Late Civil Rights Leader Saw Dream Fulfilled with Obamas Presidential Election

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PUSH hosts funeral services for the late Cirilo McSweenbyLesley R. Chinn

After marching during the tumultuous1960s with the Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King Jr., businessleader Cirilo McSween saw thefruits of his labor come to realityafter presidential election of U.S.Senator Barack Obama.

He followed Barack Obama veryclosely. He was constantly watchingCNN and reading all sorts of papersto keep up with what was going onduring the campaign season. He followedthe dream and the dream isalmost fulfilled, VeronicaMcSween, Cirilos daughter, said ina telephone interview last Fridaywith the Citizen.

McSween, who died at age 82 ofcancer in Little Rock, Arkansas lastWednesday, was previously the subjectof an exhibit, McSween MeetsKing: A Civil Rights Story, at theDuSable Museum. Veronica saidKings friendship and exampletaught him how to be fair, respectful,and treat everyone equal.

On Monday, funeral services forMcSween were held at PUSH. Theservices attracted more than 400people, including former U.S.Ambassador Andrew Young;Panama President Martin Torrijos;Revs. Willie Barrow and JanetteWilson; Father Michael Pfleger;Don Thompson, presidentMcDonalds USA; John Rogers ofAriel Capital; and Blanton Canady,a Black McDonalds Associationmember, according to PUSH officials.This tribute of life ceremonyfollowed a visitation service onSunday, also held at PUSH, wheremany also remembered McSweenfor his humanitarian life works.

During the funeral, family andfriends shared unforgettable memoriesabout McSweens life beginningas a world track runner to asuccessful insurance agent, civilrights and business leader, andfundraiser for the SouthernLeadership Christian Conference,Rainbow/PUSH; and the 1984 and1988 presidential campaign of Rev.Jackson; and 1983 Mayoral campaignof Harold Washington.

Besides witnessing Obamas election,Rev. Jackson said McSweenalso witnessed other historicmoments such as HaroldWashington becoming mayor in1983; Andrew Young become U.S.Ambassador of the United Nationsin 1977; and Nelson Mandela setfree from a South African jail in1990. He fought the good fight andfinished his course.

McSween marched with King inthe tumultuous 1960s and establisheda lifelong friendship withhim until the late civil rightsleaders death in 1968. Besidesserving as one of Kings pallbearers,McSween served as his nationaltreasurer and executive boardmember for the Southern ChristianLeadership Conference. He metKing through Rev. Jackson afteradmiring the late civil rights leaderfrom afar.This lifelong connection with Rev.Jackson and King led to McSweenswork as treasurer of OperationBreadbasket (nowRainbow/PUSH); treasurer ofMayor Harold Washingtons 1983mayoral campaign; and campaignfinancial chairman for the 1984 and1988 presidential campaigns ofRev. Jackson.

Born into poverty on July 8, 1926in Panama, McSween was a championrunner in the Central Americanand Caribbean Olympics. There,McSween gained recognition as anindividual sprinter and for being theanchor in the countrys relay team.He placed third in the CentralAmerican Olympics. It was throughhis athletic fame that McSweengained entry into the United States.He earned an athletic scholarship tothe University of Illinois where heshattered track and field records.While he stood out in athletics,McSween realized that academicswould help lay the foundation forthe rest of his life.

After studying business at theUniversity of Illinois, McSweenbecame a life insurance salesmanand sold more than $1 million inpolicies for New York Life at a timewhen there were no black insuranceagents. His achievements wereoften highlighted in EbonyMagazine and his example becamea model for future sales success. In2004, through the persistence ofRev. Jackson, the company paidtribute to McSween by creating theCirilo A. McSween New York LifeRainbow/PUSH Excel ScholarshipAward. McSween later became apioneer McDonalds owner whenhe opened a location downtown onState Street and the other at OHareAirport. He was also one of thefounders of Independence Bank ofChicago where he later became aboard member and vice chairman.

Although he was a lifelongChicago resident, McSween neverforgot his roots in Panama. He led apush in the 1970s to turn over U.S.Control of the Panama Canal andtestified before the U.S. Senate. Hewas also a friend of Gen. OmarTorrijos, who ruled Panama from1968 until his death from a planecrash in 1981. Gen. Torrijos entrustedMcSween with his son, Martin,after his death. From there,McSween helped pay for Martinscollege education and looked afterthe well-being of his family. WhenTorrijos son Martin, followed hislate father into politics, McSweendispatched his son, Cirilo Jr., toPanama to work in the field whilehe monitored programs fromAmerica. McSween made severaltrips back to Panama, where heattended a victory celebration inMartin Torrijos honor. FromCirilo, I came to understand whatDr. Martin Luther King had donefor the entire human race and themeaning of fairness, Torrijos said.Young, who described McSween asa saint, said his spirit combinedwith Kings values and Rev.Jacksons prophetic vision must gointo Obamas administration and becarried out into the world. Cirilolived and struggled, but he saw thebeginning of a new order and its upto us to see that order is fulfilled inhis name.

On Thursday, McSween will belaid to rest in Panama. His survivorsinclude his wife, Arlene; daughters:Veronica McSween; and EsperanzaPowell; son: Cirilo Jr; grandsons:Victor Powell and Derek JenningsJr.; and sister: Anna Phillips. Hisfirst wife, Gwendolyn, precededhim in death.

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