# Harold Washington

Elected Chicago's first African American mayor in 1983. Decentralized city government, expanded neighborhood infrastructure spending, created the city's first environmental department, and opened city contracting to minority and women-owned businesses.

- Region: 312
- Affiliation: First Black Mayor of Chicago
- Industry: Civic Leadership & Social Justice
- URL: https://xecon.dev/312/profiles/people/harold-washington
- Updated: 2026-05-27

## Sources

1. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Washington)
2. [Chicago Public Library](https://www.chipublib.org/mayor-harold-washington-biography/)