Editing Harold Washington (section)

===Political Education Project (PEP)===
From March 1984 to 1987, the Political Education Project (PEP)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chicagohistory.org/static_media/pdf/historyfair/washington_harold_and_the_machine.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624032054/http://www.chicagohistory.org/static_media/pdf/historyfair/washington_harold_and_the_machine.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Chicago History – PEP Project|archivedate=June 24, 2016}}</ref> served as Washington's political arm, organizing both Washington's campaigns and the campaigns of his political allies. Harold Washington established the Political Education Project in 1984. This organization supported Washington's interests in electoral politics beyond the Office of the Mayor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/08/22/lavelle-at-home-in-hot-seat/|title=Lavelle at Home in Hot Seat|website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=August 22, 1986 |access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/is-tim-evans-for-real/Content?oid=873531|title=Is Tim Evans for Real?|first=Doug|last=Cassel|date=March 16, 1989 |access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref> PEP helped organize political candidates for statewide elections in 1984 and managed Washington's participation in the 1984 Democratic National Convention as a "favorite son" presidential candidate.<ref>{{cite news |title=Favorite Son Slate Planned |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 4, 1984 |access-date=June 6, 2013 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/04/us/favorite-son-slate-planned.html}}</ref> PEP used its political connections to support candidates such as [[Luis Gutiérrez]] and [[Jesús "Chuy" García]] through field operations, voter registration and Election Day poll monitoring. Once elected, these aldermen helped break the stalemate between Washington and his opponents in the city council. Due to PEP's efforts, Washington's City Council legislation gained ground and his popularity grew as the 1987 mayoral election approached.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bmrcprocessingproject.uchicago.edu/sites/bmrcprocessingproject.uchicago.edu/files/Finding%20Aids/Harold%20Washington%27s%20Political%20Education%20Project%20Records.pdf|title=Harold Washington's Political Education Project Records, Chicago Public Library Special Collections, Series IV. Special Aldermanic Election, boxes 29–35, 123|access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref> In preparation for the 1987 mayoral election, PEP formed the Committee to Re-Elect Mayor Washington. This organization carried out fundraising for the campaign, conducted campaign events, and coordinated volunteers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bmrcprocessingproject.uchicago.edu/sites/bmrcprocessingproject.uchicago.edu/files/Finding%20Aids/Harold%20Washington%27s%20Political%20Education%20Project%20Records.pdf|title=Harold Washington's Political Education Project Records, Chicago Public Library Special Collections, Series V. 1987 Mayoral Election, boxes 35–100, 123, 124, 126|access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref> PEP staff members, such as Joseph Gardner and [[Helen Shiller]], went on to play leading roles in Chicago politics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/05/17/gardner-loses-fight-with-cancer/|title=Gardner Loses Fight With Cancer|website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=May 17, 1996 |access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref>

The organization disbanded upon Harold Washington's death.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bmrcprocessingproject.uchicago.edu/sites/bmrcprocessingproject.uchicago.edu/files/Finding%20Aids/Harold%20Washington%27s%20Political%20Education%20Project%20Records.pdf|title=Harold Washington's Political Education Project Records, Chicago Public Library Special Collections|access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref> Harold Washington's Political Education Project Records is an archival collection detailing the organization's work. It is located in the Chicago Public Library Special Collections, Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago, Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chipublib.org/branch/details/library/harold-washington/p/Spcharold/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 27, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229033630/http://www.chipublib.org/branch/details/library/harold-washington/p/Spcharold/ |archive-date=December 29, 2013 }}</ref>