Barry Cronin, “LTV Laying Off 775 Here,” CST, 22 January 1986, p. 4; “LTV Closing Unit,” NYT, 22 January 1986, p. D5; Larry Galica, “LTV Announces 775 Layoffs,” DC, 22 January 1986, p. A1; Galica, “Laid-Off LTV Employees to Be Given Job Assistance,” DC, 23 January 1986; Frank Lumpkin to Crossroads Fund, 23 January 1986, CFP Box 38 Fld. 472; “LTV Rally Postponed,” DC, 25 January 1986, p. A1; Mark Hornung, “LTV Slashes 775 Jobs at Huge Chicago Works,” CCB, 27 January 1986, p. 49; Galica, “Caucus Hears LTV’s Woes,” DC, 30 January 1986, FLP Box 5 Fld. 6; Mike Parker, “Keep Union United in Quitting QWL Program,” Labor Notes, February 1986, pp. 10, 15; Janis Parker, “Job Seekers to Receive Assistance Via Network,” DC, 1 February 1986, p. A5; “Skills Assessment Offered at College,” South Suburban Citizen, 7 February 1986, ABJP; “1033 Announces Candidate Endorsements,” DC, 14 February 1986, p. A4; Galica, “Jobless Help Available,” and “LTV-Local 1033 Contract Talks to Resume,” DC, 15 February 1986, p. A1; “Reaction Mixed to Job Network,” DC, 19 February 1986; John Conroy, “The Silence in Steel City,” CR, 21 February 1986, pp. 1, 18–30; “Plant Closing Law Is Discussed,” DC, 27 February 1986, p. A1; “Save LTV Jobs! Public Ownership the Only Way,” Save Our Jobs News, March 1986, p. 3, FLP Box 5 Fld. 5; 1033 News & Views, March 1986; Galica, “Wis. Steel’s Sudden Closing Spurs Proposal,” DC, 3 March 1986, p. A1; Galica, “Bill Designed to Regulate Closures Opposed by Some,” DC, 4 March 1986, p. A3.

  Obama, DFMF, p. 172, 231–33; Gloria Jackson Bacon’s 2002 interview with Julieanna Richardson; DJG interviews with Loretta Augustine-Herron, Yvonne Lloyd, Dominic Carmon, Alma Jones, Hazel and Cheryl Johnson, Gloria Jackson Bacon, James V. Jordan, Jerry Kellman, and Mike Kruglik; Loretta Augustine-Herron in Anthony Painter, Barack Obama: The Movement for Change (Arcadia Books, 2009), p. 101; Altgeld Gardens Residents to Harold Washington, 20 July 1985, HWP COF Box 1 Fld. 20; Jean Davidson, “Child-Parent Centers Helping Needy Families Learn Together,” CT, 13 October 1985, p. 1; Sandra Crockett, “Altgeld Fears Toxic Threat,” CD, 22 January 1986, p. 1; Crockett, “Move to Ease Altgeld’s Waste Scare,” CD, 13 February 1986, p. 3; Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, “The Southeast Chicago Study: An Assessment of Environmental Pollution and Public Health Impacts,” March 1986; Casey Bukro, “Southeast Side Cancer Death Rates High,” CT, 15 March 1986, p. 5; Dean Congbalay, “Health Study’s Bad News Is No News to Southeast Side Groups,” CT, 17 March 1986, p. C5; Sharon Pines, “Minorities, Others Organize Against Toxic Threat,” TNW, April 1986, pp. 5–6; Harold Henderson, “Don’t Dump on Us,” CR, 23 May 1986, pp. 1, 20–29. See also Lisa Newman, “Pioneer CHA Clinic Gets $500,000 Grant,” CT, 7 October 1991; Deborah Pinkney, “Altgeld Tenants Sick of Bad Air,” CST, 10 July 1993, p. 3; Joyce Kelly, “CHA Project House Call,” CT, 25 June 1995; and Kim Geiger, “Obama Tour Covers President’s South Side Past,” CT, 11 November 2013.

  15. Obama to Andrew Roth, 27 February 1986, Roth Papers; Obama to Roy and Mary Obama, 17 March 1986, Abon’go Malik Obama Papers; Obama to Phil Boerner, 19 March 1986, Boerner Papers; Obama, DFMF, pp. 187–88; Obama on The Friday Night Show with Bob Sirott, WTTW.com, 3 December 2004; Loretta Augustine in Bob Secter and John McCormick, “Portrait of a Pragmatist,” CT, 30 March 2007, and in Sasha Abramsky, Inside Obama’s Brain (Portfolio, 2010), p. 213; Yvonne Lloyd in Janice Malone, “Nashville Resident Recalls Senator Obama Always Destined for Success,” Tennessee Tribune, 17–23 January 2008, p. A1; DJG interviews with Asif Agha, Jerry Kellman, Mary Bernstein, Loretta Augustine-Herron, Yvonne Lloyd, Marlene Dillard, Nadyne Griffin, Tom Kaminski, Andrew Roth, and Phil Boerner.

  16. Madeline Talbott 1986 appointment book, IAP 2011-111 Box 2 Fld. 26; Renee Brereton, “CHD Proposal Evaluation Form—The Developing Communities Project,” #86-D-02-02, 7 March 1986, Bernardin Papers; “CHD Allocation Process Rolling,” CC, 21 March 1986, p. 5; Mary Yu to Cardinal Bernardin, “Recommendations for Funding—Nationally Funded Proposals,” 16 April 1986, Sharon Jacobson and Father Ken Brucks to Bishop Rodriguez and Rev. Frank Kane, “Recommendations for Funding—Nationally Funded Grants,” 16 April 1986, Jacobson to CHD Allocation Committee of Washington Funds, “Our Recommendations to National CHD,” 17 April 1986, Jacobson to Renee Brereton, “Diocesan Recommendations for National CHD Funding of Chicago Community Organizations,” 17 April 1986, Cardinal Bernardin to Mary Yu, “Recommendations for Nationally Funded Proposals,” 22 April 1986, Rev. Alfred LoPinto to Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, 29 May 1986, all Bernardin Papers; Industrial Areas Foundation, “Notice: July 1986 National Training,” 3 April 1986, IAFP Box 73 Fld. 882; Viki Cucciardo (CHD D.C.) to Patricia DeMaria (IAF), “Recruits for IAF Minority Training—Los Angeles,” 29 April 1986, and Sharon A. Jacobson to Renee Brereton, 13 May 1986, IAF Box 162 Fld. 1678; IAF to CHD, “Minority Training Program,” n.d., IAFP Box 162 Fld. 1689; Rey Flores, “The Catholic Campaign for Human Development: Reform or Bust,” Crisis Magazine, 9 November 2011; Billy Hallowell, “New Book’s Ironic Claim: Catholic Church Paid to Send Obama to an Alinsky-Founded Group’s Community Organizing Training,” TheBlaze.com, 23 July 2012; Phyllis Schlafly and George Neumayr, No Higher Power: Obama’s War on Religious Freedom (Regnery Publishing, 2012), pp. 194–97, 200–201, 204, and esp. 80 (citing “a source who once had access to copies of documents” from the Bernardin Papers) and 205 (thanking Rey Flores); William S. McKersie, “Fostering Community Participation to Influence Public Policy: Lessons from the Woods Fund of Chicago, 1987–1993,” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 26 (March 1997): 11–26, esp. 15–17; Jean Rudd in McKersie, “Strategic Philanthropy and Local Public Policy,” Ph.D. dissertation, University of Chicago, March 1998, esp. pp. 343 and 349; DJG interviews with Jean Rudd, Ken Rolling, Rochelle Davis, Madeline Talbott, Renee Brereton, Sharon Jacobson, Mary Yu, and Ken Brucks. See also Jean Rudd, “How One Foundation Came to Support Community Organizing,” in Sandy O’Donnell et al., Promising Practices in Revenue Generation for Community Organizing (Center for Community Change, October 2005).

  17. Manuel Galvan and Robert Davis, “26th Ward Race Mirrors State of City Politics,” CT, 12 March 1986; Davis and Galvan, “Mayor’s Council Gains May Be Hollow Victory,” John Camper, “Mayor, Vrdolyak Show Their Muscle,” and Tim Franklin, “5 Chicago Legislators Rejected,” CT, 20 March 1986, pp. 1, 2; Galvan and Mark Eissman, “Mayor’s Man Takes Lead in 26th,” CT, 21 March 1986; Torres v. Board of Election Commissioners, 492 N.E. 2d 539 (Ill. App. 1st Dst.), 14 April 1986; Andy Knott and Eissman, “Back to the Streets in the 26th Ward,” CT, 18 April 1986, p. 1; Davis and Eissman, “Council Balance Hinges on 2 Runoff Elections,” and “Heavies to Turn Out for 26th Ward Rematch,” CT, 20 April 1986; Davis and Galvan, “Vote Theft Charged in 26th Ward Race,” CT, 22 April 1986; Davis and Mark Zambrano, “Mayor Hopes 15, 26 Add Up to Power,” CT, 27 April 1986; Eissman, “Campaigns Go Door-to-Door as Dust Settles in 26th Ward,” CT, 28 April 1986; Eissman, “Races May Hinge on Absentees,” CT, 29 April 1986; Davis and Galvan, “Mayor Feels the Power Shifting His Way,” and Jack Houston and Zambrano, “Election Watchers Marshal Forces as Ward Runoffs Go to the Voters,” CT, 30 April 1986; Davis and Galvan, “Mayor the Winner in Aldermanic Elections,” CT, 1 May 1986; Cecilia Cummings, “Mayor Explores Vrdolyak Territory,” CST, 24 June 1986; Hawking, “Political Education in the Harold Washington Movement,” pp.
164–68.

  Kevin Reese, “Superfund Urged for Jobless,” DC, 22 March 1986, p. A2; Matt O’Connor, “Union’s Pay Cuts in LTV Pact Are Either Too Much or Too Little,” CT, 24 March 1986, p. 4; Delbert C. Augustson, “Thanks to Officials Who Didn’t Help Out,” DC, 26 March 1986, p. A4; Larry Galica, “Vote Deadline on LTV Pact Near,” DC, 28 March 1986, p. A1; Jim Masters, “Wis. Steel Workers Hear Encouraging Words,” DC, 1 April 1986, p. A3; James Warren, “LTV Pact Ratified; Pay, Benefits to Be Slashed,” CT, 5 April 1986, p. 6; Maury Richards, “New Contract Ratified,” 1033 News & Views, April 1986; Tim Offutt to Frank Lumpkin, 15 April 1986, CFP Box 38 Fld. 472; 1033 News & Views, May 1986, p. 8.

  18. Sandra Crockett, “A Tale of Two Parks: The White One Green, The Black One Dirty,” CD, 18 December 1985, p. 18; Juanita Bratcher, “S. Side Residents Charge Favoritism in Parks, CD, 4 March 1986, p. 7; [Friends of the Parks], untitled list, n.d., HWP COS Box 24A Fld. 4; Michael Orenstein, “Park Projects Bring Communities Together,” TNW, April–May 1989, pp. 3–4, 21; John Owens in Linda Matchan, “A Law Review Breakthrough,” BG, 15 February 1990, p. 29, in Letta Tayler and Keith Herbert, “Obama Forged Path as Chicago Community Organizer,” Newsday, 2 March 2008, p. A6, on Tell Me More, NPR, 23 July 2008, and in Bill Glauber, “Chicago Neighborhood Watching President-Elect Closely,” MJS, 12 January 2009; DJG interviews with Eva Sturgies, Nadyne Griffin, Aletha Strong (Gibson), and John Owens; Owens in Lisa Lerer, “Obama Decades-Old Shooting Scare Guides Anti-Poverty Plan,” Bloomberg, 19 February 2013; Maraniss, BOTS, pp. 550–51. See also Tom Brune, ed., Neglected Neighborhoods: Patterns of Discrimination in Chicago City Services (Chicago Reporter, 1981). One Saturday evening in April or early May, Barack, apparently accompanied by one of the DCP ladies (“Ruby”), attended a performance of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf at the Edgewater Presbyterian Church in far-north Chicago. See Richard Christiansen, “Cast Lends a Fierce Beauty to Shange’s ‘Colored Girls,’” CT, 3 April 1986, Obama, DFMF, pp. 204–6, and Philip Weiss, “Obama’s Dark Side,” MondoWeiss.net, 22 April 2008. No surviving DCP member has any recollection of accompanying Barack to the play.