George O’Hare

George O’ Hare is a retired Sears salesman. He was born in 1927 in a segregated all-white neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. George attended all-white elementary and secondary schools, and majority white colleges. He was raised by an extremely racist uncle who taught him to fear and hate African Americans. On his own at Sears and a member of the Junior Chamber of College, George met and became personally involved with such iconic African Americans as Dr. Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali, Father George Clements, Reverend Jesse Jackson, and many others. He was an important figure in bringing widespread attention to the Civil Rights Movement. He marched with Dr. King, traveled with Muhammad Ali, and learned to love and respect African Americans; thus, he became a recovering racist. George was born in Chicago, but spent his adult life in Willowbrook, Illinois and currently resides in Lisle, Illinois.