Brother Conrad Worrill died on June 3. It was a very sad day.
He was a revolutionary who had been at the forefront of the Black Nationalist scene, most notably with the Reparations Movement. He retired as an academician after 40 years at Northeastern Illinois University, Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies. Professor Worrill was a professor, director, and department chair.
Conrad was an educator with a historical photographic memory. He could and did quote chapter and verse as he provided historical perspectives on everything. Dr. Worrill was a renaissance man of the sort - scholar, educator, community organizer, political pundit and advisor, consultant, newspaper columnist, radio personality, activist, professor and husband, brother and father.
He educated thousands and was proud to see his students become professors, college presidents, deans, and principals at educational institutions throughout the country.
Conrad was a Malcolm X devotee. He worked in the forefront and behind the scenes with deliberation and army like-precision.
He was a leader, a thinker, an educator, but most of all, he was a historian and a community organizer. Conrad knew everything about everything and if he discovered something new, he let you know. He gave assignments and he reported on his activity in detail. He really was a mover-shaker.
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Conrad’s father, Walter Worrill, was in the YMCA Movement and in his day, that was the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In the days of segregation, Walter Worrill, provided meeting places and lodging for many at the 39th Street Y. Conrad saw first hand as a child the giants of the day - Jackie Robinson, Paul Roberson, Marian Anderson, John Sengstacke, and a host of others. He often talked about lessons learned from his father and his celebrity interactions as a young boy.
The Worrill family hails from Pasadena, California. They were friends and neighbors with the Jackie Robinson Family. Conrad often spoke fondly and lovingly of Jackie Robinson, saying that he and his brother were the most excellent athletes in more than one sport. Jackie played football and basketball, and tennis as well as he did baseball.
In Chicago, Conrad attended Hyde Park High School and through the years stayed in contact with many of his high school classmates; they became lifelong friends and a number of them helped Conrad with his many causes.
Conrad was a track star and talked glowingly about the track in high school and what it taught and did for him and others as a sport and recreation.
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Conrad Worrill (Left to right), former Mayor Harold Washington, and Lu Palmer (Photo Source: Worrill Family Archives)
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Former Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel and Dr. Conrad Worrill - Bas Relief Plaque Dedicated to Former Mayor Harold Washington at The Chicago Public Library
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Conrad was a student of leadership, as he steadily perfected his own strategies. The power of Conrad was his reach. He had tentacles everywhere from politicians to gang members. He could get things done and he did. And his word was his bond.
Conrad was instrumental in Harold Washington’s election as Chicago’s first Black mayor. Harold was a master politician, artful at having everybody involved working for his election, even though there might have been a quiet war going on behind the scenes.
Harold was the conductor of the argument and made all feel special and exclusive. During the campaign, Conrad gave me my assignments and would call in the midnight hour to see if the work had been done. A real corporate general he was. I told him often, I don’t report to you, and he would say, but could you just tell me what you did. NO.
We have known each other for many years. We have fought over issues, tactics and political decisions. We have had many choice words, from minute to major. Conrad loved a good fight and was always fighting with loads of surprises.
In the last decade, we became reasonable friends, and then loving friends. While we have argued fiercely to the point of going to the wall and beyond, we were always for the same cause, but perhaps had different approaches or methodologies to reach the goal.
I beat Conrad at a good game of politics often, to the point where he gained respect after we went at it. I gained his respect and he gained mine. We laugh now.
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Dr. Wayne Watson Introducing Dr. Conrad Worrill at the 2011 N'DIGO Foundation Gala
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The N’DIGO Foundation honored Conrad in 2011 with the N'Community Award at our annual Gala. Conrad was shocked. We had a very long conversation where he said, “I didn’t think you liked me.” I said, “But I respect you and your work, I just get sick and tired of you telling me what to do! Let me honor you in my way and be happy.”
He did and called every day to see how things were going with the Gala. He was so proud. I told him he had to wear a tuxedo that evening. And he resisted with might. I told him he would not be allowed to enter the Chicago Symphony Center if he did not have on his tux.
He was nervous. But he arrived in the most stunning African robe that he said was his new tux. It was a memorable evening. I chased him all evening asking did he have on his tuxedo under the robe garb. And at the end of the evening, I told him he had to leave because he didn’t have a tux. (Smile!)
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Conrad argued with everybody about anything at all. If you have not had a Conrad cussing, you have not lived. We published our book N’DIGO Legacy: Black Luxe – 110 African-American Icons of Contemporary History two years ago and Conrad’s story is printed in its pages.
I held a party to debut the book and present it to the subjects featured within. Conrad had no idea what he was attending, but I told him he had a real surprise coming and dared him to be late.
He was skeptical about what I was doing, but came to the party for the presentation after I insisted. He was so surprised. He teared up. That night he stayed up-all-night reading the book and calling me all night every half hour as he read from his bed.
The final call was to say he found a single mistake. I asked him to go to sleep and let’s talk in the morning. Bright and early I called to ask for his critique and comments on the book. I asked about the mistake, but he could not remember or find it again. Perhaps, Mr. Worrill, there is no mistake. He said, it just couldn’t be perfect. He promised to find a mistake, but he never did.
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Dr. Conrad Worrill with Rev. Jeremiah Wright and IL Rep. Bobby Rush
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For the past year or so, Conrad had been working on his autobiography. Conrad’s autobiography will be a powerful read with him having the very last word on a number of things that will reveal an interesting history.
While he was a leader in this city for many years, he was also a student. Conrad loved his family. He was so proud to be his daddy’s son and a father to his daughters. He gave his father a fit with his strong will and uncompromising ways, but he always wanted to please him and he did. He was proud of his own family and talked about them constantly. He was a great storyteller, with quite the wit.
Before Conrad passed, he called to talk in his final days. He touched my heart and I cried through the conversation as I paid astute attention. We prayed every morning with scheduled calls. I read to him positive-thinking scripture. The playing had stopped and the conversations were beyond real. He told me he loved me and that we still had work to do. As usual, he had instructions of work to be done. There was the track. He gave me my final assignment.
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Dr. Conrad Worrill with MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan (2017)
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Dr. Conrad Worrill speaks during a "lunch-and-learn" series at Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
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Dr. Conrad Worrill (in blue) with Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other supporters at the Gately Indoor Track groundbreaking.
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Conrad Worrill and community partners shovel the first soil of the new track and field at Gately Park near 103rd and Cottage Grove.
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Conrad’s crowning glory has been his last project. He has worked for the past 37 years on having a world-class track stadium built in Chicago. It is completed.
Conrad made the track come about along with his dearest friend, Elzie Higginbottom, and wanted it to be called the Conrad Worrill/Elzie Higginbottom Track at its location on 103rd and Cottage Grove, Gatley Park. Governor Pat Quinn provided $10m to the track and Melody Hobson provided $20 million. The track will be housed in the same building as After School Matters.
In a real way, it is Conrad’s gift to the city. That track will change young lives and produce Olympic runners, as was Conrad’s dream. Track stars in Chicago high schools for years have had to run through the hallways of their schools; Conrad wondered what would they could do if they had a full, state-of-the-art track at their disposal.
This was his vision and his work for the past 37 years and he got it done. He saw it finished but didn’t get to see it open because of COVID-19.
He arranged for Elzie Higginbottom to take me to see the track. He wanted my opinion. I saw the track a week before his passing. The track is magnificent. Conrad said, “I think it is the best in the world.” I think he is right.
My last assignment was to get it named after him and we did. And he is so deserving. Alderman Michelle Harris, 8th Ward has requested Park District's Superintendent Michael Kelly and Mayor Lori Lightfoot to name the Park after Conrad Worrill.
Dr. Conrad Worrill was a tiger who had fight and fight and fight. But underneath all of the gruff and cussing, he was a sweetheart, a man among men. I loved him and miss him already and Chicago is a better place because of him. For all that knew him and worked with him, we grew taller.
YES, Conrad.
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