I WANNA GO ON A DEMONSTRATION AND WORK FOR CHANGE
ORGANIZE A MARCH FOR A RIGHTEOUS CAUSE
MOBILIZE SOME NEIGHBORS TO FIGHT FOR THEIR BLOCK
START A PETITION
WITH A LIST OF DEMANDS THAT
GIVE US BACK EVERYTHING THEY TOOK
I WANNA LOAD UP 20 BUSES AND HEAD DOWNTOWN TO CITY HALL
OR DOWNSTATE TO SPRINGFIELD
AND TESTIFY
YES, TESTIFY
CAUSE YOU KNOW THERE AIN’T NO TESTIMONY WITHOUT A TEST
THE STRUGGLE STILL CONTINUES
AND I DON’T FEEL NO WAYS TIRED!
I WANNA REGISTER SOME VOTERS
AND GET OUT THE VOTE
BUILD A PRESIDENTIAL CENTER AND RUN A URBAN MEDIA OUTLET
I WANNA BUY AND SELL
AND SHOW AND TELL
AND NOT LET NOBODY TURN US AROUND
I WANNA DO WELL AND DO GOOD
BUILD PROSPEROUS BLACK BUSINESSES LIKE YOU KNOW WE SHOULD

I WANNA SAVE THE CHURCH WHERE ROBESON STOOD
AND KEEP IT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
I WANNA MANAGE HOUSING AND BUY THE BLOCK
AND NOT HIDE MY HANDS WHEN I THROW A ROCK
I WANNA HELP MY FRIENDS LIKE THEY HELPED ME
CAUSE THAT’S THE DEFINITION OF LO-YAL-TY
I WANNA HOLD MY HEAD UP WHATEVER THEY SAY
CAUSE I’VE BEEN A BALLER SINCE BACK IN THE DAY
SO HEAVEN OPEN UP YOUR GATES REAL WIDE
CAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE I HELPED INSIDE
AND THEY’RE WAITING FOR ME, WITHOUT A DOUBT
CAUSE IF THINGS AIN’T RIGHT, THEY KNOW I’LL TURN IT OUT!

REST IN POWER, LEON, CAUSE WE AIN’T DONE YET!

Dr. Leon D. Finney Jr: A Reflection

by Rev. Dr. Janette C. Wilson

Dr. Leon Finney Jr. was not an ordinary man. Some knew him as a community organizer, others considered him a developer, many met him as pastor, a local business leader, political strategist, while others were his students and called him Professor. Dr. Finney could wear all of those hats at any given moment.

When I think about the life and work of Dr. Finney, I am reminded of the community built by George Pullman in Chicago. The Pullman neighborhood that bears the name of Pullman was designed and built to create a complete neighborhood where families could live in harmony within a community that met all of the needs of the family. It was built for families who manufactured the Pullman sleeper coaches for the trains and worked for the railroad. The Pullman community was designed almost like a city within the city of Chicago.

Leon Finney Jr., an African American marine from rural Mississippi relocated to Chicago with his father and siblings. His family established their roots in a two flat with a basement in the Woodlawn community. The block and the surrounding streets that made up what we now call “WOODLAWN,” became the incubator for Dr. Finney’s comprehensive development plans. Finney envisioned a Black community that had within its geographic boundaries: committed elected officials, businesses that served and hired the community residents. The ultimate goal was to create a community of residents that lived in the apartments where they worked, worshipped and enjoyed recreation. When we look at Woodlawn today, we see constant building, remodeling and reimagining the community from the foundation built by Dr. Finney’s work. We see new families living on the streets that were once viewed as unlikely places to live. We see people managing properties as a result of the training they received from TWO, The Woodlawn Organization.

It was Dr. Finney’s vision that he could rebuild and restore anything. He also believed that he could use ordinary people with a will and latent talent to remodel and refurbish structures. When he was asked to save the building that housed the historic Metropolitan Community Church (MET) located at 4100 S. King Drive and its parsonage, Dr. Finney quickly decided that the building had good bones, and with the help of a team of committed workers, and the talent of an assortment of tradesmen, using the Nehemiah model, he restored the MET to not only a worship center, but reestablished it as a place for great performances, events to host productions, great speakers and performing artists. Under Dr Finney’s leadership the MET hosted plays, musical performances, worship services, book discussions, community rallies and galas. Dr. Finney modernized the functions and kept the original majesty of the facility.

What has been a consistent thread throughout his life is the fact that Dr. Finney used a combination of talent he found in ordinary people. He helped them to achieve extraordinary results. Dr. Finney invested in people and property. These investments will live long after him. When I think of his legacy, it is more than his family. He loved and cherished all of his family, most especially his daughter and grandchildren. But he is survived by so much more.

Dr. Finney continues to live in the hearts and minds of the students who he supported in colleges, universities, and trade schools. The tenants in hundreds of housing developments he built and managed will remember him. The numbers that he gave a chance at employment when other doors were closed will remember him. He will live in the hearts and minds of those persons whose campaigns he supported, whose businesses he helped to grow and expand. He will be remembered by the fights he waged for educational equity as a member of the Chicago Desegregation Committee. This vision he had to expand seminary education to seasoned pastors who founded great institutions and had much to offer seminary education, was realized by establishing the African American Leadership Partnership with Bishop Arthur Brazier, Rev. Clay Evans, and Rev. Dr. Addie Wyatt and McCormick Theological Seminary.

Dr. Leon Finney, Jr. was not limited by human barriers. He believed in the impossible. He worked tirelessly until his health limited his ability. He gave all he had while he could. I remember how he supported me during each stage of my career. We challenged each other but he never stopped supporting me. During his waning weeks of life, he took every challenge without complaint. He often reminded me that he was a former marine, a soldier. Soldiers keep going until the tour of duty has ended. Dr. Finney’s tour has ended, and he finished his assignment here.