Fire on the Prairie: Harold Washington, Chicago Politics, and the Roots of the Obama Presidency

Urban Life, Landscape, and Policy

by Gary Rivlin

Chicago--a name synonymous with tough urban politics and racial conflict. In 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr., set the nation's sights on the city when he said, "If we crack Chicago, then we crack the world". Black empowerment "would take off like a prairie fire across the land". Here is the story of Harold Washington's election in 1983 as the city's first black mayor. Photographs.

Genres: Politics, Biography, History

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2012

Reviews

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's hard to say how to rate this bc the information is super in depth and good but I SUSPECT it suffered in the revision down to a few hundred pages bc there are odd gaps and flat out obfuscatory passages. still, invaluable in terms of understanding how the sausage gets made specifically with regards to racial and racist opposition in Chicago (and to some extent nationally).

[Frank Lucchese-soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and it’s such an eye opener, and it makes me hate Ed Burke even more than I do. Plus it makes me despise Chicago mainstream media.

[Happyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve ever read on Chicago politics. It’s got it all – race baiting, corruption, aldermanic turf wars, prostitute fund raising raffles, all swirling around and battling our most charismatic, intelligent, community-minded, and genuine mayor. Man died with a heart three-times too large, both figuratively and literally, fighting to end disparities, waste, and general civic stupidity. Fast-paced political page turner illustrating how democracy can be manipulated to ensure that systemic racism is allowed to proliferate and thrive in an environment that is minority white and supposedly liberal.

[Sharlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone organizing in Chicago today, as the "Harold Washington Coalition" is a consistent reference point and not-distant-history. Plenty of the players are still around and holding office and the same strategies are employed (like a Daley trying to run as the outside candidate fighting "the machine!"). It's also an easy and enjoyable read, since Rivlin is a great writer with a concise style.