[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 157 (Monday, September 24, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                     REMEMBERING LORRAINE H. MORTON

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, earlier this month, we received the sad 
news that Mayor Lorraine Morton had passed away just a few months short 
of her 100th birthday. For decades, she was a force for change in 
Evanston, IL. For so many people, she was the ``Principal of 
Evanston.''
  In June of this year, more than a hundred people gathered with 
Lorraine at the Northwestern University Segal Visitors Center to 
celebrate the premier of the documentary ``Lorraine H. Morton: A Life 
Worthwhile.'' The title comes from something her father instilled into 
her, ``Only a life of service is a life worthwhile.'' Her life of 
service was extraordinary as a teacher, mentor, friend, and Evanston's 
first African-American mayor.
  Lorraine's story is that of shattering boundaries and bringing 
Evanston into the 21st century. Lorraine was one of the first Black 
teachers to break the color barrier in a community that was integrated 
statistically, but not geographically. She championed desegregation 
efforts and pioneered equity in Evanston's schools. As one of the few 
Black educators on the North Shore, her firsts were many: from serving 
as the first Black educator to teach summer school, to breaking the 
color line at Nichols Middle School, to leading the Haven Middle School 
as principal.
  Haven was on the frontier of all the changes coming to the community 
in the 1960s and 1970s. As principal, Lorraine thrived and developed a 
reputation for kindness and listening.
  In the early 1980s, then-Mayor Jay Lytle asked Lorraine if she were 
interested in joining the city council as the Fifth Ward alderman. 
After he talked her into it, Lorraine took the job in 1982. Three years 
later, she ran again and was elected alderman with the support of the 
families she had taught. Lorraine had a successful 9-year run on the 
council.
  While Fifth Ward alderman, she served on the housing and community 
development, police services, planning and development, human services, 
and rules committees, as well as on the unified budget panel. 
Additionally, she also served on special committees on fair housing, 
libraries, and gangs, and she was Evanston's legion commissioner.
  In 1989, Lorraine stepped away from her role as Haven Middle School 
principal to focus on politics. Word started to go around that then-
Mayor Joan Barr was considering stepping down. Many of Lorraine's 
former students recommended she run. She had a built-in power base in 
all the schools she taught and made a difference, but the race was no 
easy picnic. Lorraine nabbed second place out of five candidates. This 
set up a runoff election where Lorraine came from behind to win. 
Lorraine went on to be the longest serving mayor in Evanston's history 
in 1993.
  Lorraine led the city through the development of partnerships with 
Northwestern University and changing the culture of the city council 
itself. Downtown Evanston is filled with Northwestern buildings these 
days. The university has a deep relationship with Evanston and the 
Chicagoland area, but it was Lorraine that brought Northwestern closer 
to the community through programs like increased student-to-student 
tutoring and donating resources like a firetruck.
  Downtown Evanston's large-scale renovation and revitalization also is 
a part of her legacy. Anyone seeing a movie in the Century Theater 
should thank her. An agreement negotiated by Lorraine and the city 
council with Northwestern to create a research park eventually led to a 
mixed-use zone, including that movie theater and all those restaurants 
and bistros.
  In the 16 years she was mayor, she was a role model to future mayors. 
She was tough on the budget, making every dollar stretch as much as 
possible. There were many budget battles, but more business came to 
Evanston, and it grew again. Lorraine did it famously with an open-door 
policy to all constituents. Her successor continued many of her 
policies.
  At the end of Lorraine's time as mayor, the city dedicated the 
Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center on Ridge Avenue as a thank you for a 
legendary career. After stepping down from mayor, she continued to 
serve the community as a representative for the mayor on an economic 
board. She remained active till the very end as the ``Principal of 
Evanston,'' having a life of service that was worthwhile.
  I always enjoyed working with Lorraine. She was professional, 
cheerful, and her focus was always on building a better Evanston. I can 
still see her sitting on the reviewing stand at the end of Evanston's 
legendary Fourth of July parade, with a big smile and appreciation for 
all of the people who came to join in celebrating her hometown.
  Lorraine is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Morton Brasher, and 
two granddaughters, Elizabeth Keziah and Constance Moriah Brasher.

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