The heart, soul and work of 'The Little Warrior'

By Starla Muhammad -Assistant Editor- | Last updated: Mar 19, 2015 - 3:51:02 PM

Rev. Dr. Willie Taplin Barrow

CHICAGO (FinalCall.com) - Reverend Dr. Willie Taplin Barrow, trailblazing civil rights pioneer and activist who worked on the front lines in the fight for justice, freedom and equality for Blacks and other oppressed people, and who influenced generations of freedom fighters died March 12 at her home in Chicago. She was 90.

Condolences poured in from the civil rights community, clergy and a host of others, including President Barack Obama in remembrance of Dr. Barrow, affectionately known as, “The Little Warrior.”

“Nowhere was Reverend Barrow’s impact felt more than in our hometown of Chicago. Through Operation Breadbasket, the Rainbow/PUSH coalition, and her beloved Vernon Park Church, she never stopped doing all she could to make her community a better place,” said Pres. Obama in a March 12 statement.

A stalwart in the fight for civil rights, Dr. Barrow recognized inequalities in society toward Blacks at a young age. Born Dec. 7, 1927 in Burton, Texas she was just 12 years old, when a young Willie led her classmates in confronting the fact that they had to walk to school while the White students got to ride the bus. That is when her lifetime of fighting for fairness began. At 16 she worked as a welder for General Motors in Houston and became one of the first female union welders in the U.S. She led a delegation to North Vietnam in 1968 in an effort to help negotiate a way to bring an end to the Vietnam War. And she co-founded Operation Breadbasket along with Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. now known as Rainbow PUSH where she served as Chairperson Emeritus until her death.

“To Michelle and me, she was a constant inspiration, a lifelong mentor, and a very dear friend. 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,” added Pres. Obama calling Dr. Barrow a “civil rights icon and a Chicago institution.”

Rev. Al Sharpton paid homage to Dr. Barrow on his syndicated radio show telling his listeners how she along with Rev. Jackson and others helped make Operation Breadbasket, into a national program. He has known Dr. Barrow since he was 12 years old said Rev. Sharpton, calling her a true heroine and trailblazer for justice.

“Life in this country would have been a lot different. Life for African Americans and all oppressed people would have been even more challenging had it not been for Rev. Willie Barrow,” said Rev. Sharpton.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel ordered all flags at city facilities lowered to half-mast in her honor. Rev. Jackson who worked with Rev. Barrow for over 50 years called her “a woman of unusual courage, character and ability.”

Min. Farrakhan greets Willie Barrow during Salaam Restaurant reception. Photo: dbarge.com

She was a contemporary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta and other civil rights pioneers like Fannie Lou Hamer and Rosa Parks. She was a part of both of Rev. Jackson’s presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988, traveled the world and was in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990.

“She was an authentic freedom fighter in the linage of Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks and Fannie Lou Hamer. In sickness and death her body was frail, but her spirit and good works were never feeble. Our memories of her will never die. Her flame of hope, freedom and justice will forever burn,” said Rev. Jackson in a statement.

In a male-dominated work, Dr. Barrow was respected, revered and held her own, embracing friendships with other outspoken freedom fighters including Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pfleger and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam. Rev. Barrow was a catalyst in helping bring various faith communities among Black people together.

“We are not so much divided as we are disconnected. If we connect as a people, the world would be a better place,” Dr. Barrow often said.

Claudette Marie Muhammad, student National Director of Fundraising for the Nation of Islam reflected on how Rev. Dr. Barrow was a mentor and advisor to her in the early 1980s when she came to Chicago to assist Min. Farrakhan in his work.

“I went in and she said ‘sit down, let me tell you a thing or two,’” Ms. Muhammad fondly recalled. “She told me the do’s and the don’ts and to get Min. Farrakhan out in the community and have relationships with the clergy in the city,” said Ms. Muhammad. Over the past several years, Ms. Muhammad would call and talk to Dr. Barrow several times a week and always extended love and greetings on behalf of Min. Farrakhan, his wife Mother Khadijah Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. “She told me to always stand strong because you will get a lot of opposition because of the negative attitude some people have toward the Nation of Islam. She said but don’t let that deter you in the work that you have to do,” added Ms. Muhammad.

One display of Dr. Barrow’s genuine friendship and unwavering support was in 2006 when Ms. Muhammad was appointed by then Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to his Discrimination and Hate Crimes Commission of which Rev. Barrow was chairperson. Public pressure mounted to have Ms. Muhammad removed from the panel over her refusal to denounce, repudiate or disassociate herself from Min. Farrakhan. Several Jewish members of the commission resigned. Ms. Muhammad received hate mail and telephone calls. Dr. Barrow was a source of support and strength and would call her almost daily.

“Rev. Barrow would call me and tell me to stay strong (and) don’t let none of this bother you. She said no matter who says what you stand strong and you remain on the committee. I haven’t dismissed you so you’re still on the commission,” said Ms. Muhammad.

Dr. Barrow was also a supreme organizer and a “sparkplug for action,” Rev. Janette Wilson, a senior advisor of Rainbow PUSH told The Final Call. Those qualities were at the forefront of her ability to create action around the ideas and vision of Rev. Jackson she explained.

As part of the Consumer Club Division, Rev. Barrow organized “consumer captains” that would visit neighborhood stores to challenge whether or not they were selling bad meats, vegetables and products to people. She fought to ensure Black communities had the same types of services available in other communities and that Black managers and Black products were on the shelves of stores, said Rev. Wilson.

“She was able to teach and motivate consumers to not accept less than quality in the inner city or in the Black community,” said Rev. Wilson. Dr. Barrow honed her labor-organizing skills and brought those techniques to the movement.

“The one quality that she has that all of us really need is this fearless commitment to moving in spite of the conditions that exist, in spite of the naysayers. You have to have this sheer force of will to keep going in the face of imminent danger, in the face of public retribution to just know that if God is on your side, you will prevail.”

Activist, radio host and former Chicago Alderman Dorothy Tillman first met Dr. Barrow in the 1960s on 47th St. in Chicago. During the 1940s, 50s and 60s a lot of Black people were willing to put everything on the line to change the condition of their people. Dr. Barrow was willing to do that, Ald. Tillman told The Final Call.

“Black people who might have businesses today it is because Rev. Barrow was there fighting and marching and coming up with strategies and things to make sure that Blacks got contracts,” said Ald. Tillman.

She led several causes including voting rights, women’s rights and in the 1980s was on the forefront of HIV/AIDS awareness and made one of the first pieces of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Her son Keith died of the disease in 1983.

Dr. Barrow was one of the first people Ald. Tillman said she knew that stood up and fought on behalf of those with HIV and AIDS.

“I never knew anything about HIV until I heard Rev. Barrow talk about HIV.…We didn’t know anything about that disease until Rev. Barrow started going around, being the face on that and started talking to Black people about that.”

Preceded in death by her husband Clyde Barrow and her son, Dr. Barrow leaves a legacy of unwavering conviction and dedication to ensuring equal rights and justice for all. Dr. Barrow was truly a servant, said Ald. Tillman.

“She certainly leaves a strong legacy behind of strength, determination and fearlessness and she loved her people. She loved all people but she loved her people and she was willing to put it on the line.”

Services for Dr. Barrow are scheduled as follows: March 19: RainbowPUSH, 930 E. 50th St., Chicago, Ill., 5-6 p.m. Public Viewing, 6-9 p.m. Service of Celebration, March 20: Vernon Park Church of God, 9011 S. Stony Island, Chicago, Ill. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Rev. Barrow will Lie in State, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Repast, 7-9 p.m. Service of Celebration, March 21: Oakwood Cemetery, 1035 E. 67th Street, Chicago, Ill. 10 a.m. Internment.

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