Harold Washington Anniversary: 2012 Marks 25 Years Since Chicago Mayor's Death (PHOTOS)

Twenty-five years ago Sunday, Harold Washington, Chicago's first African-American mayor, abruptly died of a heart attack shortly after his reelection to a second term.

Washington, whose 90th birthday would have been earlier this year, was a political figure who was larger than life and beloved by many. In their tribute, the Chicago Tribune describes Washington as both "a good government reformer in the classic sense of the term" and a visionary:

By giving Chicagoans across the city a voice, Washington set the tone for a new, more optimistic city and — even more important — turned its honeycomb of neighborhood groups into a force for improving the quality of local life.

In the Chicago Sun-Times, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush describes Washington as a man who "will go down in history as one of the most, if not the most, impactful mayor in the history of Chicago."

Scroll down to view photos and video of Washington's time in office:

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly read that Washington was Chicago's only African-American mayor. Eugene Sawyer served as Chicago mayor from 1987-1989.