Lu Palmer, 82, Chicago journalist and activist, dies

Jet, Oct 4, 2004

Lutrelle "Lu" Fleming Palmer Jr., 82, an award-winning journalist referred to as the godfather of Chicago Black political activism, recently died of pneumonia at his home in Chicago.

A native of Newport News, VA, Palmer came to Chicago in 1950 as a reporter for the Chicago Defender. He held other newspaper jobs at the Chicago American and the Chicago Daily News. Palmer also founded a weekly community paper, the Black X-Press Info-Paper, in Chicago.

The noted community activist founded the Chicago Black United Communities in 1980.

A year later he founded the Black Independent Political Organization, a movement that convinced then-Democratic U.S. Rep. Harold Washington to run against Mayor Jane Byrne in the primary. Eventually, with Palmer's help, Washington became Chicago's first Black mayor in 1983. It was Palmer who invented the slogan, "We shall see in '83," which motivated Black voters to elect Washington.

Palmer, who earned a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, was also a broadcaster. He retired from "On Target," his final radio talk show, three years ago.

Survivors include his wife, Jorja English Palmer; three daughters, two sons, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.