Wreath-laying ceremony held for late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington
A special ceremony was held on Tuesday honoring the life and legacy of former Chicago Mayor Herald Washington.
Wednesday will mark 38 years since his death.
Those who served with him held a wreath-laying ceremony Tuesday morning on the South Side at Oak Woods Cemetery. They acknowledged how he revamped health care for expectant mothers and children. Those who knew him also honored the policies still shaping the city.
"He promised a city that was transparent, so he created the ethics commission to hold city employees accountable. An open government with the Freedom of Information Act to make government more transparent. He led the fight for redistricting to change the racial makeup of the city council to look more like the people they represented," said Ald. Desmond Yancy (5th).
Washington was Chicago's mayor for four years, ending his term in 1987.
Tuesday's event was the 13th year for the community wreath-laying ceremony.