Chicago Civil Rights Leader Willie T. Barrow Dies

By Selena Fragassi in News on Mar 12, 2015 8:20PM

One of the women at the forefront of the civil rights movement passed away early this morning at Jackson Park Hospital. Rev. Willie T. Barrow, known as the “Little Warrior,” was 90 years old. She had been in declining health, most recently hospitalized for a blood clot at the end of February.

The long-time activist lived to see the recent 50th anniversary of Selma where she had once walked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prior, she had joined him in the March on Washington after first meeting Dr. King through field work in the 1950s. Barrow was also active in the National Urban League, the National Council of Negro Women and, after moving to Chicago in 1963, helped to found Operation Breadbasket with Rev. Jesse Jackson, the organization that became the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.

Barrow was just 12 years old and living in Burton, Texas when she initiated her first demonstration in 1943. While all the white students were able to ride the bus on the way to their school, Barrow was not pleased that she and her African-American classmates were forced to walk ten miles to theirs. In a move that would have later inspired Rosa Parks, Barrow barreled onto the bus and confronted the driver, saying, "You got plenty room. Why you want me to get off? Because I'm black? We got to change that."

And she did just that, devoting the rest of her life to social causes including civil rights, women’s rights, labor rights and gay rights. The Chicago Urban League honored her lifelong work in 2012. She was also named Woman of the Year by the City of Chicago in 1969, among her other numerous accolades and honorary doctorates.

In addition to her activist work, Barrow was a pastor of the Vernon Park Church of God. She was inspired by her father, a fellow minister, who taught her to “take on the burden of her fellow man.” She first attended Warner-Pacific Theological Seminary in Portland Oregon and organized one of the first African-American Churches of God. Upon moving to Chicago, she studied at the Moody Bible Institute and was an active youth minister funding after school programs, organizing youth choirs and mentoring countless children.

Locally, Barrow was perhaps best known for her contributions to Rainbow/PUSH where she was the first female to lead the organization as the executive director for five years and remained a chair of the board thereafter. She was also a leader in Rev. Jackson's bid for the presidency in 1984 and 1988. He led off a series of tributes to Barrow after learning of her passing.

"She was a woman of unusual courage and character, a freedom fighter,” he said. "She fought in the tradition of Rosa Parks. ...and was fearless. … Death can have her frail body but not her good works and not our memories of her. We love you. Rest in peace. We will never forget you."

Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church also commented, “She was small in stature but she was a giant in character. She was a person who was rooted in faith and who was a warrior for justice. The best way we can honor her is to live like her.”

Mayor Emanuel ordered flags lowered at all city facilities Thursday in her honor and Senator Dick Durbin called for her to be entered into the Civil Rights Hall of Fame.

Nationally, President Obama also issued a statement:

“Michelle and I are deeply saddened by Reverend Barrow’s passing, but we take comfort in the knowledge that our world is a far better place because she was a part of it. ...I was proud to count myself among the more than 100 men and women she called her ‘Godchildren,’ and worked hard to live up to her example. I still do.”