[Chicago mayoral election 1987]

This news report covers the democratic primary for the 1987 Chicago mayoral election, focusing on the role that race will play in the upcoming elections.

0:11Copy video clip URL Harold Washington speaks to a nearly all-black crowd of supporters, while Jane Byrne speaks to a nearly all-white crowd. Elizabeth Brackett speaks to political organizer Lu Palmer, who says it is clear that Chicagoans are going to vote along racial lines. Newspaper reporter Harry Golden says that both candidates are consciously avoiding making a “racist appeal”, but it is impossible to ignore the effect of race on the election.

4:42Copy video clip URL Palmer says that black Chicagoans feel they have a personal stake in Washington’s reelection. Washington publicly disassociated himself from incendiary comments made by Judge Eugene Pincham insisting that “any man south of Madison Street…who doesn’t care as to vote for Harold Washington ought to be hung”. He also says that part of the outrage among whites comes from not understanding black rhetoric. John McDermott, head of a campaign watchdog group which aims to cut down on racist campaign tactics, criticizes Judge Pincham’s comments as well as the Byrne campaign’s response. McDermott says that this campaign has been far cleaner than the 1983 election.

8:47Copy video clip URL Polls indicate that Washington is most likely to pick up white votes in the affluent neighborhoods of the north side. Many white voters were angry when Freedom Riders came to Chicago to raise support for Washington. Brackett speaks about the candidates’ efforts to win the Hispanic vote. Washington opines that racial relations are “on the verge of becoming better” in Chicago.

12:51Copy video clip URL End of tape.

 

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