wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Leonard remarked that Chicago had :any number of black mayors." I believe that number would be one: Harold Washington; two if you count Eugen Sawyer, who was appointed by the city council to fill out Washington's term when he died in office.

although washington, d.c. wasn't the north, during the 30's there were many northerners who went down there to work for the federal government. my white father was one of those courageous people who helped integrate one of the federal workers cafeterias there. these are unsung heroes; just ordinary people who knew what was the right thing to do

This sounds like an important work in changing what seems to be a narrative of racial tolerance in the North that excuses a long history of intolerance. For example, growing up, I had no idea that as many as 1 in 6 households in CT (where I am from) had slaves in 1776. Or that NYC had slavery until 1820. These excuses continue into contemporary times, with, say, Bostoners throwing rocks at buses in the 70s. (And many more . . .)

Offhand, I believe that in 1926 there were 3 Million members of the KKK in the US--then a population of about 125 million.

So when the right bemoans the passing of the wonderful good ol' days, I cringe. . .