‘My job is to open up the door so many, many more can come after.’
Freeman-Wilson honored as Gary’s first female mayor at portrait unveiling
City officials, friends and family, colleagues and community leaders gathering Friday to honor history-making Karen Freeman-Wilson, the city’s first female mayor, with the unveiling of her portrait that will hang in city hall.
“It’s always nice to honor local leaders, particularly when they make history,” Mayor Jerome Prince said.
Prince said Freeman-Wilson has been a history maker her entire career, from the time she was appointed by the late former Gov. Frank O’Bannon as the state’s first African American attorney general to her election as the first African American female mayor of the city of Gary. She served two terms as mayor, from 2012-19 and was defeated by Prince in the 2019 Democratic primary.
These are accomplishments she worked decades to achieve, he said.
The portrait will serve as reminder to all citizens who visit city hall and all the city’s employees of her service.
When Freeman-Wilson, 60, took to the podium she joked about her time in office.
“It feels a little odd standing here. Last time I was sweating bullets as the council was firing questions at me,” Freeman-Wilson said.
“I cannot tell you how humbled I am by the honor of this portrait,” Freeman-Wilson said. “The only thing I want to say is it has always been an honor to be able to make history.”
Freeman-Wilson said she has been able to pave the way for the next generation.
“It doesn’t mean anything to be first if you are the only first,” Freeman-Wilson said. “My job is to open up the door so many, many more can come after.”
Freeman-Wilson said she hopes other girls and young women who see her portrait hanging with a row of men in city hall can say they see someone who looks like me.
The portrait, painted by artist Renae Ricks-Miller, captures a smiling Freeman-Wilson in a red sweater standing in front of a sunlit window in
the Marquette Park pavilion, the window panes forming a cross behind her.
Council president William Godwin, D-1st, said the portrait is a fitting tribute to the former mayor along with the ability to recognize her accomplishments during Black History Month.
“It is a beautiful portrait. It is a great representation of Black womanhood,” Godwin said.
Fellow council members including Ron Brewer, D-At large; Linda Barnes-Caldwell, D-5th; Mary Brown, D-3rd; Mike Brown, D-At large; Cozey Witherspoon, D-2nd; and Tai Adkins, D-4th and vice president; lauded Freeman-Wilson and the role she played in their public service careers.
“I appreciated working with her to try and make a big difference in this community,” Brewer said.
Barnes-Caldwell attributed her career in public service to Freeman-Wilson, who she said showed her how to treat people and do the right thing by the city.
Mike Brown said Freeman-Wilson was instrumental in helping Gary become a national place.
“Our city is better because of you,” he said.
Adkins said Freeman-Wilson served as a mentor and inspiration. Her efforts to encourage residents to “love your city” and work to build up Gary is the reason she returned to her hometown.
Godwin read a resolution ticking off the long list of the former mayor’s accomplishments professionally and within the city. The resolution cited job creation through the location of the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana and Allied Steel and the completion of a $100 million runway relocation at the Gary-Chicago International Airport.
Freeman-Wilson is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. She previously has served as Indiana Attorney General, director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, Gary city court judge, executive director of the national Drug Court Institute and CEO of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, where she currently serves as board vice chair.
She is past president of the National League of Cities and past chairwoman of the Criminal and Social Justice Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. She is a member of Israel CME Church, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Links Inc., NAACP, Urban League of Northwest Indiana and the Indiana Bar Association. Currently Freeman-Wilson is president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League.
Her daughter, Jordan Wilson, lauded her mother’s accomplishments and her dedication to public service and helping people.
“Everything done during your tenure as mayor was inspiring mom. It’s literally been inspiring to see you want to help,” Wilson said.