Some community leaders make a difference, while others change lives.
According to many people, William “Bill” Crawford did both.
Tributes have poured in from across the state for the longtime legislator, who passed away last week at the age of 79. Crawford served 40 years in the Indiana House of Representatives, where he was recognized as a champion of social justice, equality and economic development.
“Bill Crawford was an incredible man, and the most influential African-American public servant, leader and mentor in our state’s history,” said fellow State Rep. Gregory Porter (D-Indianapolis). “From my perspective, he was anointed and well-equipped to bring light on the disparities so many faced on issues like education, health and housing.”
While Crawford has been upheld as a leader in efforts to revitalize the east side inner-city district he represented from 1973 to 2013, he also played an important role in changes that benefitted people statewide.
In 2002, be became the first African-American to become chairman of the budget-writing House Ways and Means committee, which plays a critical role in how state government spends money. Crawford used his influential position to meet the needs of the underserved.
Crawford authored or sponsored important legislation that increased access to affordable housing, funded minority health issues and provided scholarships for African-American and Latino teachers.
“It motivated them to teach,” Crawford explained to the Recorder in a 2012 interview, shortly before his retirement from the legislature. “Our goal was to bring more people that looked like the students in the classroom and into the profession.”
Crawford also secured restitution in the state budget for a man who had been wrongly convicted, increased community representation on the Indianapolis Public Schools Board and co-authored the Second Chance Act, which gives people with criminal records a chance to find meaningful employment after they have paid their debt to society.
“He was a legend, even as he lived,” said House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, who is from Michigan City. “No one in the history of Indiana was a stronger voice for the voiceless.”
Pelath added that most of all, he will remember Crawford’s “winning smile, which could fill and illuminate an entire room.”
Labor and political leader Cordelia Lewis-Burks said Crawford will be missed and remembered by many people for generations to come.
“Bill Crawford shared and contributed so much,” said Lewis-Burks, who is also vice chair of the Indiana Democratic Party.
Outside his own party, Crawford has also been praised by Republicans who appreciated and respected him as an effective legislator and political bridge-builder.
“His leadership brought about extraordinary accomplishments,” said Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. “Bill Crawford was a true public servant dedicated to improving the lives of Hoosiers.”
Crawford, a lifelong Indianapolis resident and Korean War veteran, did not plan to have a career in government service. However, he became a community activist after the 1968 assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The void King’s death left in the movement for equality and justice motivated Crawford to leave his postal job and become involved in various community organizations. In 1972, he was elected to the Indiana House after running on a platform of government accountability, social justice and neighborhood development. He was elected to represent a multi-member district with the late Julia Carson, who later became a member of Congress.
In addition to his service in the General Assembly, Crawford also served as president of the Indiana Black Expo twice between 1975 and 1980. He was credited with helping to shape and stabilize the organization at a critical time, and was part of the group of community leaders who launched Circle City Classic, its flagship fundraiser for college students.
For 20 years, Crawford’s regular employment was as manager of outreach for Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, where he helped increase the enrollment of non-traditional students returning to college to get their degrees, minorities and those who might have difficulty paying for higher education.
At the time of his retirement, Crawford was believed to be the longest serving African-American state legislator in the country.
However, it was what Crawford achieved — not just his longevity — that endeared him to so many people, from the highest levels of government to the grassroots of the community.
Crawford contributed to important changes in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood, which was part of his district and where he continued to live, even as the area recovered from higher rates of crime and general decline. In fact, Crawford was instrumental in helping to reverse that decline.
“He was a heartfelt person who was very concerned about the people of this community,” said Josephine Rogers, president of the Martindale-Brightwood Community Economic Development Corporation. “He was committed to helping young professionals grow in whatever professional area they wanted to be in. One of his passions was helping small businesses succeed.”
Indeed, anyone can see the evidence of this by traveling south on Sherman Drive past the post office where Crawford picked up his mail, to the intersection of 25th Street and Sherman, which is now thriving with grocery stores, a bank and retail stores.
Longtime Martindale-Brightwood resident Lure McFarland noted the main reason Crawford was elected to represent the area 20 times was that he actually got things done for its residents.
“When Bill Crawford said he was going to do something, you could bet your bottom dollar that it would get done,” she said.
McFarland recalled how she met Crawford during a community meeting in the area and told him about a streetlight that was not working. The streetlight was repaired the next day.
Rev. Frank Alexander, pastor of Oasis of Hope Baptist Church, appreciated the lawmaker’s commitment to the area and the fact that Crawford never forgot he was elected to serve the people he represented.
“He was always involved in one way or another,” said Alexander. “He was always fighting for our community.”
