Remembering D.C. Mayor Marion Barry

The Takeaway | Nov 24, 2014

The former Mayor of Washington D.C., Marion Barry, Jr. is one of American history's most flamboyant and complicated political figures. He died Sunday at the age of 78 from problems caused by high blood pressure and kidney disease.

Mayor Barry leaves behind a complicated legacy. He faced personal scandals and a notorious drug episode that made him a national laughingstock. But he was also known for taking on the federal government to gain more autonomy for the mostly black national capital, and he's remembered as a civil rights leader that was elected four times.

Takeaway Washington correspondent and long-time D.C. resident Todd Zwillich sorts out Mayor Barry's historical legacy from the personality flaws in this remembrance.

Follow @toddzwillich

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