Rush, Bobby L.

Source:

 African American National Biography

Rush, Bobby L.

(23 Nov 1946– ),

Democratic politician, was born in Albany, Georgia, one of eight children of Jimmy Lee Rush and Cora Lee. Rush's parents separated and his mother moved the family to the North side of Chicago, Illinois. In 1963, at the age of seventeen, Rush dropped out of Marshall High School in Marshall, Illinois, and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served until 1968.

The 1960s were a pivotal time in Rush's life. All around him, there was increased awareness about discrimination and inequality. Rush became a student of social justice and an activist in the civil rights movement. As an army serviceman stationed in Chicago's Jackson Park, Rush joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). SNCC leader Stokely Carmichael encouraged Rush and Bob Brown to start an Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense (BPP). Rush would oblige and serve as Defense Minister; his title was later changed to state coordinator. He became a close associate of BPP leader Fred Hampton. In 1968 Rush was honorably discharged from the Army. The following year, he had his first child, Huey Malik Rich, with his girlfriend, Saundra Rich. Rush named his son in honor of legendary Black Panther leader Huey Newton.

A year into their BPP activities in Illinois, local leaders Fred Hampton and Mark Clark were killed in a police raid. The killings traumatized Rush and made him fear for his own life. The police also raided Rush's home and issued a warrant for his arrest. Working with Jesse L. Jackson Sr. through his Operation Breadbasket initiative, Rush was able to work with black police officers and lawyers to arrange a safe way to turn himself in. Charges against him were eventually dropped.

In the aftermath of the killings, Rush enrolled at Roosevelt University and earned a BA in 1974. He continued his studies, pursuing a master's degree at the University of Illinois, Circle campus. To earn an income, Rush worked in various jobs as an insurance agent, a teaching assistant, and an associate dean of Daniel Hale Williams University in Chicago. During this time he also launched an unsuccessful campaign to unseat city council alderman William Barnett.

In 1983, witnessing Harold Washington's successful bid for Chicago mayor, Rush decided to again run for public office. This time he launched a successful bid for city council, becoming alderman for the second ward. Rush became a vocal advocate for his predominately black constituency, serving for nearly a decade. In 1992 Rush was elected to Congress representing the 1st Congressional District, which comprised Chicago's South and West sides.

In 1994 Rush completed an MA in Political Science at University of Illinois at Chicago. He saw education as a way to gain the skills necessary to better serve his district. Although his militant background alienated some white constituents, Rush was overwhelmingly popular. He garnered respect for his effectiveness as a legislator, advocating for social justice, improved health care, and neighborhood development, among other issues.

In 1998 Rush obtained an MA in theological studies from McCormick Seminary in Chicago. During this time, his frustrations with the progress of local government grew. He launched a challenge against the political stalwart Mayor Richard Daley for his office. Rush used the election to highlight some of the shortcomings he saw in the Daley administration, particularly in relationship to the black community. Daley's win was decisive, with Rush unable to gain votes outside of blacks and his district; however, Rush was committed to serving in public office, choosing to stay in Congress.

Shortly after the election, in October 1999 Rush's twenty-nine-year old son, Huey Rich, was murdered during an attempted robbery in Chicago. This was a challenging period for Rush who also had to contemplate how to run a reelection campaign in 2000. He directed his energy toward addressing street violence and making that a central theme of his campaign. He faced his toughest campaign to date against a field led by State Senator Barack Obama. Many black leaders and his community rallied behind Rush. He eventually won the 2000 election with more than 65 percent of the vote, besting his closest opponent, Obama, nearly 2-to-1.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Rush became a strong voice against violence, holding numerous anti-crime rallies and summits across the city. Rush also began broadening his advocacy, becoming a vocal critic of the Sudanese government over human rights abuses. In 2004 he was arrested for protesting at the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Rush continued to expand his political influence, becoming involved in numerous committees and attracting investment to his district. He and his wife, Carolyn Thomas, opened the Bobby L. Rush Community Technology Center in Englewood, Illinois. With interests in improving access to technology, Rush joined the Republican Joe Barton in authoring a bill that would allow competition between telephone and cable companies. The bill was controversial, and critics accused Rush of having too close a relationship with big business. Despite controversy, his support never waned. In 2006 Rush was reelected to Congress for his eighth term in the House of Representatives.

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