"What I would like to be remembered for is that Walter Washington changed the spirit of the people of this city, that he came in as mayor when there was hate and greed and misunderstanding among our people and the races were polarized"

Walter Washington, the first mayor of Washington D.C. given that 1874 and the first African-American to hold the position, shares his vision of legacy in this quote. What he intends to be kept in mind for is not the policies he executed or the structures he erected, however the intangible effect he had on the city's people. Washington wished to be called the leader who brought unity in a time of division, who cultivated understanding rather of hate, and who bridged the racial divide that pestered the city. For him, altering the spirit of individuals was vital and the long lasting impact he intended to leave behind.