On New Year’s Day, Mayor Brandon Johnson welcomed 2025 by reminding Chicago leaders of the headwinds Black politicians like him face.
The mayor sent a Crusader piece from last October titled, “Are Black mayors under attack across the U.S., some say it’s a pattern,” to his business liaison Charles Smith, according to copies of Johnson’s texts obtained by the Tribune through a public records request.
“Happy New Year!” Johnson wrote to Smith, who replied: “Crusader poppin out!”…