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District politicians, residents react with sadness to news of Marion Barry’s death District politicians, residents react with sadness to news of Marion Barry’s death
(about 1 hour later)
He had been frail for years, suffering from one health problem after another. Only last winter, friends and colleagues talked about Marion Barry as being on the brink of death after another extended hospital stay.He had been frail for years, suffering from one health problem after another. Only last winter, friends and colleagues talked about Marion Barry as being on the brink of death after another extended hospital stay.
Yet, when word seeped out early Sunday that Barry had died, the announcement stunned a city in which he had reigned as its most famous and rollicking political star for a half-century.Yet, when word seeped out early Sunday that Barry had died, the announcement stunned a city in which he had reigned as its most famous and rollicking political star for a half-century.
A former four-term mayor and presiding council member, Barry personified the District just as William Donald Schaefer once embodied Baltimore and Edward I. Koch came to represent New York City. A presiding council member and former four-term mayor, Barry was that rare public official who personified their city, just as William Donald Schaefer once embodied Baltimore and Edward I. Koch came to represent New York City.
His many triumphant moments were a source of civic pride, just as his lowest caused international embarrassment, the best known being when law enforcement videotaped him smoking crack cocaine at a downtown Washington hotel in 1990. His many triumphant moments were a source of civic pride in “Chocolate City,” as the District was known when its population was majority-black and Barry celebrated the empowerment of African-Americans.
For better or worse, Barry was the political face of “Chocolate City,” as the District was known when its population was majority-black, that rare local figure whose fame and notoriety transcended the city’s geographic boundaries. Yet he also caused the city no shortage of international embarrassment when law enforcement videotaped him smoking crack cocaine at a downtown Washington hotel in 1990.
If late-night comedians found endless punchlines in his failings, Barry’s consituents celebrated him as a leader to whom they could relate, a complex man whose ups and downs and various quests for redemption often mirrored their own.
“If there was such thing as a black Jesus, Marion was that,” said Barbara Morgan, a civic activist who lives east of the Anacostia River and who knew Barry for a half century. “He was all about doing for people who were down-trodden. He knew what it was to be on the low rung of the totem pole.”“If there was such thing as a black Jesus, Marion was that,” said Barbara Morgan, a civic activist who lives east of the Anacostia River and who knew Barry for a half century. “He was all about doing for people who were down-trodden. He knew what it was to be on the low rung of the totem pole.”
Morgan recalled running into Barry last month at a neighborhood CVS, and seeing him buying macaroni and cheese and a container of ice cream, and playfully scolding him about his diet.Morgan recalled running into Barry last month at a neighborhood CVS, and seeing him buying macaroni and cheese and a container of ice cream, and playfully scolding him about his diet.
“”Barbara Morgan, you fussin’ again?’” she recalled him saying. His friends and supporters have been protective of him, Morgan said, because he inspired that kind of loyalty, creating a summer jobs program when he was mayor that benefitted generations of Washingtonians. “”Barbara Morgan, you fussin’ again?’” she recalled him saying. Friends and supporters have long been protective of Barry, Morgan said, because he inspired that kind of loyalty, creating a summer jobs program when he was mayor that benefitted generations of Washingtonians.
“He gave them opportunity to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and do something positive,” she said. “He never harmed anybody. If he did something, he did it to himself.”“He gave them opportunity to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and do something positive,” she said. “He never harmed anybody. If he did something, he did it to himself.”
From the White House to city hall, Washington’s political establishment mourned Barry’s passing in statements that sometimes touched on the varying trajectories of the former mayor’s life.From the White House to city hall, Washington’s political establishment mourned Barry’s passing in statements that sometimes touched on the varying trajectories of the former mayor’s life.
President Obama described Barry as a “sharecropper’s son” who “came of age during the Civil Rights movement” and who “put in place historic programs to lift working people out of poverty, expand opportunity and begin to make real the promise of home rule.”President Obama described Barry as a “sharecropper’s son” who “came of age during the Civil Rights movement” and who “put in place historic programs to lift working people out of poverty, expand opportunity and begin to make real the promise of home rule.”
“Through a storied, at times tumultuous life and career,” Obama said, “he earned the love and respect of countless Washingtonians.”“Through a storied, at times tumultuous life and career,” Obama said, “he earned the love and respect of countless Washingtonians.”
Barry died at the United Medical Center in Southeast Washington at 1:46 a.m., according to a hospital spokeswoman, Natalie Williams. Hours before, he had visited Howard University Hospital, from where he was been released.Barry died at the United Medical Center in Southeast Washington at 1:46 a.m., according to a hospital spokeswoman, Natalie Williams. Hours before, he had visited Howard University Hospital, from where he was been released.
An autopsy was performed on Barry Sunday morning, a city official said. An autopsy was performed on Barry Sunday morning, a city official said. Results were pending.
Beverly Fields, a spokeswoman for the D.C. Chief Medical Examiner, said the examination was “routine.” Under city law, autopsies are mandated after all deaths that occur within 24 hours of a patient’s arrival at a city hospital.
The results of the examination are expected to be released Sunday afternoon, Fields said.
From city hall, Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) issued a statement saying that Barry “loved the District of Columbia and so many Washingtonians loved him.” Gray added that he was working with Barry’s family and the D.C. Council to plan services.From city hall, Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) issued a statement saying that Barry “loved the District of Columbia and so many Washingtonians loved him.” Gray added that he was working with Barry’s family and the D.C. Council to plan services.
Mayor-elect Muriel E. Bowser (D), whose father worked on Barry’s mayoral campaigns, described herself as shocked by his death. She praised him as an advocate for the city’s poorest residents, saying he gave “voice to those who need it the most.”Mayor-elect Muriel E. Bowser (D), whose father worked on Barry’s mayoral campaigns, described herself as shocked by his death. She praised him as an advocate for the city’s poorest residents, saying he gave “voice to those who need it the most.”
“He lived his life in service to others,” Bowser said, describing him as having been “a part of my family’s life for decades.”“He lived his life in service to others,” Bowser said, describing him as having been “a part of my family’s life for decades.”
As the District came to life Sunday, residents learned of Barry’s death as they ate breakfast, went shopping for groceries and attended church services.As the District came to life Sunday, residents learned of Barry’s death as they ate breakfast, went shopping for groceries and attended church services.
At Union Temple Church in Southeast, where Barry was at services two weeks ago, tears rolling down his cheeks at one point, congregants recalled him as personable and approachable. At Union Temple Church in Southeast, the Rev. Willie Wilson, a longtime Barry ally, recalled that he had been at Barry’s bedside with friends and family members until 5 a.m. Despite the former mayor’s failing health, Wilson equated Barry’s death to a giant tree falling in the forest.
“He was a living legend to our members. He loved us, and we loved him,” Bishop Glen Staples said. “You can feel the tremors all around,” Wilson said. “He was always able to rise. People were so surprised that he was gone because so many times he was down and he got back up.”
Gary Stoddard, 52, said that Barry may spawn imitators but that no one could replicate his meaning to the city’s African American community. The Rev. Anthony Motley, a friend of Barry’s for 33 years, was also at the former mayor’s bedside, telling him he loved him and, even in death, rubbing his feet as he often did to help with his circulation.
“It’s going to be hard to replace him,” Stoddard said. “You ever see him walk down the street? People would be like, ‘There’s Marion Barry, there’s Marion Barry.’ ” “It’s like losing a family member,” Motely said, “someone you could relate to, someone you could talk to, someone who was concerned about you. It's like an uncle or cousin or brother.”
His death, the pastor said, is especially difficult for the city’s neediest neighborhoods, where residents could count on the former mayor to champion their issues. “Whose going to advocate for the poor?” Motley said, adding that Barry never anointed a successor.
“He had some standards in that area,” he said. “He was way above the crowd when it came to loving the people.”
D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who has known Barry since their days as civil rights activists, said he had written “his signature boldly on his own life” and “on the life of the nation’s capital.”D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who has known Barry since their days as civil rights activists, said he had written “his signature boldly on his own life” and “on the life of the nation’s capital.”
“Many took his struggle to personify in some way their own,” she said, “endearing him and making him a larger-than-life figure as he became a creator of post-home-rule D.C.”“Many took his struggle to personify in some way their own,” she said, “endearing him and making him a larger-than-life figure as he became a creator of post-home-rule D.C.”
Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker (D) owed Barry a favor or two.
His “first real job” came through the mayor’s summer jobs program. Baker, then a recent-Howard University graduate, found his way into the international law firm Covington & Burling in Washington.
Fresh out of law school in 1986, Barry again gave Baker a lift, offering him his first job in government with the District’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
“The second job was most important because my wife was six months pregnant and we didn’t have health insurance,” Baker said. “District government was one of the few places that would cover pre-existing health conditions.”
From there, Baker moved into neighboring Prince George’s County and rose through the Maryland Democratic Party serving as a delegate in the General Assembly. After two failed attempts, Baker ran and won to become county executive in 2010. He often credits Barry for his own success in public service.
Baker, who was with his son also named Rushern, saw Barry for the last time on Nov. 4 at a Ward 8 polling place.
“The first thing Mayor Barry said to my son was ‘I gave your Dad his first job.’”
D.C. Council member Anita Bonds (D-At Large), a longtime Barry ally and colleague, described Barry as a “political genius” who was “expert” at maintaining loyalty and close connections to his constituents, many of whom got their first jobs through the former mayor’s summer employment programs.D.C. Council member Anita Bonds (D-At Large), a longtime Barry ally and colleague, described Barry as a “political genius” who was “expert” at maintaining loyalty and close connections to his constituents, many of whom got their first jobs through the former mayor’s summer employment programs.
In her praise, Bonds also appeared to acknowledge the many controversies that defined Barry’s career and his struggles with alcohol and drug abuse.In her praise, Bonds also appeared to acknowledge the many controversies that defined Barry’s career and his struggles with alcohol and drug abuse.
“I’ll remember him for his capacity to turn the cheek, forgive and move forward no matter the adversity,” she said.“I’ll remember him for his capacity to turn the cheek, forgive and move forward no matter the adversity,” she said.
Victoria St. Martin, Arelis Hernandez, Aaron Davis and Hamil Harris contributed to this report. Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker (D) said he owed Barry a favor or two because his “first real job” came through the former mayor’s summer jobs program. Baker, then a recent-Howard University graduate, found his way into the international law firm Covington & Burling in Washington.
Baker also got his first job in government when Barry was mayor, joining the District’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
“The second job was most important because my wife was six months pregnant and we didn’t have health insurance,” Baker said.
Baker was with his own son when he last saw Barry, on Election Day at a Ward 8 polling place.
“I gave your dad his first job,” Barry told Baker’s son.
Victoria St. Martin, Arelis Hernandez, Miles Parks, Aaron Davis and Hamil Harris contributed to this report.