EVANSTON, IL— Clad in a lavender sweater set, pearl jewelry and a fur headband and sitting at the head of the table in a cloud of perfume, former Evanston mayor Lorraine H. Morton’s unique and commanding presence fills the room as it has throughout all her 97 years. Her voice, touched by a slight southern drawl over 60 years removed, raises and lowers in volume with each climactic point in her many, many anecdotes. Even in an informal interview with 15 journalism students, Morton is uniquely herself, and is not afraid to show it.

 

Since moving to Evanston from Tuskegee, Alabama, and obtaining a teaching position in 1953, Morton has stood out in the Evanston community. Beginning in the de facto segregated Foster School and ending with 12 years as principal of Haven Middle School, Morton’s 36 years in the Evanston school system saw many achievements. Among these was her position at Nichols Middle School, one that made her the first to cross the color line as District 65’s first black teacher outside of Foster School.

 

In 1982, while working at Haven, Morton became the fifth ward alderman and began her career in public service. She became Evanston’s first black mayor 12 years later. In 2009, she retired as the city’s longest standing mayor.

 

Morton has a well-established relationship with the community—as well as a dedication for serving. Within all her positions, she has proven her commitment to working hard while remaining true to herself and serving with her own values in mind.

 

“I’ve always had a work ethic,” she said. “I believe if I have a job, I’m going to do it and I’m going to do it to the best of my ability. I’m going to project Lorraine.”

​

And project she did. Throughout all of her roles, Morton relied on her “gut feeling,” to make decisions about issues ranging from school plays to fighting for the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The latter is one of her proudest moments from her time as mayor.

 

“I’m proud of it because it was due to my persistence that a difference was made,” said Morton.

 

Persistence seems to be her M.O. When the city council discussed tearing down the city hall building—something Morton was adamantly against—she took a stand. After stating

her position many times over, she stopped attending meetings discussing the fate of the building, and eventually the council gave up.

 

“Sometimes you just don’t talk,” said Morton. “You made your stance. They know by that silence, as somebody that’s always been talking and is now not talking, and that has more power.”

 

That building stands at 2100 Ridge Street, and today it is called the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center.

 

One of the earlier obstacles Morton faced as mayor was a barrier that ran down the center on Howard Street and unnecessarily divided Evanston and Chicago, put there by Chicago’s 50th ward alderman, Bernie Stone. Despite little help from the City of Chicago and resistance on the part of Stone, Morton helped find a way to bring down the wall.

 

“It shows you in some situations how the organization of an area puts power into the hands of one person, and it can be used to the detriment of the citizens,” she said.

 

Some of her other accomplishments include fostering a healthy relationship with the Evanston Police Department and improving the community’s relationship with Northwestern University.

 

Today, all one has to do is glance as her calendar to know that she is beloved by the Evanston community. She spends her days attending local events she’s been invited to and playing bridge, says her daughter Elizabeth Brasher.

 

“Lorraine is just Lorraine,” said Evanston’s current fifth ward alderman Delores Holmes, with whom Morton is very close. “There is no way to describe her... As teacher, an alderman, a mayor she is always there trying to serve. She is one of the people I model myself after.”

 

In her service Lorraine Morton worked, and still works, with unfailing dedication, perseverance, and often some of her well-known sass. By standing strong in the face of prejudice, she made a major and lasting impact on the city.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​