Remembering Gary Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher is Remembering a Part of My Livelihood.
By Lisa D. DeNeal
The first Black mayor of Gary, IN, Richard Gordon Hatcher, died Dec. 13, 2019 at the age of 86. Hatcher served as mayor from 1967 to 1987 after making history in the November, 1967 election as one of the first Black mayors in a major city.
The last time I saw Mr. Hatcher, was in October during the unveiling of a statue made in his image in front of city hall in downtown Gary.
It was a warm and breezy day. A large crowd of citizens, politicians and dignitaries, stood and sat together on the city hall property. Hatcher, wearing a plaid newsboy cap, a black suit and a black and gold tie, sat on a chair, smaller than the last time I saw him.
Seeing him that day, not knowing it would be my last time, was a treasured moment for me. As always, I placed my hand on his shoulder, and squeezed it gently. He looked up and smiled. It did not matter whether he recognized me or not, it was an acknowledgement of knowing that he looked good.
Reading about his passing on Facebook Dec. 14, a flood of memories rushed in my mind. Not just as a reporter, but a Gary native. For years, the front window of my parents’ home, had a campaign sticker on the bottom left corner. It was black and yellow — or gold, depending on who you talked to — with the black being a drawing of a bucket of melted steel covering the earth. The words, ‘Forward together, backwards, never’ circled the artwork. Hatcher’s name, ‘City of the Century’ and of course, Gary, Indiana. This was one of the pieces of confirmation as to who our house, houses on the block, and a great majority of African-American families in Gary, IN, supported as Mayor.
Richard Gordon Hatcher was on the way of what would be 20 years of serving the citizens of Gary, IN. I was born in July, 1967, a few months before the Gary City Council president, young activist and lawyer would make history that November as the city’s first Black mayor. I would come to know Hatcher a few years later…as in when I was five years old. My brother would tell me years later of how one of my elementary school teachers was amazed that I knew so much about Hatcher at my age. It couldn’t be helped; Hatcher frequented our block, going door-to-door and hold conversations with his constituents. One of the neighbors was a committeeman who worked on the agenda to get Hatcher elected. And we had a block club, one of some of the serious and most active block clubs in the city. Hatcher would show up in a black car sometimes. He would jump out and if kids like myself were playing outside, Hatcher would shake our hands and talk to us. He would go to the neighbor’s house for meetings. If there was a block club meeting or a meeting of the minds to get things done, it was hosted at said neighbor’s house. Hatcher was a constant attendee(so was I because I was clingy and had to be near my parents at all times) because moves had to be made in local politics.
When Hatcher organized the 1972 National Black Political Convention — the largest gathering of Black activists, politicians, citizens, etc., held — put a spotlight on Gary. Black power was deep. People like my brother and his friends were in the thick of it all.
I was four years old when the convention happened. My first ‘calling’ as a journalist would happen later as a five year old. The story I am going to share? Need I remind you that I was a child when this happened, so don’t come for me.
I was told that in the middle of a family reunion dinner at a local hotel — either the Roberts Motel or the Holiday Inn — I wandered away from the dinner. Relatives looked for me and found me talking to Mayor Hatcher. One relative, I cannot remember who — approached us, then stopped in shock, or mortified horror as he or she heard me ask the mayor about his eye (those unfamiliar with the story... when he was a child and playing with a friend, he was accidentally struck in his left eye with a rock. This resulted in Hatcher wearing a glass eye. You can Google this or get hold of a copy the book, “Black Power: Gary Style: The Making of Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher” by Alex Poinsett. The story is in the chapter titled, “The Patch.”). I was told that he explained it to me and I was satisfied with his answer.
As I gotten older, I learned more about Hatcher and crossed paths with him in some shape or form. It’s surprising that I did not volunteer for his campaigns in the eighties, being that I was so into the research of the city.
Before I became a professional journalist, I was given opportunities to mingle with celebrities and well known Black activists and politicians. When my late sister worked as an EMT for Patient Transfer from 1980–82, then a paramedic for the Gary Fire Department from 1982 to 1990. It was during the ’80s that I was able to attend the annual formal event, “An Evening to Remember.” Tickets were $100 each, and city employees received tickets. My sister wouldn’t go, but if she was on duty those particular nights, her rig was nearby. I knew this because the one time I did not attend, was the time actress and former sports journalist Jayne Kennedy was there. My sister gave me her ticket and our dad dropped me off at the Genesis Convention Center, which was one of Hatcher’s completed projects. It was through Hatcher’s annual formal I met Andrew Young, Julian Bond, Dick Gregory, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr — Hatcher would later be Phyliss Hyman, Ray Charles, former Miss America Suzette Charles, NBA star Reggie Theus and many more over the three or four times I attended. Years later as a correspondent, I would again meet many of Black America’s movers and shakers to gain comments for stories.
I was proud that Hatcher’s birthday was five days after mine, which is July 5. I was ecstatic when I heard the radio announcement of the birth of their daughter, Ragen, while riding in the backseat of the family car, heading South for vacation. I felt so connected to this man and his family. I still have a child photo of Ragen, and, of all three daughters, Ragen, Rachelle and Renee, both photos mailed to my parents’ house.
When I started writing for the Gary Crusader in 1993, I ran into Hatcher as he worked on various projects, including his goal to have a Civil Rights Hall of Fame and Museum in the city. When I joined the Post-Tribune as a correspondent in 1995, he gave pause when I told him — he wasn’t always particular about the daily newspaper — but he was happy for me. There were a couple of times when then Gary editor Richard Grey (R.I.P.) sent me to a meeting that Hatcher conducted or was speaking at because Hatcher wasn’t trying to talk to the paper. “He knows you, he likes you, so he’ll talk to you,” Grey said. I showed up, Hatcher would see me, smile ( because he knew the slick move) , and gave me a few comments. Then we’d talk about everything else and nothing to do with why I was there.
In February, 2008, I would have another lengthy conversation with Hatcher during the 40th anniversary celebration of his and Cleveland, OH’s first Black mayor, the late Carl Stokes’ historical 1967 election wins.
My last lengthy conversation with Hatcher, was a phone call to get detailed information on things that happened while he was in office. It was research for a client’s project at the time. He called the house, answered my questions in great detail, and, as always, talked a little more about other things. I will cherish the conversations, lengthy and brief, the latter a rarity. Some were pleasant, a few pleasant and frustrating — the latter was during my teen years, especially two years prior to becoming a registered voter — about my hometown.
Was my choice to go into journalism because of Hatcher? No; I already knew I was going to be a reporter/writer. But growing up in Gary during a time that a legacy was building on good and bad decisions and issues, opened me to dealing with various people and entities. Gary was my training ground. Hatcher was a part of my development. For that, I am grateful to have known him.
Lisa D. DeNeal is a freelance writer, co-author of “Unflappable” with Carolyn E. Mosby(available on https://carolynmosby.com/ ) and, “The Panthers Club” with Alethea Pascascio, and author of “Dead Lies” and “Extra! Extra! Love!” ( available on amazon.com) She is a Gary, IN native.
