Barbara Flynn Currie, longtime Illinois House leader, dies

Barbara Flynn Currie, longtime Illinois House leader, dies

Barbara Flynn Currie, a longtime Illinois lawmaker and the first woman to serve as House Democratic Leader, has died at 85.

CHICAGO - Barbara Flynn Currie, a longtime Illinois lawmaker and the first woman to serve as House Democratic Leader, has died at 85.

What we know:

Currie spent decades in Springfield, representing Chicago’s South Side communities, including Hyde Park, Woodlawn, and parts of South Shore and Kenwood.

Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, 25th, speaks with the reporters after an executive committee meeting in 2016. (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Currie served as House Democratic Leader for 20 years, acting as second in command under former House Speaker Michael Madigan. Her time in leadership stretched from 1997 until her retirement in 2018.

She made history as the first woman to hold the Democratic leadership position in the Illinois House.

What we don't know:

Details about her death, including the cause, were not immediately available.

What they're saying:

Colleagues from both political parties have described her as a trailblazer who entered politics at a time when women were underrepresented in government.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul

"Illinois had lost an iconic public servant, and I have lost a mentor and a friend.

"For 14 years I shared a legislative district with Barbara Flynn Currie, and I am a better public servant as a result. We were fellow Hyde Parkers and Lab School Alumni. In our district, Barbara and I knocked on doors together when it was time to circulate petitions, and she had a way of charming people at the doors – even those who were initially resistant to opening the door. She made sure our district offices worked together to maximize constituent services. We shared a First Friday breakfast at the Mellow Yellow with other neighborhood political leaders, and her witty humor during and after those gatherings had me laughing long after I would drop her off at home after breakfast.

"In Springfield, we worked together on numerous legislative initiatives. She taught me patience and pragmatism. She helped me appreciate the value of incremental change and not letting perfection be the enemy of the good. She knew how to scrutinize well-meant legislation for unintended consequences. In this time where voting rights are under attack, I can’t help but remember our work together on the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2011 that has led to a diverse Illinois Legislature. She was critical at whipping up votes for the abolition of the death penalty. While small in physical stature, she was tough as nails when she defended bills on the House floor.

"Barbara’s record of and approach to service should be used as teaching example for legislators today and into the future. I wish we could share a last breakfast, glass of wine and last laugh together. Rest in Power, my friend."

Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea and Secretary-Treasurer Pat Devaney

"The Illinois labor movement is saddened by the passing of the Honorable Barbara Flynn Currie, a pioneering lawmaker and the first woman to serve as Majority Leader in the Illinois House of Representatives at a time when women were vastly underrepresented in the General Assembly.

"Throughout her distinguished career, Leader Currie was a steadfast advocate for working people. A meticulous legislator and skilled debater, Currie was best known for her work to advance equity through the Earned Income Tax Credit and Equal Pay Act, expansion of funding for early childhood education, and her leadership to address sexual harassment and guarantee maternity leave in the workplace.

"In partnership with Illinois AFL-CIO President Margaret Blackshere, Loretta Durbin, and others, Leader Currie also helped to organize the Illinois Women in Leadership Training Academy (IWILTA), which has since prepared generations of women—including union members—to run for public office.

"Leader Currie’s legacy is one of principled leadership, lasting impact, and unwavering commitment to working families. She will be deeply missed, and Illinois is stronger because of her service."