Sep 19, 2008 | 6:08 PM
Category:
Political
ANNA LANGFORD
"Mark, I want everybody to know I enjoyed my life, and all those who were a part of it"
Contact Mark S. Allen @ 773-392-0165
I am proud and humbled to know that I was one of the many people that Anna Langford had a chance to talk to at length before she died. During our hour long conversation, we laughed, and at a point I cried and told her that it felt uncomfortable talking with her as if she was gone. She said "I want to talk to the people in my life now, while I have the strength to tell you that I appreciate you and I can hear you." Indeed, I followed her instructions to e-mail everybody I could and told them that Anna Langford was dying if cancer and wanted people to call and talk to her while she had the strength, and I know that dozens and dozens of people did just that and are glad about it. Only an Anna Langford could tell you in the same conversation that she's dying, and can still keep you talking and laughing about experiences she has shared with you over the years. She said "Mark, I want everybody to know that I know I am dying, BUT I ENJOYED MY LIFE !!"
Anna Langford was surely a part of my life personally and professionally. Not only was she always accessible to me and other young people to provide counsel, she also put up her money to help me attend and sponsor youth leadership forums in the city and around the state. She would always come and be a guest speaker when I held youth political education forums at Operation PUSH and at CBUC/BIPO, the headquarters of the late legendary activists Lu and Jorja Palmer, and I remember during The Million Man March Anna Langford rode the bus with our group of Black men to and from DC. There is not enough space to tell all the stories she shared during that historic experience. Even after retiring from politics, Anna Langford was always just a phone call away to offer her input.
If Anna did not tell you herself how ill she was, you never would have known it from the sound of her voice a few months ago. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to fulfill her other request for me and another media associate Morgan Carter to bring a video camera to her home and let her record some of her final thoughts. But I am indeed glad that she thought enough of me to ask me to help with her original request to help get the word out for people to call and talk and share with her before she died. She said "I am a believer in being able to smell the roses while I am alive" It was that statement that brought tears to my eyes during our telephone conversation, for she said that while I and others would indeed attend her funeral and have stories to share about her, but she said it surely felt good to have had that conversation with me then. And I know that there are many many more who responded to call to talk with Anna Langford before she died. She was a legend whose life will live in all of us who are still here to share the leadership that she provided to us all.
Others will have their stories of what made Anna Langford a legend of the Black empowerment movement, from her work with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, to how she put up the first $1,000 for Rev. Jesse L Jackson,Sr to acquire the landmark building that houses Dr. King's Workshop, Operation PUSH and currently The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, her historic election in Chicago politics as the first women elected Alderman to Mayor Harold Washington and others. This was just my brief story. Anna Langford enjoyed her life and I certainly enjoyed being a part of it.
