South Side Drive Staff Writer
One day in April 2013, Josie Childs had an idea. This wasn’t unusual for Josie Childs because she’s known for her big ideas. “Harold Washington’s legacy needs to be preserved,” she said to whoever was listening at the time. Josie kept a long file box full of index cards with the names, addresses and phone numbers of almost everybody in the world, at least in her world of Washington era politics, and she pulled out the numbers of everyone who had been associated with Harold Washington’s administration in some way or another. One by one she phoned them, inviting them to the first meeting. Thus began the Mayor Harold Washington Tribute Committee, which later became the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee. Josie was in her late eighties at the time she launched the organization. Around eighty-six to be exact. Many women of her age would have long retired to someplace comfortable to relax and enjoy themselves. Not Josie. She had to keep busy, always doing something. Plus, she really did love Harold Washington and felt it was important to keep his powerful legacy alive.
The first meeting took place in the offices of the Black United Front of Chicago. The large room was full of Chicago’s movers and shakers. Most were in their seventies and eighties, and like Josie, weren’t ready to retire from the life of civil rights activism they had grown to know and love. Some were members of groups like COAL (Coalition of African American Leaders); many had worked in Harold Washington’s administration. Everyone agreed it was an idea whose time had come. Josie sat at the head of the very long table. Roberts Rules of Order would have a place in later meetings, but at the very beginning it was like “old home week,” with people who hadn’t seen each other in years.
“Josie B. Childs, a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, was an ardent Washington campaign enthusiast and strategist, who, following his historic political win, later served in Mayor Washington’s legendary administration in Cultural Affairs/Special Events.”
On Monday, February 13, the world lost their beloved Josie. Andrea Smith, member of the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee, enumerated Josie Child’s many contributions.
“Thanks to Josie Childs’ persistent activism, the MHWLC, since its founding in 2013, has focused on and implemented a variety of positive, community focused Chicago initiatives, including: Come Alive October 5 ALL CHICAGO VOTES Registration Initiative, Annual Mayor Harold Washington “Saluting the Legacy” Wreath-Laying Ceremony, Roosevelt University $100K Harold Washington Legacy Endowment Scholarship.”
Smith goes on to say, “Only Josie Childs, with her irrepressible personality, could have reconvened and brought together late Mayor Washington’s strong multi racial coalition of community, business, political mavericks and independents, religious leaders and everyday neighborhood activists to establish the MHWLC and once again carve out a unique place in this city’s public service and community history.
“Josie B. Childs, a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, was an ardent Washington campaign enthusiast and strategist,
who, following his historic political win, later served in Mayor Washington’s legendary administration in Cultural Affairs/Special Events.”
Many of us who knew Josie from back in the day remember the long, chatty, informative letters she would write every time she and her husband Jack Childs took a trip. We’d take that trip with them, as she carefully described the sights they saw, the meals they enjoyed, even the hotel room and the staff. She even shared with us her last trip with Jack Childs, who died unexpectedly.
Josie loved people, and although sometimes the people she loved would become upset with her because she spoke her mind and never bit her tongue, they couldn’t hold their anger long. Josie would not let them. She developed a special fondness for millennials, maybe because her granddaughter was one. They had a special fondness for her as well, and it was many an afternoon that a group of young women would stop by to visit “Mama Josie.
Josie was born on October 13, 1926, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. In the 1950’s she worked for the Sixth Ward of the City of Chicago, and later as a Special Events Coordinator for the city. She was an administrator at the Metropolitan School of Tailoring. She worked with former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington on his 1977 and 1983 mayoral campaigns, and was an aide to Mayor Washington for many years. From 1983 until 1990, she was an administrator in the City of Chicago’s Special Events and Cultural Affairs departments.
After leaving the City of Chicago, Josie created and promoted various events including an acknowledgement event for Great Lakes African American naval musicians.
Besides the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee, Josie was also a member of the Duke Ellington Society, the Joint Negro Appeal, Know Your Chicago, Executive Service Corps and Friends of the Chicago Public Library.
She was a board member of the National Council for Lay Life and Work, the Christ Hospital Nursing School, and Condominium Board Member and President of the Condo Association where she resided.
In 2013, she received the Jorja Palmer Award from Congressman Danny K. Davis, and was honored at the DuSable Museum on February 7, 2019.
She donated the “Josie Brown Childs Papers” consisting of family history, her political work and her efforts to promote African American cultural and historical awareness to the Chicago Public Library.
Now the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee will be tasked with continuing Josie’s work in preserving the history of the late, great Mayor Harold Washington. Josie will be looking down with a watchful eye saying, “I want you to make sure you get it right.
Josie Brown Childs actively led the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee until the day she died at the age of ninety-six. Given all that she contributed to the Black community, it is so fitting that this woman who treasured the preservation of Black History should choose to join the ancestors on the 13th day of Black History Month.
Josie loved people, and although sometimes the people she loved would become upset with her because she spoke her mind and never bit her tongue, they couldn’t hold their anger long.
