Political Quotes

“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.…”