Chicago

The great city of Chicago is filled with strength, activism, and great people. Chicago is the largest city in
population in the Midwest and Chicago has the third highest amount of people in a city in America.
Today, Chicago is going through many changes. In order to figure out Chicago’s present, we have to
discover information about its interesting past. The First Lady Michelle Obama was born and raised in
Chicago (from the South Side). Chicago is not only the place where President Barack Obama (I will discuss
more about the President in this work about Chicago later on) worked as a community organizer. It is also a
place where it is a modern, international center of finance, commerce, industry, technology,
telecommunications, and transportation. While Harlem is a cultural center of Black America, Chicago is also
another cultural center of Black America too. In real life, I never met a weak person who was from Chicago at
all. Chicago represents the strength, the resiliency, and the passion for justice which is found in Black
America. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is the busiest airport in the world. Chicago has the largest
number of U.S. highways and railroad freight. Its metropolitan area (also called Chicagoland) has almost 10
million people, which is the third largest one in America. Chicago is additionally the seat of Cook County. On
the shores of the Great Lakes region is where the city of Chicago is located too. As of 2012, Chicago has the
third largest gross metropolitan product in America at about $571 billion.
In 2014, Chicago hosted 50.2 million international and domestic visitors. Its motto is the Latin phrase Urbs in
Horto or “City in a Garden.” Yes, you will get my take on Mayor Daley and his son. LOL. The Windy City is
filled with history that deals with black people, immigration, political movements, labor rights movements,
and professional sports (as Chicago is home to three major professional leagues. Other than Kareem and
Wilt, there is one man who was the greatest player in NBA history. We know who he is. He used to play for
the Chicago Bulls during the 1980’s and during the 1990’s He played for the Washington Wizards during the
early 21st century. He is Michael Jordan).

The Beginnings of Chicago

Now, it’s time to start from the beginning. In the beginning, Chicago was inhabited by Native Americans.
The Chicago area was inhabited first by the Algonquian peoples (which existed in the East Coast, the
Midwest, the Northeast, and in the Mid-Atlantic regions of America). The peoples in the Chicago area were
the Mascouten and the Miami. The name of Chicago is the French version of the Miami-Illinois word
shikaakwa (or “Stinky Onion”) named for the plants common along the Chicago River. It is not related to
Chief Chicagou of the Michigama people. Native Americans in Chicago were readily part of the Miami
Confederacy (which included the Illini and the Kickapoo). Europeans explorers later came into the region.
In 1671, Potawatomi guides first took the French trader Nicolas Perrot to the Miami villages near the site of
present day Chicago. Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix would write in 1721 that the Miami had a
settlement in what is now Chicago around 1670. French explorers traveled along the short canoe portage
or the Chicago Portage, which connected the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River system. In 1673, the
French-Canadian explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet on their way to Quebec passed through the
area that will become Chicago. The Jesuits came into the area to as a means for them to try to convert the
Native Americans to Catholicism. In 1677, Jesuit “Father” Calude Allouez arrived to try to convert Native
Americans to Catholicism. According to the Jesuit Relations, the Iroquois tribes of New York had driven the
Algonquian tribes out of Lower Michigan in its entirety and as far as the portage during the later Beaver
Wars. By 1682, French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, passes through Chicago en route to
the mouth of the Mississippi River. Rene-Robert Cavelier traveled along the Kankakee and Illinois Rivers
south of Chicago during the winter of 1681-1682. He identified the Des Plaines River as the Western
boundary of the Miami.

La Salle built Fort St. Louis on the Illinois River. Almost 2 thousand Miami including Waes and Piankeshaws
left the Chicago area to gather at the opposite shore that the Grand Village of the Illinois. They sought
French protection from the Iroquois. The Jesuit missionary Jean-Francois Buisson de Saint-Cosme founded
the Mission of the Guardian Angel in 1696. The French Jesuits wanted to convert the local Weas and Miami
people to Catholicism. It was abandoned four years later. Shortly thereafter, Augustin le Gardeur de
Courtemanche visited the settlement on behalf of the French government, seeking peace between the
Miami and Iroquois. Miami chief Chichikatalo accompanied de Courtemanche to Montreal. The French
traders traded with the Native Americans and they wanted territory for not only trade, but for control.

Conflicts would develop between French traders and the Fox tribe of Native Americans. The situation is that
the Algonquian tribes began to retake the lost territory in the later decades. In 1701, the Iroquois
abandoned their claims to their hunting grounds as far as the portage to England in the Nanfan Treaty,
which was ratified in 1726. This was a political move. The reason is that the English had no real presence in
the region. The French and their Algonquian allies were the dominant force in the ear during that time.
There was a writer in 1718. This writer wrote that the Weas had a village in Chicago, but they recently fled
to due to concerns about the approaching Ojibwes and Pottawatomis. The Iroquois and Meskwaki
probably drove out all Miami from the Chicago area by the end of the 1720s. The Pottawatomi assumed
control of the area, but probably did not have any major settlements in Chicago. French and allied Native
American tribes’ use of the Chicago portage was mostly abandoned during the 1720s because of continual
Native American raids during the Fox Wars.

By the mid-18th century, the Chicago area was inhabited by a Native American tribe called the Potawatomi,
who had taken the place of the Miami, Sauk, and Fox peoples.

The first non-Native American permanent settler in Chicago was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. He was the
founder of the city of Chicago. He was born in San Marc, Haiti in 1745. He was educated in France. In
1764, Du Sable and his friend Jacques Clemorgan moved from Haiti to New Orleans. Du Sable was
eventually thankful for moving to New Orleans because it was here that he and his friend Clemorgan met
their future partner of a trading post in New Orleans, and later in what would become Peoria, Illinois. The
young man Du Sable and Clemorgan met was Choctaw, a Native American from the Great Lakes. At the
time, Choctaw was working at a Catholic mission. Du Sable, Clemorgan, and Choctaw later moved to Illinois.
Du Sable excelled in trading goods and services in Illinois. Du Sable would meet with the Native American
leader Chief Pontiac. Pontiac asked Du Sable and Clemorgan to arrange a peace treaty between the Ottawa,
Miami, and Illinois tribes. Du Sable eagerly arranged the meeting in order to restore peace between the
tribes.

During the mid to late 1700’s, there was the Northwest Indian War (which was between the French and
Native Americans against the British). In 1795, Kittahawa (or du Sable’s Potawatomi Native American wife)
would give birth to Eulalia Point du Sable. She was Chicago’s first recorded birth. Du Sable and Kittahawa
(or Catherine) had two children and lived in a cabin built by Du Sable and Choctaw. This cabin was built on a
waterway that is now called the Chicago River. But Du Sable called it Checagou, the name given it by the
Native Americans.

He built a farm at the mouth of the Chicago River in the 1780s. He was of black African and French descent.
He left Chicago in 1800. On August 29, 1818, Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable at age seventy-three died quietly
in his sleep. He was honored at Pioneer Court in 1968 as the city’s founder and featured as symbol.

The British won the French-Native American war and gained huge territories, but the American Revolution
caused the British to be defeated. Later, Native Americans ceded the area of Chicago to America for a
military post in the Treaty of Greenville. The U.S. built Fort Dearborn in 1803 on the Chicago River. It was
destroyed by the British forces during the War of 1812 in the Battle of Fort Dearborn. The War of 1812 was
about the British trying to recapture America as the Revolutionary War caused the defeat of the British
years earlier. The Battle of Fort Dearborn involved the British who killed the inhabitants and taken
prisoners in the area of Fort Dearborn. On June 17, 1812, Jean La Lime was killed by John Kinzie, which was
the first recorded murder victim in Chicago. The fort was forced to evacuate. During the evacuation
soldiers and civilians were overtaken near what is today Prairie Avenue. After the end of the war, the
Potawatomi ceded the land to the United States in the 1816 Treaty of St. Louis. (Today, this treaty is
commemorated in Indian Boundary Park). Fort Dearborn was rebuilt in 1818 and used until 1837. On
December 3, 1818, Illinois joined the Union.

The Illinois legislature in 1829, appointed commissioners. Their job was to locate a canal and layout the
surrounding town. The commissioners employed James Thompson to survey and plat the town of Chicago.
Back then, it or Chicago had a population of less than 100 people.
Historians view the August 4, 1830 filing of the plat as the official recognition of a municipality known as
Chicago. Many Northern entrepreneurs saw the potential of Chicago as a transportation hub in the 1830’s.
So, they used land speculation to obtain the choicest lots. On August 12, 1833, the Town of Chicago was
incorporated with a population of 350. On July 12, 1834, the Illinois from Sackets was the first commercial
schooner to enter the harbor, a sign of the Great Lakes trade that would benefit both Chicago and New
York State. Chicago was granted a city charter by the State of Illinois on March 4, 1837. It was part of the
larger Cook County. On 1837, C. D. Peacock jewelers was founded. It is the oldest Chicago business, which
still operates today. By 1840 the boom town had a population of over 4,000.

After 1830, the rich farmlands of northern Illinois attracted more Northern settlers. These Northern real
estate operators created a city overnight during the 1830’s. The Cook County commissioners wanted to
open the surrounding farmlands to trade. So, they built roads south and west. These roads were crossing
the “dismal Nine-mile Swamp,” the Des Plaines River, and went southwest to Walker’s Grove, now the
Village of Plainfield. The roads allowed hundreds of wagons per day of farm produce to arrive, so the
entrepreneurs built grain elevators and docks to load ships bound for points east through the Great Lakes.
Produce was shipped through the Erie Canal and down the Hudson River to New York City. So, the growth
of the Midwest farms back then expanded New York City as a port.
The Growth of Immigration
During the 1840’s and in the 1850’s, Chicago grew as a transportation hub. There was massive immigration
in Chicago too. Chicago mostly was settled by Northerners. Then, many Irish Catholics came into Chicago by
the 1840’s as a result of the Great Famine in Ireland. As time went on, Chicago developed more railroads,
stockyards, and other heavy industry by the late 19th century. This attracted many skilled workers from
Europe like the Germans, the English, the Swedes, and the Dutch. In the Midwest in general, there are a high
amount of these ethnic groups in that region. Chicago‘s population grew rapidly. In 1840, Chicago was the
92nd most populous city in America. In 20 years, Chicago was the ninth most populous city in the nation.
The Illinois and Michigan Canal was opened in 1848. It allowed shipping from the Great Lakes through
Chicago to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The first rail line to Chicago or the Galena & Chicago
Union Railroad was completed in the same year too. The growth of the first steam locomotives, the
introduction of steam powered grain elevators, and the telegraph grew Chicago too. The Chicago Board of
Trade dealt with economies. By 1870 Chicago had grown to become the nation's second largest city, and
one of the largest cities in the world.

By 1857 Chicago was the largest city in what was then known as the Northwest. In a period of twenty years
Chicago grew from 4,000 people to over 90,000. Chicago’s transportation hub grew with its road, rail, after,
and later air connections. Many national retailers developed in Chicago offering shopping like Montgomery
Ward, Sears, Roebuck and Company, etc. These companies used the transportation lines to ship supplies
nationwide. By the 1850’s, railroads in Chicago was even more widespread. Over 30 lines entered the city.
The main lines from the East ended in Chicago and those oriented to the West began in Chicago. By 1860
the city became the nation’s trans-shipment and warehousing center. Cyrus Hall McCormick in 1847 opened
the harvester factor in 1842 as factories grew. The harvester factory was a processing center for the natural
resource commodities extracted in the West. The Wisconsin forests supported the millwork and lumber
business; the Illinois hinterland provided the wheat. Hundreds of thousands of hogs and cattle were shipped
to Chicago for slaughter, preserving in salt, and transport to eastern markets. There were refrigerated cars
allowed the shipping of fresh meat to eastern cities in 1870.

In 1883, the standardized system of North American time zones was adopted by the general time convention
of railway managers in Chicago. So, for now on, the continent had its uniform system for telling time. The
prairie bog nature of the area provided a fertile ground for disease-carrying insects. In springtime Chicago
was so muddy from the high water that horses could scarcely move. Chicago created a massive sewer
system. First, sewage pipes were laid across the city above ground to use gravity to move the waste. Since
Chicago was in a low lying area, it was subject to flooding. So, in 1856, the city council decided that the
entire city should be elevated four to five feet by using a newly available jacking up process. In one instance,
the 5-story Brigg’s Hotel, weighing 22,000 tons, was lifted while it continued to operate. This was a great
example of American determination and ingenuity. Chicago along with St. Louis and Cincinnati were
important Midwestern cities back then.

Chicago was the home of Stephen Douglas, the 1860 Republican National Convention in Chicago (where
they nominated the home-state candidate Abraham Lincoln). The xenophobic and racist Know-Nothing Party
(which was made up of Protestant groups. Now, this Party is not representative of every Protestant, so I want
to make that perfectly clear) in Chicago demonized the Irish Catholic and German immigrants who were
coming into the city. The Know Nothing Party was anti-immigration, anti-liquor, and wanted to reduce the
power of saloonkeepers. In 1855, the Know Nothings elected Levi Boone mayor, who banned Sunday sales
of liquor and beer. His aggressive law enforcement sparked the Lager Beer Riot of April 1855, which erupted
outside a courthouse where eight Germans were being tried for liquor ordinance violations. After the
American Civil War, saloons became community centers only for local ethnic men, as reformers saw them as
places that incited riotous behavior and moral decay. Between 1870 and 1900 Chicago grew from a city of
299,000 to nearly 1.7 million, at the time the fastest-growing city ever. Chicago's flourishing economy
attracted huge numbers of new immigrants from Europe and migrants from the eastern states. Relatively few
new arrivals came from Chicago's rural hinterland.

The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age was a very important era in Chicago’s history. In 1871, there was the Great Chicago Fire.
Most of the city was burned up. It lasted from Sunday October 8 to early Tuesday on October 10, 1871. It
killed up to 300 people and destroyed about 3.3 square miles. It left more than 100,000 residents homeless.
Much of the city’s central business district was destroyed. The fire started in a small barn that bordered the
alley behind 137 and DeKoven Street. The fire was spread by the city’s use of wood as a predominant
building material during that time period in a style called balloon frame, a drought before the fire, and
strong southwest winds. In 1871, the Chicago Fire Department had 185 firefighters with just 17 horse-drawn
steam engines to protect the entire city. The streets, sidewalks, and many buildings were built of wood. The
Chicago Water Tower was one of the few surviving buildings after the Chicago Fire. After the fire, Chicago
caused the incorporation of stringent fire safety codes that included a strong preference for masonry
construction. Danish immigrant Jens Jenson was celebrated landscape designer. He wanted a democratic
approach to landscaping. He was also informed by his interest in social justice and conservation. He rejected
democratic formalism. Jenson was heavily involved in the creation of four Chicago parks like Columbus Park.
Some of the region’s most influential millionaires had some of his garden designs. The World’s Columbian
Exposition of 1893 was constructed on former wetlands at the present location of Jackson Park along Lake
Michigan in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. The land was reclaimed according to a design by landscape
architect Frederick Law Olmstead. The temporary pavilions which followed a classical theme were designed
by a committee of the city’s architects under the direction of Daniel Burnham.

The Exposition drew 27.5 million visitors. It was considered among the most influential world’s fairs in
history, affecting art, architecture, and design all over the nation. There was the revival of the Beaux Arts
architecture style as well. Skyscrapers and other new technologies developed during the Gilded Age. Tall
masonry buildings was said to be unstable because of the soft, swampy ground near the lake. Yet, builders
used the innovative use of steel framing for support and invented the skyscraper in Chicago. Much of the
modern architecture in urban communities nationwide takes influence from Chicago. The Jeffersonian grid
in Chicago was built upon more. The Haymarket affair was when labor rights activists fought for an 8 hour
work day. There was a peaceful demonstration on May 4, 1886 in Chicago. This was done near the West side.
A bomb was thrown at the police and 7 cops were killed. Violence soon broke out. A group of anarchists
were indicted and convicted. Some were hanged and others were pardoned. This represented a new era of
the labor movement in America and this history is commemorated in the annual May Day celebrations. The
Progressive Era in 1900 did cause people to issue reforms in the American criminal justice system in Chicago.
So, during the Guided age, Chicago grew as prominent as New York City.

The Progressive Age

The Progressive Era dealt with reforms in fighting against child labor, bad working conditions, and other
economic problems. By April 23, 1875, the voters of Chicago decided Chicago to operate under the Illinois
Cities and Villages Act of 1872. Chicago is operated under this act in lieu of a charter. There has been heavy
competition back then among newspapers like the Chicago Daily News (which was created in 1875), the
Chicago Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Daily News. The Windy City nickname of Chicago came about
during the late 19th century. By the early 20th century, Chicago became worldwide known for its high rates
of murder. Many courts failed to convict the killers. More than three-fourths of cases were not closed. Even
when the police made arrests in cases where killers' identities were known, jurors typically exonerated or
acquitted them. A blend of gender-, race-, and class-based notions of justice trumped the rule of law,
producing low homicide conviction rates during a period of soaring violence. There was a high level of
domestic homicide in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many people involved in murder back then
(like Germans, Italians, Irish, African Americans, and other ethnic immigrants) did so to promote patriarchal
supremacist notions of families and gender.

The northern and western suburbs developed in Chicago during the 20th century. Their public schools
strengthened and they were supported by the wealthier residents. The suburban trend accelerated after
1945 with the construction of highways and train lines that made commuting easier. Middle class
Chicagoans headed to the outlying areas of the city and then into Cook County and Dupage County suburbs.
When the Jewish people and the Irish people rose in economic class, many of them left the city and headed
north. The well-educated migrants from around the country moved to the far suburbs. Chicago's "Polonia"
sustained diverse political cultures in the early twentieth century, each with its own newspaper. In 1920 the
community had a choice of five daily papers - from the Socialist Dziennik Ludowy [People's daily] (1907–25)
to the Polish Roman Catholic Union's Dziennik Zjednoczenia [Union Daily] (1921–39). They all supported
workers' struggles for better working conditions and were part of a broader program of cultural and
educational activities. The decision to subscribe to a particular paper reaffirmed a particular ideology or
institutional network based on ethnicity and class, which lent itself to different alliances and different
strategies.

Many ethnic European neighborhoods wanted to use family resources to achieve home ownership as a
strategy. They sacrificed current consumption and pulled children out of school as soon as they could earn
a wage. By 1900, working-class ethnic immigrants owned homes at higher rates than native-born people.
After borrowing from friends and building associations, immigrants kept boarders, grew market gardens,
and opened home-based commercial laundries, eroding home-work distinctions, while sending out women
and children to work to repay loans. They sought not middle-class upward mobility but the security of
home ownership. Many social workers wanted them to pursue upward job mobility (which required more
education), but realtors asserted that houses were better than a bank for a poor man. With hindsight, and
considering uninsured banks' precariousness, this appears to have been true. Chicago's workers made
immense sacrifices for home ownership, contributing to Chicago's sprawling suburban geography and to
modern myths about the American dream. The Jewish community, by contrast, rented apartments and
maximized education and upward mobility for the next generation. The 1965 Immigration law, which was
signed by President Lyndon Baines Johnson, allowed more Asian immigrants and Latin American
immigrants to come into America. Many Indians and Chinese came into Chicago and most settled in the
suburbs. Throughout the 20th century and today, the labor movement had a strong history in Chicago.
Chicago was heavily unionized. Factories were nonunion until the 1930’s. The IWW was created in Chicago
in June of 1905 at a convention of 200 socialists, anarchists, and radical trade unionists from all over
America. In Chicago, the American Federal of Labor and the Railroad brotherhoods were strong. There were
strikes like the teamsters’ strike in 1905. It outlined a clash over labor issues and the public nature of the
streets. To the employers, the streets were arteries for commerce, while to the teamsters; they remained
public spaces integral to their neighborhoods.

Progressive reformers in the business community established the Chicago Crime Commission or the CCC in
1919 after an investigation into a robbery at a factory showed the city's criminal justice system was
deficient. The CCC initially served as a watchdog of the justice system. After its suggestion that the city's
justice system begin collecting criminal records was rejected, the CCC assumed a more active role in
fighting crime. The commission's role expanded further after Frank J. Loesch became president in 1928.
Loesch wanted to target criminals. One person that he wanted to target (out of many in his public
“enemies” list) was Al Capone. Capone was a criminal, but Loesch made him a scapegoat for widespread
social problems. During the 1920’s, Prohibition existed. This era involved the national banning of the sale
and purchase of alcohol. This led into the growth of gangs, speak easies, and other forms of crime. This era
proved that total prohibition doesn’t work. There were bootleggers and smugglers bringing in liquor from
Canada formed powerful gang. We know about the movie the Untouchables. This movie was based on real
life authorities like Elliot Ness fighting against gangs in order to enforce the Prohibition laws. Prohibition
was later banned by 1929.

*Gangs in Chicago have a very long history. Long articles and books have talked about this issue for years
for years and decades. To get a real picture of the history of gangs in Chicago, then we have to look at
things chronologically. Gangs existed among many ethnicities, ages, genders, and other walks of life. This is
true worldwide. Back in the 1850’s, the English immigrant Roger Plant was a chief criminal. Gangs evolved
based on political affiliation, ethnicity, and class. The very early gangs of Chicago were made up of white
ethnic groups. Irish gangs like the Dukies and the Shielders had a powerful influence in the stockyards. They
raided peddlers, robbed men leaving work, and fought among themselves. They existed from the South
Side during the 1880’s and they attacked German, Jewish, and Polish immigrants who settled there from
the 1870’s to the 1890’s. They or the Irish gangs united as the “Mickies” to battle black gangs to the east.
During this time, many gangs worked in the patronage networks of politicians and business leaders. These
gangs worked in the Hamburg Club, the Old Rose Athletic Club, etc. These clubs or gangs were used by their
patrons to stuff ballot boxes and intimidate voters. There was the Valley Gang back in the 1890’s, which
started with pickpocketing and armed robbery. George Moran was a North Side gang leader. In 1900, the
Sicilian Brothers came to America. They lived in Chicago’s Little Italy in a place called “The Patch.” They
became the Black Hand as extortionists. Their names are Angelo, Mike, Pete, Sam, Jim, and Tony. The outfit
grew in Chicago quickly, especially after mass immigrations came into Chicago during the early 20th century.
The Black Hand in Chicago was fought against by the White Hand Society (which was made up of leading
Italian citizens, prominent businessmen, and other ethnic organizations including the Italian Chamber of
Commerce).

The Chicago Crime Commission was created in 1919 as a way for people to fight against violent gangs.
White racist gangs grew like Ragen’s Colts who drowned an African American swimmer in 1919. Ragen’s
Colts had a big involvement in the harm of black people during the 1919 race riot. During the early 20th
century, Polish and Italians gangs were the most numerous in Chicago. Polish gangs were in the Northwest
Side and battled rival Polish gangs across the river in the Bucktown area and southward. Al Capone rose
into his peak of his empire by the Prohibition era. The North Side gang leader Dion O’Banion was killed in
November 9, 1924. By the 1940’s, the 1950’s and the 1960’s, Black and Hispanic gangs were formed in a
higher level. Many of these gangs were created in part, because Black and Brown communities wanted to
protect themselves from racist violence that was coming against them. These gangs are the Vice Lords
(which is the second largest gang in Chicago. It was created in 1958 by Edward Perry and other African
American youth from the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago. By 1967, they wanted to promote a
new positive direction, so they work in community programs. They called themselves CVLs or the
Conservative Vice Lords. Sammy Davis Jr. and other corporations funded this effort. These efforts lasted
from 1967 to 1971. After 1971, the Vice Lords split into factions and returned back to their old ways), the
Black Disciples (created by David Barksdale in 1960), Mickey Cobras, Bloods, Four Corner Hustlers, People
Nation, Black P. Stone Nation, Folk Nation, Black Guerilla Family, Black Mafia Family, Maniac Latin Disciples,
Latin Kings (this was created in the 1940’s in Humboldt Park in Chicago. It was created by Puerto Rican
people), Gangster Disciples (created in the late 1960’s by Larry Hoover and David Barksdale. BGDN stands
for the Black Gangster Disciple Nation), and other gangs. Asian youth gangs grew in Chicago during the
1970’s and the 1980’s.

Today, there is drug dealing, violence, and murder in Chicago and everywhere in the world. Graffiti
characteristic of the Gangster Disciples has been reportedly seen in U.S. military bases
in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Sinaloa drug cartel has used drug trafficking in Chicago, which has fueled
numerous gang wars. El Chapo Guzman is one man responsible for much of the drug trafficking in Chicago. I
have no respect for white racists, for drug smugglers (who consciously spread poison in our communities),
and I have no respect for anyone harming innocent human beings for an unjust reason. In life, we have to
believe in integrity. There is nothing wrong with self-defense and self-determination, but I don’t believe in
harming innocent people. That is why mothers and father, young and old, etc. are in programs fighting back
against the violence in the streets of Chicago. We are in solidarity with the brave activists who are helping
to stop violence and are making a real difference in the lives of the citizens of Chicago.
Further Immigration
There was massive immigration in Chicago during the late 19th century and the early 20th century. Chicago
attracted especially unskilled workers from Eastern and Southern Europe including Poles, Lithuanians,
Ukrainians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Greeks, and Italians including Jewish people from throughout
Eastern Europe (most of them came from mostly the then Russian Empire). This is why new immigration
legislation back in 1924 to be restricted populations from eastern and southern Europe, apart from refugees
after World War II. During and after both wars, rural Americans arrived from the South, whites from
Appalachia and blacks from the cotton areas of the Deep South. The near South Side of the city became the
first Black residential area, as it had the oldest, less expensive housing. There was segregation back then in
Chicago and competing ethnic groups like the Irish. Yet, black people continued to migrate into the South
Side and in black neighborhoods near the West Side. These neighborhoods were de facto segregated areas
(as few black people lived in ethnic white neighborhoods). The Irish and ethnic groups who had been longer
in the city began to move into the outer areas and the suburbs. After World War II, the city built public
housing for working class families to upgrade residential quality. The problem was that such public housing
came about when industrial jobs left the city and poor families became concentrated in the facilities without
true economic justice. After 1950, public housing high rises anchored poor black neighborhoods south and
west of the Loop. More people left to the suburbs. Their commutes were eased by train lines. This made Oak
Park and Evanston enclaves of the upper middle class to grow. In the 1910s, high-rise luxury apartments
were constructed along the lakefront north of the Loop, continuing into the 21st century. They attracted
wealthy residents but few families with children, as wealthier families moved to suburbs for the schools.
There were problems in the public school system; mostly Catholic students attended schools in the large
parochial system, which was of middling quality; and there were few private schools in the city. Many private
school back then existed that served people who could afford it like: The Latin School, Francis Parker, and the
Bateman School.
From WWI to the Great Depression Era
The Chicago race riot of 1919 was one of the most tragic events in American history. It showed that white
racism is vicious, evil, and abhorrent. It lasted from July 27, 1919 to August 3, 1919. The riot caused 38
people to die, which included 23 African Americans and 15 white people. These riots were part of Red
Summer, because of the violence and deaths nationwide over racial and other political issues. Riots occurred
all over the nation and worldwide during Red Summer too. During this time, the Great Migration caused
thousands of African Americans to come from the South to Chicago and into other places of America (black
people wanted to escape lynchings, segregation and disenfranchisement by the white racist Southern
aristocracy including by the Klan). From 1916 to 1919, the African American population in Chicago increased
from 44,000 to 109,000. This was a 148 percent increase. Many black people came into Chicago’s South Side.
They lived next to the areas filled with European immigrants (from southern and Eastern Europe. These
ethnic groups were protective of their neighborhoods). The Irish were there first and many of them opposed
the advance of black people or ethnic immigrants in Chicago. There were overcrowding and competition for
labor and housing markets including jobs (like the meatpacking industry in Chicago). So, this caused racial
and class tensions. The police neglected to solve these problems. More black people came to Chicago after
WWI and they demanded equality and rightfully so. William Hate Thompson was the Mayor of Chicago
during the riot. Illinois Governor Frank Lowden has to deal with the issues too. Some places of Chicago
weren’t segregated and some places were like beaches back then. There was an African American
representative to the state legislature in 1876.

In 1917, the Chicago Real Estate Board established a policy of block by block segregation. New arrivals in the
Great Migration generally joined old neighbors on the South Side. By 1920, the area held 85% of Chicago's
African Americans--middle and upper class and poor. We know that many Irish and other white gangs would
harass, assault, and kill black people. For example, the Hamburg Athletic Club contributed to gang violence
in the area. One member of that club was a 17 year old Richard J. Daley. The riot started when a white man
was throwing rocks at black swimmers in the water at a beach on the South Side. The black swimmers were
exercising their human rights and these black human beings were called racial slurs by white racists. Eugene
Williams died by the rock throwers (he drowned) in 29th Street beach on the South Side of Chicago. Eugene
Williams was a 18 years old black American. A white police officer Daniel Callahan refused to arrest the white
man responsible for Williams’ death (who was George Stauber), but he arrested an innocent black man
instead. A skirmish on the beach immediately ensued, as angry bathers attacked Callahan and a fight
between blacks and whites erupted. Black people objected to Stauber not being immediately arrested and
whites used violence against black people. Stauber would never be arrested until sometime later by
detectives. When night fell, white gangs retaliated against black gangs by attacking thirty-eight blacks who
had wandered into white neighborhoods. By eight o'clock at night, the news of Williams's death had spread
throughout the South Side and the whole area was subsumed in rioting. Blacks and whites would assault
each other in various places of Chicago. The violence was so bad that many black people used self-defense
against white racist mobs. At one point, a white mob threatened Provident Hospital, many of whose patients
were African Americans. The police successfully held them off. 2 years before the riot, 27 black people were
murdered by whites for moving into predominately white neighborhoods.

The riot started in the South Side, and it spread into the Loop or the city’s commercial district. White gangs
attacked black neighborhoods and black people just coming from work. Some of the white gangs in involved
in the attacks against black people were the Hamburg Social Club, the Ragen’s Colts, and the Stockyards. It
lasted for almost a week.

By eight o'clock at night, the news of Williams's death had spread throughout the South Side and the whole
area was subsumed in rioting. Some black people derailed trolley cars and beat up the white passengers and
automobiles were stopped and their drivers beaten. Five hundred patrolmen were sent to occupy the black
district and remained there until Monday morning. During the day, stores were closed and most women and
children stayed at home.

By the evening of Monday, July 28, rioting was again rampant as white gangs assaulted black stockyard
workers as they headed home. Whites began to raid black neighborhoods and fire on the homes and cars of
black residents. Twenty people were killed in the rioting on this night alone.

Blacks gathered in the streets and began to seek revenge, attacking more street-cars and automobiles as
well as the homes of whites. The police successfully persuaded the rioters not to enter the Angeles building
(an apartment building at Wabash and Thirty-fifth Street) after occupants threw objects out the windows of
this building at the rioters. Elizabeth Dadabo has great literature on the Chicago riot too. According to one
source:

“…Several newspapers and many civic leaders demanded that Mayor Bill Thompson ask Governor Frank
Lowden for a detachment of state militia. The governor, responding promptly to the outbreak of hostilities,
ordered the mobilization of several companies of militia and stationed them at nearby amories, but he could
send them into the streets only at the mayor’s request. Throughout Monday night and all of Tuesday, both
the mayor and the chief of police insisted that the local forces held “full command” and that no outside
assistance would be necessary. Black leaders hesitated to the request the militia because they recalled the
state forces had supported the white mobs in East St. Louis in 1917.” (“Anatomy of Four Race Riots: Racial
Conflict in Knoxville, Elaine (Arkansas), Tulsa, and Chicago, 1919-1921” by Lee E. Williams and Lee E. Williams
II. The Foreword was written by Roy Wilkins from 1972).

Almost 6,000 National Guard infantrymen came in to stop the Chicago riot. They were stationed around the
Black Belt in order to stop white attacks. Most of the violence was done by white ethnic groups attacking the
black population in the city’s Black Belt found in the South Side. Rioters stretched cables across the streets to
prevent fire trucks from entering the areas where arson took place in the Black Belt. On Tuesday, July 29,
rioting began to spread north, reaching the Loop, Chicago's busy downtown area. White soldiers and sailors,
with some civilians, raided the Loop, killing blacks and robbing businesses. Blacks who lived in largely white
neighborhoods (such as Englewood) fled as their homes were robbed, burned and destroyed. The Cook
County Sheriff deputized between 1000 and 2000 ex-soldiers to help keep the peace. With the reserves and
militia guarding the Black Belt, the city arranged for emergency provisions to provide its residents with fresh
food. White groups delivered food and supplies to the line established by the military; the deliveries were
then distributed within the Black Belt by African Americans. While industry was closed, the packing plants
arranged to deliver pay to certain places in the city so that African-American men could pick up their wages.
Thursday and Friday were calm days, although on Saturday morning 948 Lithuanian immigrants were left
homeless after forty-nine homes were burned down. Order was established. 342 blacks and 178 whites were
injured. The Illinois Governor Frank Lowden urged to create a state committee to study the cause of the riots.
Lowden proposed a committee to form a racial code of ethics and to draw up racial boundaries for activities
within the city. The economy of Chicago suffered and many black Americans left Chicago all together
because of the vicious racism. The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 shocked the nation and made naïve people
aware that African Americans faced discrimination, racism, and oppression every day in the United States
(even in our 21st century generation).
Ida B. Wells lived in Chicago for a number of years. She was a black woman who was a hero for humanity.
Throughout her life, she opposed Jim Crow apartheid and lynchings. She spoke out against lynching
throughout America and in England. She survived threats and she was slandered by reactionaries and racists.
She was encouraged by her family and friends. Also, Ida B. Wlells courageously stood up for freedom and
justice. The photo to the right shows children learning in a Ida B. Wells housing project in 1942. They are
learning about using the radio. Ida B. Wells lived during the 19th and 20th centuries. This was the time was
when Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois were deating about the issues of education, civil rights, and
other issues. Ida B. Wlls fought against Jim Crow. She was born in 1862 in Missisisippi as a slave. Her
parents died very quickly, so she had to raise her brothers and her sisters. Ida B. Wells was one of the
greatest intellectuals and freedom fighters in Amerian and world hsitory. She reported in her Memphis Free
Speech and Headlight media papers. She exposed lynchings and racists burned down the press building. Ida
B. Wells was not only a jounalist. She was a political, social activist too. She was involved in the Niagara
Movement, which evolved into the establishment of the NAACP during the year of 1909. The NAACP was
created by black people and non-black people. Its grassroots members have consistently stood up against
injustice since its inception. Its leadership became more conservative from the 1940’s to the 1960’s, because
it embraced (in its leadership) anti-communism (from the McCarthyite era), support for the Vietnam War,
and it basically advanced reformism. During recent decades, the NAACP has became more liberal.

Nevertheless, many civil rights organizaitons have fought the good fight then and now. Ida B. Wells took her
anti-lynching campaign to Europe with the help of many supporters. In 1896, Wells founded the National
Association of Colored Women's Clubs, and also co-founded the National Afro-American Council.
Throughout her life, Wells was militant in her demands for equality and justice for African-Americans and
insisted that the African-American community will win justice through its own efforts. Wells spent the last
thirty years of her life in Chicago working on urban reform. She also raised her family and worked on her
autobiography. After her retirement, Wells began writing her autobiography, Crusade for Justice (1928). Ida B.
Wells believed that armed self-defense against racists who were harming black humanity. Ida B. Wells passed
away in Chicago on March 25, 1931, at the age of 68. She was a strong, heroic black woman.

RIP Sister Ida B. Wells.

The Black Chicago Renaissance
The Black Chicago Renaissance has a great impact in the history of black Americans just like the Harlem
Renaissance. Chicago’s black Renaissance lasted from the 1930’s to the 1950’s. It was a time of an
explosion of the growth of black culture. Black people during this time period focused on art, literature,
music, and other aspects of great culture. There were black visual artists, musicians, intellectuals, and other
human beings who expressed the black aesthetic in diverse ways. It showed the multifaceted nature of
black life. The Black Renaissance in Chicago was influenced by the Great Migration when tens of thousands
of Southern black people came into Chicago. They came into the area of the segregated South Side mostly.
African American migrants resided in a segregated zone on Chicago’s south side, extending from 22nd
Street on the north to 63rd Street on the south, and reaching from the Rock Island railroad tracks on the
west to Cottage Grove Avenue on the east. This zone of neighborhoods was known as the “black belt” or
“black ghetto." They suffered overcrowding, joblessness, and poverty.

Yet, even during the Great Depression, black people in Chicago organized their own institutions to promote
community solidarity and growth. More black consciousness grew. There were theater troupes that
explored works by black playwrights. Jazz, blues, and new gospel music inspired many artists during this
time period. Richard Wright and Margaret Walker founded the South Side Writers Group in order to
provide support and feedback to a group of black Renaissance writers. There were the growth of black
owned newspapers and magazines like the Chicago Defender, Chicago Sunday Bee, Negro Story Magazine,
and Negro Digest, also played an important role in the cultivation and spread of literature during the
Renaissance. These important institutions gave jobs and opportunities to journalists, writers, and they
encouraged emerging writers to print their work. Even the WPA and the Works Progress Association gave
financial support to artists. Writers and authors did amazing work. Chicago is on great center of urban
African American arts, blues, jazz, dance, theater, literature, and sociological study. Marion Perkins was a
great black sculptor.

Vivian Harsh was the first African American to head a branch of the Chicago Public Library. She promoted
the civic and social cultivation of the Black Renaissance. She worked in the Association for the Study of
Negro Life and History, which was founded by Carter G. Woodson. She collected literary works by African
Americans. She created programs and forums at the George Cleveland Hall Branch Library to promote the
cultural and intellectual pursuits for the residents on the South Side. She loved black people and black
history. Today, there is the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature
continues to grow and expand under the stewardship of the Chicago Public Library Woodson Regional
Branch staff. Henry Avery was an amazing painter. Gwendolyn Brooks is a great poet, artist, and a strong
person. William Carter was excellent, and Elizabeth Catlett was an artist too. Gordon Parks was a great
photographer who was a friend of Malcolm X. Katherine Dunham was an amazing dancer and there are so
many names of Brothers and Sisters who worked during the Black Chicago Renaissance. William Edouard
Scott was an active member of the South Side Community Art Center and his work, “There Were No Crops
This Year,” won a first prize at the Negro Exposition in 1940. The talented Sister Lorraine Hansberry, and
musicians like Louis Armstrong, Thomas A. Dorsey, and Earl Hines contributed a great deal for Chicago and
for the rest of America (including the world).
The WWII era
During the World War II era in Chicago, factories allowed machines to be built for the U.S. military, so U.S.
forces can fight against the evil Axis Powers. The first controlled nuclear reaction happened at the University
of Chicago on December 2, 1942. This action was part of the top secret Manhattan Project, which ultimately
caused the US to successful test an atomic weapon in New Mexico. During the 1940’s, there are a massive
amount of Hispanic immigrants coming into Chicago. The largest numbers were human beings from Mexico
and Puerto Rico. There were Cuban immigrants coming into Chicago by the time of Fidel Castro’s rise as
well. By the 1980’s, Hispanic immigrants would come from Central and South America as well. During World
War II, women and people of color went to work in a large number in defense plants. There were scare and
rationed consumer goods. Some children brought 25 cent saving stamps and bringing paper and kitchen fat
to school during scrap drives. Families gave and received letters from soldiers worldwide. Mayor Edward
Kelly of Chicago worked in this time. There were blackouts too. A 1945 rally at State and Madison streets
featured Gene Oxley, who was a survivor of an incident during the Normandy invasion. "Don't let them down
— those 36 men who died in the second LST — and the thousands of others who died for you," Oxley told
the Loop crowd. . By 1945, US Steel was Chicago’s largest single employer with 18,000 workers at the
company’s South Works entity. In a few decades, massive restructuring in the industry led to the losses of
thousands of jobs among the working class. In the fall of 1945, Ebony Magazine was founded by John H.
Johnson in Chicago. As a black person, I was raised by looking at Ebony Magazine covers all of the time
from my youth to the present in the 21st century. Its articles and photographs show actors, entertainers,
politicians, scientists, entrepreneurs, and other black people like Dorothy Dandridge, Diana Ross, Michael
Jackson, U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun, President Barack Obama, Anita Baker, and so many other
Brothers and Sisters.
Civil Rights and Movements for social change
The civil rights movement in Chicago has a long history. African Americans fought for human rights for
centuries. Before the Civil War, Illinois was a free state. Yet, its laws prohibited the immigration of African –
Americans and voting by black people. Chicago was a center of antislavery activity, but city schools, and
places of public accommodation were racially segregated. Black Chicagoans fought back against these
restrictions. By 1870, black people gained the right to vote. In 1874, state law forbid segregated education.
A decade later, black people successfully urged the state legislature to endorse a sweeping civil rights
measure which provided, “that all persons ... shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of ... inns,
restaurants, eating houses, barber shops, theatres, and public conveyances on land and water and all other
public accommodations.” After a legal challenge in 1896, the Illinois legislature more directly stated the
scope of the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 1885. Still, black people in Chicago suffered massive discrimination.
Restaurants and hotels constantly turned away back people. The Chicago branch of the NAACP was created
in 1910.

A black newspaper, the Chicago Whip, led a “Don't Spend Your Money Where You Can't Work” campaign.
The Communist Party spurred agitation over employment rights and access to public accommodations.
Also, local residents protested segregated schools. From 1934 to the present, Chicago would be the
headquarters of the Nation of Islam. Also, Chicago would host NOI’s Saviors Day for years on many times.
Even CORE was created in Chicago back in 1942 to use nonviolent direct action in opposition to
discrimination, racism, and Jim Crow apartheid. James Farmer and other human beings founded CORE.
Other founders of CORE were George Houser, James R. Robinson, Samuel E. Riley, Bernice Fisher, Homer
Jack, and Joe Guinn. Back during the 1940’s, CORE used sit-ins and other protests in opposing discriminating
Chicago restaurants and recreational centers. During the late 1940’s, the activists from the United
Packinghouse Workers union targeted segregated eateries. By the early 1960’s most public
accommodations in Chicago were open to African Americans. It is important to note that James Forman
(who was a great leader of SNCC. he was involved in the voting rights movement in Selma, etc. He passed
away in 2005) was born in Chicago. Diane Nash, who was a great civil rights activist an she opposed he
Vietnam War, was born in Chicago (in 1938) and graduated from Hyde Park High School. Also, we learn
about the past to learn lessons, to repent (as there is nothing wrong with PRAYER. People have the right to
pray and ask for change), and to follow the truth including righteousness.

By the early 1960’s Chicago's black citizens experienced massive racism, economic inequality, and other
injustices. Brown v. Board of Education was the Supreme Court decision that made segregation based on
race illegal. Yet, Chicago authorities still enacted discrimination in education, housing, jobs, etc. This made
de facto segregation a reality in Chicago, the Midwest, and in the North. Many black people came into
Chicago from the South in order to receive better working conditions and escape overt Jim Crow apartheid.
The Coordinating Council of Community Organization or CCCO back in 1962 was dedicated to eradicate
racial inequality and economic injustice in Chicago. Albert Raby would be a great leader of the CCCO. Albert
Raby was himself a great teacher too. In January of 1962, students and parents held a sit in to protest de
facto segregation in Chicago Public Schools. Still, authorities forced black students to overcrowd in black
schools while white schools had many empty seats. Some classes in the black schools had to meet in the
hallways and there weren’t enough books for all of the students in the school.

The main culprit in permitting this evil was superintendent of schools Benjamin Willis. Willis placed trailers
in the parking lots of the black schools instead of solving this problem. Rosie Simpson of the Englewood
community coined the term, “Willis Wagons.” In some schools, the segregation was maintained even
within the school, such as at Waller High School (now Lincoln Park High School), where classes of white
children continued to meet inside the building but classes of black children were forced to meet inside the
trailers.

On August 5th, 1963, a protest took place at 73rd street and Lowe in Englewood at a site where the Chicago
Board of Education was installing “Willis Wagons,” which were aluminum trailer classrooms used to
perpetuate de facto school segregation. Dick Gregory, Lillian Gregory, and others were involved in the
protests. William Yancey and Sibylle Bearskin sat atop the utility polices to protest school segregation in
Chicago. Back in 1963 in Chicago, students had to attend neighborhood schools. The Chicago Board of
Education resisted integration. Black parents organized to fight back. Some parents would lay in the dirt
overnight in order for them to prevent bulldozers from coming to prepare ground work for the trailers to
be placed. Chicago’s public schools were segregated and received unequal learning opportunities,
especially in Chicago’s South Side. Therefore, Brothers and Sisters started to protest this injustice. Later,
activists of many backgrounds organized protests in Chicago. On October 22, 1963, the famous 1963
Chicago Boycott came about (which was organized by a coalition of civil rights groups like CORE, the CCCO,
etc.).
The day of the boycott was called Freedom Day, which included demonstrations and boycotts. 250,000
students didn’t attend school. At least 20,000 people marched on the streets of Chicago. One major person
involved in the 1963 Boycott is Sister Rosie Simpson (she was an union organizer and a CPS parent. Back in
August of 1963, she laid the groundwork for the boycott). Rosie Simpson has fought for education equality.
She also worked for the Packing House Workers Union, the Woodlawn Organization, and the Urban League.
She visited Freedom Schools on October 22, 1963 in order to set up for boycotting students. She is the
mother of six children during the time of the boycott. She talked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well.
Parents in the black community protested nonviolently en masse along with black children. Many schools in
the West and South Sides were empty. Many demonstrators had a variety of signs, some of which
compared Superintendent Ben Willis to then Alabama Governor George Wallace. The police prevented the
protesters to enter the Chicago Board of Education Building. Their voices were heard. The CPS also lost a lot
of money as a product of the boycott. Willis retired early a few years later.

Another Chicago boycott would exist in 1964. Bernard Lafayette tapped by the American Friends Service
Committee to begin organizing on Chicago's West Side in 1964. On January 17, 1964, First Lady Michelle
Obama was born in Chicago. She was raised in the South Side too. Her father was named Fraser Robinson
III. He was a city water plant employee and Democratic precinct captain. Her mother was Marian (née
Shields) and she was a secretary at Spiegel's catalog store. She is related to the Gullah people of South
Carolina. She grew up in a two-story house on Euclid Street in Chicago's South Shore community area. Her
parents rented a small apartment on the house's second floor from her great-aunt, who lived downstairs.

By the 1950’s and the 1960’s, many African Americans moved from Chicago to the southern suburbs like
Chicago Heights, Riverdale, and Harvey. Today, black people live in Aurora, Evanston, Pak Park,and
Waukegan today too.

By the summer of 1965, CCCO would create nearly daily marches and protests against segregation and
against the school superintendent Benjamin Willis. The CCCO has grown and they are made up of 40
affiliates including groups that were largely white. As early as 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. always
wanted to do a campaign in Chicago to address racial injustice, because he wanted to see if his strategies
would work up North. He got his chance with the Chicago Freedom Movement. The roots of the Chicago
Freedom Movement started in July of 1965 when the SCLC toured Chicago. During the summer, Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. and the SCLC also toured Cleveland, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
The Chicago Freedom Movement
In September of 1965, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference decided to target Chicago for the next
campaign. The SCLC and the CCCO (with leaders like Chicago's Al Raby) would form the Chicago Freedom
Movement on September 1, 1965. The SCLC activists, James Bevel, and Chicago civil rights activists would
target the West Side for their organizing efforts during the fall of 1965. There was also the group called the
American Friends Service Committee too. This group was committed to equality and justice and it had
members like Kale Williams, Bernard Lafayette, David Jehsnen, and others. This movement was multiracial
and multi-religious. People of numerous backgrounds collaborated to fight for justice. One of the main
goals of this movement was to end slums, so quality, affordable housing would be available for the black
and poor residents of Chicago. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to see if his actions in Selma and
Birmingham would be replicated in the North. Chicago has complex, metropolitan politics. Chicago back
then not only had racism. It had economic exploitation, dilapidated housing, educational problems (like
overcrowded schools and de facto segregation in education), transportation issues, issues of health,
welfare issues, crime, and other important issues that progressive minded people wanted to address. This
was new territory for Dr. King and for the SCLC. They were courageous and wanted to confront these
problems in Chicago. Chicago had a strong black population with over 1 million black people living in
Chicago back during 1966.

On January 5, 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would go into Chicago to start the campaign in the next level.
Dr. King, Coretta Scott King, and the rest of his family moved into a dilapidated apartment on the third floor
of a building at 1550 South Hamlin Avenue in Chicago’s West Side. He wanted to express solidarity with the
oppressed and the poor. Also, he wanted to display the situation as serious, which it was. Mayor Daley was
a strong part of the Democratic machine in Northern cities. Daley back in 1963 spoke in favor of civil rights,
but he abhorred demonstrations, because he felt that things were improving in Chicago (which wasn’t the
case at all. Daley had black supporters too. Some black churches feared to ally with Dr. King for fear of
Daley's machine. Black conservative preacher John H. Jackson opposed the civil disobedience actions of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.). Back then, Chicago's black population was more secular than the black population
of the South. So many people had suspicious of the black clergyman Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leading a
social justice movement in Chicago. Chicago wasn't Selma and it wasn't Birmingham. The city of Chicago
was many times bigger than both cities of the Deep South. SCLC and Sister Dorothy Tillman worked in the
campaign as well. Dr. King and others wanted an independent political force to confront the power
structure, so slums can be abolished and affordable, quality houses can be available for black and poor
residents of Chicago. During this time, white people increasingly moved into suburbia while the city, state,
and federal government was doing a terrible job in helping the black citizens of Chicago. Sister Linda
Bryant-Hall of CORE was one activist involved in the struggle for freedom. Sister Nancy Jefferson of Chicago,
Brother Bernard Lafayette, Sister Clory Bryant, Sister Minnie Dunlap (who was part of the Union to End
Slums just like Nancy Jefferson), and other people also fought for justice in the Chicago Freedom
Movement.

Dr. King knew that the federal, state, and local governments (along with grassroots organizations) had a
role to play in solving the problems of Chicago. One key area of the Chicago Freedom Movement dealt with
housing rights. Black people were readily discriminated against in trying to own quality housing in Chicago
and in the suburbs. The Chicago Freedom movement used activists to test the housing agencies. Black
activists were discriminated against in an experiment while white activists were not in the same
experiment. This showed that discrimination and racism was structural beyond just individual. Apartments
in poorer communities were dangerous filled with rats and people suffered. The civil rights activists wanted
to fight housing discrimination in Marquette Park and Gage Park in Chicago. Back then, Gage Park was
made up of mostly white Russian Americans, Irish Americans, Lithuanian Americans, German Americans,
and other white people. Many in Gage Park refused to allow black people to own homes in the area. This is
why Dr. King and others wanted to advance open housing, end discrimination (as it was done cruelly by
numerous bankers, realtors, and builders of low income housing), and combat structural racism in Chicago.
In February of 1966, Operation Breadbasket in the Chapter of Chicago would be created. It was headed by
Jesse Jackson.
Back then, Jesse Jackson was a young Brother. Jesse Jackson was born in October 8, 1941 in Greensville,
South Carolina. He marched in Greensboro, North Carolina and he marched in Selma back in 1965 too.
There have been a lot of stories about him. The truth is that he was a well-known athlete and he joined the
civil rights struggle. Dr. King admired his courage and his tenacity. Each man had similarities and
differences. Operation Breadbasket (it lasted from 1962 to 1972) was a SCLC national program that wanted
to develop the black community and fight against corporations who discriminated against black people via
warnings, and boycotts if necessary (in order for the black community to develop economically and for
black people to have job opportunities). Operation Breadbasket was a highly successful program during the
1960’s. Jesse Jackson was influenced by Dr. T.R.M. Howard (who was a capitalist and he promoted black
capitalist principles in his life as he was anti-socialist and especially anti-communist) who was a civil rights
activist and entrepreneur. As time went on, Jesse Jackson would promote justice for black people overtly,
but he worked more in the capitalist, reformist model (like Al Sharpton. In many ways, Al Sharpton is more
conservative than even Jesse Jackson. Jesse Jackson has opposed police brutality, racist attacks on black
people, and has recently opposed the War on Drugs, which is the right thing to do). On the other hand, Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. outright questioned capitalism and sympathized with democratic socialism (as a way
to solve our problems as human beings). Many of Dr. King’s closet advisers had suspicions about Jesse
Jackson (they accused him of being too ambitious and egocentric). Despite their disagreements, Dr. King
and Jesse Jackson worked together in the Memphis sanitation workers campaign. Jesse Jackson, despite his
imperfections, sacrificed a great deal for black people. So, both Jesse Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
wanted the same goals, but at times they differed in the methods in getting towards the same goal (which
is freedom, justice, and equality for the entire human race).

Jesse Jackson during this campaign would work heavily in the South Side of Chicago and in other areas in
order to fight for housing rights. One Brother who fought for equality in Chicago was alderman Earl B.
Dickerson. He helped the Hansberry family to take their anti-segregation case to the Supreme Court.
Another Brother in Chicago was the first black alderman elected in Chicago’s West Side named Ben Lewis.
He was murdered and the murderers were never found. Jesse Jackson would also create the Kenwood-
Oakland community organization in the South Side. Jesse Jackson was right to say in the Eyes on the Prize
documentary that many black people (some of these people marched with Dr. King in the South) in the
Daley patronage network wanted Dr. King to leave Chicago, which was highly disappointing. It is important
to recognize many black people in Chicago who fought against the Daley token machine.

The Chicago Freedom Movement continues to pick up. Mayor Daley offered strong resistance to the
Chicago Freedom Movement since Daley wanted token reforms not revolutionary changes that would
transform society. He was hostile to demonstrations and he fought against the fight for the Fair Housing
Act. The activists continued. Hostility to the movement didn’t just come from reactionaries. It also came
from many establishment labor unions and other groups expressing disdain towards the progressive
Chicago Freedom Movement. Daley even denied the existence of slums, which was ludicrous. Dr. King
wanted to target poverty as well. He knew that poverty must be fought against in order for real freedom to
come. He also believed that the poor must be involved in the decision making process of establishing
solutions.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also had a meeting with Elijah Muhammad (who was the leader of the Nation of
Islam. The Islam of Islam's headquarters back then and today is in the city of Chicago) in February 23, 1966.
They discussed about many issues like housing, religion, and black people. Both men didn't agree on the
issue of integration. They did agree that the system of racism and oppression contributed to the deplorable
conditions of slums, which is true. They expressed a willingness to agree to oppose anti-black racism. Each
man agreed with the precept that black people must express self-determination, which is also accurate. Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. said the following words: "...I know we are in absolute agreement on that. We
suffer domestic colonialism like the black people in Southern Rhodesia. We must achieve self-
determination." There is no question that Dr. King became more radical overtly in public (since Dr. King
wrote radical ideas before the 1960's) after that meeting. Regardless of our ideological views as black
people, we (who are sincere and love truth) want the same goal of freedom, justice, and equality. Now, I
don't condone Elijah Muhammad's errors as Malcolm X publicly and courageously told the truth about
Elijah and the NOI in 1964 and in 1965. This is why Malcolm X was threatened by many NOI members. Also,
it is important to note that Elijah Muhammad was a victim of white racism in his life and white racism is
totally wrong and evil.

Malcolm X was illegally monitored by the FBI, the CIA, and the NYPD. That is why the FBI and other entities
are just as much responsible for the assassination of Malcolm X as the shooters are. This event in Chicago
came after Malcolm X's passing in 1965. Brother Malcolm X promoted international solidarity among black
people, Malcolm X condemned capitalism by his own words, and he left the Nation of Islam (as he formed
the OAAU in 1964 to advance progressive solutions. Also, Malcolm X promoted the rights of women). The
March Freedom Festival in March of 1966 caused the SCLC to raise $80,000. Dr. King knew about the ghetto
existed a domestic colony. The ghetto was exploited not only by various corporations, but it was neglected
by the government in refusing to send the ghetto the necessary resources to end bad conditions. Unions
like the AFL-CIO and the United Packinghouse Workers of America allied with the SCLC in the fight for open
housing. Daley used a sophisticated political campaign to try to end the Chicago Freedom Movement. In
June of 1966, the SCLC used the tactic of using direct demonstrations against realtors and white
homeowners. This situation was different as the demonstrations exposed the white backlash against
progress in the Chicago area. Dr. King said that the restrictive housing policies contributed to educational
segregation and the “color tax” on ghetto housing (this means that housing in the ghetto was more
expensive than housing in the suburbs or richer communities, which was done intentionally to deprive
black people of economic power).

On July 10, 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Chicago’s Soldier’s Field to promote the action phrase
of the Chicago Freedom Movement. This rally was large and about 55,000 people were there to hear Dr.
King speak. Other guests there were Mahalia Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Peter, Paul, and Mary. This was
part of the Freedom Rally. In the speech, Dr. King said the following words:

“…We are here today because we are tried. We are tired of being seared in the flames of withering
injustice. We are tired of paying more or less. We are tired of living in rat infested slums and in the
Chicago Housing Authority’s cement reservations. We are tired of having to pay a median rent of $97 a
month in Lawndale for 4 rooms while whites in South Deering pay $73 a month for 5 rooms. We are
tired of inferior, segregated, and overcrowded schools which are incapable of preparing our young
people for leadership and security in this technological age. We are tired of discrimination in
employment which makes us the last hired and the first fired. We are tired of being bypassed for
promotions while supervisory jobs are granted to persons with less training, ability, and experience
simply because they are white. We are tired of the fact that the average white high school drop out in
Chicago earns more money than the average Negro college graduate…So, we must go out with grim and
bold determination to free ourselves. We must desegregate our minds. We must believe and know that
we are somebody. We must not allow anybody to make us feel that we are inferior. We must
appreciate our great heritage. We must be proud of our race. We must not be ashamed of being
Black. We must believe with all of our hearts that Black is Beautiful as any other color…”
After the speech, King and 5,000 supporters marched to City Hall. In the spirit of Martin Luther, the
demands of the Chicago Freedom Movement were taped to the door. Coretta Scott King and the King
family’s four children (who are Yolanda Denise King, Martin Luther King III, Dexter King, and Bernice
Albertine King) also marched in Chicago during that day. The demands were progressive and outlined
reasonable reforms that the Chicago Freedom Movement desired from passage of the 1966 Civil Rights Act
to steps to stop injustices against Black Americans and Latino Americans. Daley had his black patronage
network and his other establishment supporters tried to stop the goal of the movement. On July 14, 1966,
Chicago police turn off the fire hydrants in the West Side of Chicago. It was hot during that day in the realm
of 98 degrees. Then, the rebellion happened in Chicago. Immediately, Daley and others falsely scapegoated
the Chicago Freedom Movement for the violence. The next day, gang members meet with Dr. King, Andrew
Young, and others to debate the merits of nonviolence. The National Guard and other cops suppressed the
rebellion. Dr. King inspired many Chicago gangs to act nonviolent as a way to experience to see if
nonviolent discipline could achieve meaningful social change. Many gangs would agree and work in
nonviolent protests in Chicago and in the suburbs. Daley would further promote a law and order approach
in trying to suppress the aspirations of the people instead of promoting revolutionary solutions. After the
Chicago rebellion, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was further radicalized.

He knew that police brutality, economic decay, and the stripping of power from the ghetto (as one teenage
Vice Lord teenage said that it was about people wanting their rights) contributed to rebellions. On August
5, 1966, SCLC and the CCCO promoted the protest in Gage Park. This was when nonviolent protesters
encountered a large amount of white racists. These racists threw objects at the protesters, cursed them
out, and assaulted some protesters. Demonstrators protested in mostly white neighborhoods. Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. was hit with the rock during this protest in Marquette Park in Chicago (on August 5, 1966).
Reverend Dr. Albert R. Sampson of the Fernwood United Methodist Church also marched and was part of
the Chicago Freedom Movement. Michael Pfleger (or pastor of the St. Sabina Catholic Church) was there in
Marquette as a child during the march. He saw the white racism first hand.

The white racists not only threw rocks. They turned over cars, slashed tires, thrown bottles, some of them
used profanity, and they carried racist signs (which promoted Neo-Nazi hate, pro-KKK hate, and other racist
messages). The action of the white racists represented what Dr. King called the white backlash. The white
backlash was hatred shown by racist whites against the progressive movement of black people and other
freedom loving human beings who wanted progressive social change in America plus all over the world. He
said that the hate from racist whites in Chicago was worse than the hate that he found in Mississippi.
Andrew Young, a supporter of King, stated that he never saw anything like this in the South.

The violence and hate from thousands of white racists in Gage Park opened the eyes of many that
oppression was much more complex and that racism was heavily ingrained in society. It would be on
August 17, 1966, that the Chicago Freedom Movement negotiators, the CREB (or the Chicago Real Estate
Board), The Conference of Religion and Race, and the Daley administration met with each other. Daley’s
major concern was that he wanted to end the demonstrations. They would form an agreement, but Daley
would not enforce all of the agreement. After negotiating with King and various housing boards, a summit
agreement was announced in which the Chicago Housing Authority promised to build public housing with
limited height requirements, and the Mortgage Bankers Association agreed to make mortgages available
regardless of race. Although King called the agreement ‘‘the most significant program ever conceived to
make open housing a reality,’’ he recognized that it was only ‘‘the first step in a 1,000-mile journey’’ (King,
26 August 1966 Halvorsen, ‘‘Cancel Rights Marches’’).

Bevel and Jesse Jackson wanted to stay in Chicago to march on Cicero. Black Chicagoans considered Cicero
as the Mississippi of the North. The Chicago Freedom Movement did march on Cicero to advance open
housing. They announced their plans on August 26. Cicero was a sundown town. A sundown town was
when the sun came down in a town, black people were in danger of assault, harassment, and even murder.
Back in 1951 in Cicero, the black Clarks family was at attacked by 6,000 white people. Harvey Clark and his
family never lived in Cicero afterwards. By this time, Jesse Jackson would run Operation Breadbasket in
Chicago. Cicero in 1966 had no black residents and it has plenty of white segregationists. Black people were
employed in the city. The march in Cicero again was filed with racist haters. Nonviolent protesters were hit
with bottles and bricks by the racists. The marchers picked up bricks and bottles and threw them right back
at the racists in self-defense. In 1966, bad national political news came about. The reactionary Republicans
mostly controlled Congress after the 1966 Congressional elections and they were hostile to housing
legislation, the Civil Rights Bill of 1966, and other progressive legislation.

The push to pass the 1966 Civil Rights Act, which dealt with provisions for fair housing failed in Congress (in
September of 1966). In January of 1967, another group of SCLC activists (led by Hosea Williams) promoted
the organization of a a get out the vote campaign. In May of 1967, Leadership Council for Metropolitan
Open Communities, a product of the "Summit Agreement" launched "Project: Good Neighbor"; Martin
Luther King declared that no more demonstrations were necessary; the Chicago Freedom Movement was
over. There have been debates on whether the Chicago Freedom Movement was a victory or a failure.
Chicago is still of the most segregated cities in America. Most historians view it as a turning point in the civil
rights struggle as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. knew that a multiracial coalition of the poor and workers have
the right to confront poverty. Also, one victory out of the movement was the 1968 Housing Rights Act,
which unfortunately Dr. King didn’t witness as it was signed into law after he was assassinated. The Chicago
Freedom Movement taught us all how important civil rights, educational rights, housing rights, and
justice are and how these concepts intersect with each other.
The Black Panthers in Chicago
There can be no understanding about Chicago without the understanding about the Black Panther Party
movement. The Black Panther Party Illinois Chapter was established in 1967 by Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organizer Bob Brown. During this time period, over 300 black Chicagoans
joined the Panthers. Young Black people legitimately opposed police brutality, racism, capitalism, and
economic exploitation. The Black Panthers were created originally in Oakland, California by Bobby Seale
and Huey Newton. The greatest Black Panther leader in Chicago was of course Fred Hampton. Brother Fred
Hampton was a courageous black man and he stood up for justice in an unequivocal way. Even though,
Fred Hampton was murdered by a tactical unit of the Cook County, Illinois State’s Attorney’s Office the
Chicago Police Department, and the FBI, his memory lives on in all of us. He was born in Summit, Illinois in
August 30, 1940. His parents moved north from Louisiana and they both worked at the Argo Starch
Company. Hampton was gifted in academics and in the athletic field. He wanted to play center field for the
New York Yankees. He graduated from Proviso East High School with honors in 1966. Fred Hampton had a
natural ability to organize and be a leader. After his graduation, he enrolled in Triton Junior College in
nearby River Grover, Illinois. In this location, he majored in pre-law. He wanted to be very knowledgeable
about the legal system, because he wanted to use it as a defense against the police since many cops were
getting away with murderer literally back then (and today).

Fred Hampton was active in the NAACP or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
He was the leader of the Youth Council of the organization’s West Suburban Branch. When he was a NAACP
youth organizer, he led a youth group of 500 members strong (in a community of 27,000 people). He
worked to get more and better recreational facilities established in the neighborhoods and to improve
educational resources for Maywood’s impoverished black community. He made social change via
nonviolent activism and community organizing while he was in the NAACP. Soon, Fred Hampton joined the
Black Panther Party in Chicago. He respected the Panther’s 10 point program, its criticizing of capitalism, its
advocacy of self-determination, and its approach in solving problems. He joined the Party and relocated to
downtown Chicago. By November 1968, he joined the Party’s ascent Illinois chapter. In less than 2 years,
Fred Hampton made great accomplishments in Chicago. He made a nonaggression pact between Chicago’s
most powerful street gangs. Chicago gangs back then were very powerful. Fred Hampton believed that
racial and ethnic conflict between gangs would keep people still in poverty and won’t make real solutions.
So, he made a class conscious, multiracial alliance between the Black Panther Party, the Young Patriots
Organizations, and the Young Lords (under the leadership of Jose Cha Cha Jimenez). They met in Lincoln
Park the day after the Young Lords occupied a community workshop meeting inside the Chicago Avenue
18th District Police Station. The coalition was joined by the SDS (or the Students for a Democratic Society),
the Blackstone Rangers, the Brown Berets, and the Red Guard Party. IN May of 1969, Fred Hampton called
this truce via a press conference as a “rainbow coalition’ which was a phrased coined by Hampton. It has
been popularized by Rev. Jesse Jackson who used it to describe his Rainbow/PUSH organization. Fred
Hampton was very intelligent and he taught political education classes every morning at 6 am. He launched
a program for community supervision of the police He was involved in the BPP’s local People’s Clinic and he
worked in the BPP’s Free Breakfast Program in Chicago. This angered the FBI.

The FBI monitored Fred Hampton heavily especially since 1967. They or members of the FBI wanted not
have a revolutionary black movement helping society. The FBI wiretapped Hampton’s mother’s phone in
February of 1968. Fred Hampton in May of 1968 was placed on
the "Agitator Index", and he would be designated a "key militant
leader for Bureau reporting purposes." In late 1968, the Racial
Matters squad of the FBI’s Chicago field office brought in a black
person named William O’Neal. O’Neal was an informant or a
sellout. O’Neal agreed to monitor Fred Hampton in exchange to
get his felony charges dropped (which were interstate car theft
and impersonating a federal officer) and a monthly stipend. So,
O’Neal infiltrated the Black Panthers in Chicago and gave the FBI
information on the whereabouts of Fred Hampton. O’Neal was a
bodyguard of Fred Hampton too. The FBI set up distrust and
instigated tensions between the Panthers and the Rangers. This picture shows the Black
O’Neal instigated an armed shootout between both groups on Panthers in the California State
April 2, 1969. The FBI also used fake cartoon in trying to divide Capitol in May of 1967 protesting the
the SDS and the Panthers. In repeated directives, Hoover Mulford Act (which was supported by
demanded that the COINTELPRO personnel "destroy what the then CA Governor Ronald Reagan).
[BPP] stands for" and "eradicate its 'serve the people' The Black Panthers helped the
elderly, the poor, children, and
programs." On July 16, 1969, the Chicago police Department had
adults. They fought for liberation.
an armed confrontation with party members. One BPP member
The Black Panthers have stood up
was killed and six others were arrested on serious charges.
courageously for justice.
Mayor Richard Daley opposed the Black Panther Party members
All Power to the People.
since he saw them as trying to preempt the authority of city hall.

On May 26, 1969, Hampton was prosecuted in a case related to a theft in 1967 of $71 worth of Good
Humor Bars in Maywood. He was sentenced to two to five years but managed to obtain an appeal bond,
and was released in August. Fred Hampton and his girlfriend Deborah Johnson (who is now known as Akua
Nejri) was pregnancy with their first child in early October. Their child would be Fred Hampton Jr. The
couple rented a four and a half room apartment on 2337 West Monroe Street to be closer to BPP
headquarters. O'Neal reported to his superiors that much of the Panthers' "provocative" stockpile of arms
was being stored there. In early November, Hampton traveled to California on a speaking engagement to
the UCLA Law Students Association. While there, he met with the remaining BPP national hierarchy, who
appointed him to the Party's Central Committee. Shortly thereafter, he was to assume the position of Chief
of Staff and major spokesman. O’Neal told the FBI about Fred Hampton’s whereabouts. Another gun battle
between the Panthers and the police happened in November 13. On December 3, O’Neal drugged Fred
Hampton’s drink so he would sleep during the raid. At 1:30 am. In November 4th, Hampton fell asleep. The
raid was organized by the office of Cook County State’s Attorney Edward Hanrahan.

Hanrahan had recently been the subject of a large amount of public criticism by Hampton, who had made
speeches about how Hanrahan's talk about a "war on gangs" was really rhetoric used to enable him to carry
out a "war on black youth." At 4:00 am, the heavily armed police came to the house. They divided into 2
teams in the front and back of the building. At 4:45 am, they stormed into the apartment. Mark Clark had a
shotgun in his lap on security duty. He was shot in the heart and died instantly. No other Panthers fired a
shot except when Clark fired his gun out of a reflex after he was shot automatic gunfire killed Fred
Hampton. Other Panthers were wounded. Fred Hampton died in a pool of blood. The officers kept on
shooting in the building. Satchel, Anderson, and Brewer were sleeping. Verlina Brewer, Ronald "Doc"
Satchel, Blair Anderson, and Brenda Harris were seriously wounded. They were beaten and dragged into
the street and falsely arrested on aggravated assault and attempted murder of the officer. They were each
held on $100,000 bail. Hampton's fiancée, Deborah Johnson, was sleeping next to him when the police raid
began. She was forcibly removed from the room by the police officers while Hampton lay unconscious in
bed. The seven Panthers who survived the raid were indicted by a grand jury on charges of attempted
murder, armed violence, and various other weapons charges.

These charges were subsequently dropped. During the trial, the Chicago police department claimed that
the Panthers were the first to fire shots; however, a later investigation found that the Chicago police fired
between ninety and ninety-nine shots while the Panthers had only shot twice. Fred Hampton’s funeral was
filled with 5,000 people. Jesse Jackson, Ralph Abernathy, and many people were there. It is obvious that the
cops executed 2 black men in cold blood. Yet, the police murderers were never convicted for their crimes.
The families of Hampton and Clark filed a US$47.7 million civil suit against the city, state, and federal
governments. The case went to trial before Federal Judge J. Sam Perry. At first the case was dismissed.
Then, it was retried more than a decade later. The suit was finally settled for $1.85 million. The two families
each shared in the settlement. December 4 is known as Fred Hampton Day in Chicago. A public pool was
named in his honor in his hometown of Maywood, Illinois. The excellent documentaries of the Murder of
Fred Hampton from 1971 and the Eyes on the Prize series show excellent information on the story of the
late Brother Fred Hampton.

RIP Brother Fred Hampton.

Political Developments in the late 1960's, the 1970's, and Beyond

After WWII in Chicago, veterans and more immigrants came from Europe. Many immigrants from Europe
were the Displaced Persons from Eastern Europe. They created a postwar economic boom. This caused huge
housing tracts on Chicago’s Northwest and Southwest Sides. Many post war images of Chicago was
recorded by street photographers like Richard Nickel and Vivian Maier. During the 1950’s, in the postwar
desire for new and improved housing was aided by new highways and commuter train lines, many middle
and higher income Americans started to move from the inner city of Chicago to the suburbs. There was the
restructuring of the stockyards and steel industries after 1950. This led into massive job losses in the city for
working class people. The city population shrank by nearly 700,000. The City Council devised "Plan 21" to
improve neighborhoods and focused on creating "Suburbs within the city" near downtown and the lakefront.
It built public housing to try to improve housing standards in the city. As a result many poor human beings
were uprooted from newly created enclaves of Black, Latino and poor in neighborhoods such as Near North,
Wicker Park, Lakeview, Uptown, Cabrini–Green, West Town and Lincoln Park. The passage of civil rights laws
in the 1960s also affected Chicago and other northern cities.

In the 1960s and 1970s, many middle and upper income Americans continued to move from the city for
better housing and schools in the suburbs. There was growth of office building in the 1960’s in the midst of
massive social movements. Mayor Richard J. Delay was mayor from 1955 to 1976. Daley was part of the
Chicago’s Democratic machine politics. He dominated the Cook County democratic Central Committee.
Daley used his influence to build in the Loop, the city-owned O’Hare Airport (which became the world’s
busiest airport displacing Midway Airport’s prior claims). Several neighborhoods near downtown and the
lakefront were gentrified and transformed into “suburbs within the city.” Daley was filled with controversies
from black people and other groups of people. The police in Chicago used discriminatory practices. In the
Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park and Humboldt Park communities, the Young Lords under the leadership
of Jose Cha Cha Jimenez marched and held sit ins to protest the displacement of Latinos and the poor. After
the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King in 1968, major riots of despair resulted in the burning down of
sections of the black neighborhoods of the South and West sides. There were the famous protests against
the Vietnam War at the 1968 Democratic National Convention held in Chicago. Daley allowed the police to
be police brutality in street violence with televised broadcasts of the Chicago police’s beating of unarmed
protesters. Daley yelled at Senator Abraham A. Ribicoff (D-Conn.) after Ribicoff courageously exposed
Daley’s Gestapo tactics in the streets of Chicago. A federal commission, led by local attorney, party activist
Dan Walker, investigated the events surrounding the convention and described them as a "police riot."
Afterwards, anti-war activists Abbie Hoffman, Jeffery Rubin, Bobby Seale, and others of the “Chicago Eight”
were convicted of crossing state lines with the intent of inciting a riot. Bobby Seale was gagged in a seat
while he was on trial, which was wrong. Their convictions were overturned on appeal.

Jesse Jackson by the late 1960's had ideological and management disputes with the SCLC. After Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, Jesse Jackson claimed that was the last person who speak to King,
and that King died in his arms – an account that several King aides disputed. Dr. King explicitly stated that if
sometime happened to him, that Ralph Abernathy would take over leadership of the SCLC or the Southern
Leadership Christian Conference. Ralph Abernathy was one leader of the Poor People's Campaign. Jesse
Jackson also worked in the campaign. Jesse Jackson is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and he
is a Freemason. I don't agree with the agenda of the CFR and I disagree with Freemasonry ideologically.
Unfortunately, Jesse Jackson has worked with the Democratic Party establishment.

Jesse Jackson was credited with managing the 15 acre tent city called Resurrection City in Washington D.C.
during Poor People’s Campaign. Many people by 1969 called Jesse Jackson as Dr. King’s successor. Yet, we
have to be our own leaders. Ralph Abernathy and Jesse Jackson had a dispute on ideology and management
during this era of time. In the spring of 1971, Abernathy ordered Jackson to move the national office of
Operation Breadbasket from Chicago to Atlanta and sought to place another person in charge of local
Chicago activities, but Jackson refused to move. In October of 1971, Jesse Jackson organized the Black Expo
in Chicago. The Black Expo was a trade and business fair. It promoted black capitalism and grassroots
political power. It was a five day event. It was attended by black businessmen from 40 states, as well as
politicians such as Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes, and Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley. The expo showed the
growing political and economic power of black people. In December of 1971, Jackson and Abernathy had a
complete falling out, with the split described as part of a leadership struggle between Jackson, who had a
national profile, and Abernathy, whose prominence in the Civil Rights Movement was waning. The break
began when Abernathy questioned the handling of receipts from the Black Expo, and then suspended
Jackson as leader of Operation Breadbasket for not obtaining permission to from non-profit corporations. Al
Sharpton, then youth group leader of the SCLC, left the organization to protest Jackson's treatment and
formed the National Youth Movement. Jackson, his entire Breadbasket staff, and 30 of the 35 board
members resigned from the SCLC and began planning a new organization. Jesse Jackson on December 25,
1971 formed Operation Push or the People United to Save Humanity. The name was changed by Jackson to
People United to Serve Humanity.

The black capitalist T.R.M. Howard was installed as a member of the board of directors and chair of the
finance committee (of Operation PUSH). Operation PUSH would deal with politics, it pressured politicians to
improve economic opportunities for black people and poor people of all races. SCLC officials back then
reportedly felt the new organization would help black businesses more than it would help the poor.
Operation PUSH is still in existence today. Historically, Operation PUSH has helped many people in a
diversity of ways form literacy programs, anti-crime initiatives, and assistance to black homeowners. Likewise,
Operation PUSH worked with corporations to build up affirmative action programs. In 1978, Jackson called
for a closer relationship between blacks and the Republican Party, telling the Party’s that "Black people need
the Republican Party to compete for us so we can have real alternatives ...The Republican Party needs black
people if it is ever to compete for national office." The truth is that both capitalist parties (of the
Republicans and the Democrats. We should never be captive to the Republican or the Democratic
parties under the guise of following the so-called “lesser of two evils.” If we are to be free, then we
are to embrace political independence) have exploited black people for a long time and we need
political independence. On a tour of South Africa in 1979 he pushed for “operational unity” with Gatsha
Buthelezi, the Zulu tribalist leader whose Inkatha thugs work closely with the apartheid regime in murderous
attacks on black trade unionists and young militants in the townships. Jackson complimented Pieter
Koornhof, apartheid minister for “black affairs” as a “courageous man’ for whom he had high regard.” That
was wrong.

Jesse Jackson formed the Rainbow Coalition in 1984. Financial problems in Operation PUSH caused Jackson
to make the Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition to merge as one in 1996. Jesse Jackson was
involved in the 1984 and in the 1988 Presidential campaigns as a Democratic candidate. He was crucial in
expanding the voting power of black Americans and he was involved in foreign policy initiatives from
allowing Americans to come home after disputes and he also protested the Iraq War. So, when you look at
Jesse Jackson’s legacy overall, it is combination of good things (which should be acknowledged like how he
wanted the then apartheid regime of South Africa to end, he opposed Reaganomics, his opposition to the
War on Drugs recently, his standing up against police brutality, his respect given to the family of the victims
of the 2015 Charleston Church shooting massacre, and how he has advocated universal health care) with
errors (like Jesse Jackson loving black capitalism when capitalism is based on exploitation and oppression
against all workers straight up. Also, Jackson is wrong to accept the aims of the Democratic establishment
when that establishment is part of the corrupt political duopoly that has not massively improved the needs
of black people). The Brother Jesse Jackson has lived a long life and now, more of the younger generation of
Brothers and Sisters should continue in the work for social justice (in that sense, the entire human race can
have equality and justice).

Richard Daley continued his mayor ship of Chicago until his death in December 20, 1976. He died of a heart
attack while visiting his doctor’s office. He was 74 years old when he died. Black Chicagoans have been the
victims of deindustrialization of the 1970’s and the Reagan administration’s attacks on social programs in the
early 1980’s including decades of neglect from the Chicago political machine. When completed in 1974, the
Sears Tower, now known as the Willis Tower, at 1451 feet was the world's tallest building during the 1970's.
It was designed by the famous Chicago firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which designed many of the
city's famous buildings.
Mayor Jane Byrne
Chicago is a city known of firsts. The first mayor of Chicago who was a woman was Jane Byrne. Throughout
her life, she experienced triumphs and controversies. Her family loved her a lot. Her life was filled with a
great amount of political experience and she worked heavily in the city of Chicago. She was a Democrat, but
ironically her mentor was Richard J. Daley. Jane Byrne was a volunteer for the John F. Kennedy campaign
for President back in 1960. In 1968, Daley appointed her as head of Chicago’s consumer affairs department.
She first campaigned as a reformer. Her campaign against the former mayor Michael Bilandic was brilliant.
Snowstorms in Chicago in January of 1979 caused people to see Bilandic as ineffective as a leader. Jesse
Jackson endorsed Byrne in 1979. She defeated Bilandic in the Democratic mayoral primary. She connected
with the voters. She focused on issues that people cared about during her 1978 campaign. She won the
general election with 82 percent of the vote, which is the largest margin in any Chicago mayoral election in
Chicago history. Byrne made history in other ways too. She hired the first African American and woman
school superintendent Ruth B. Love. She was the first mayor to recognize the gay community.

In March 1981, she moved into the crime-ridden Cabrini–Green Homes housing project for a 3-week period
to bring attention and resources to its high crime rate. She banned handgun possession for guns
unregistered or purchased after the enactment of an ordinance which instituted a two year re-registration
program. She supported Senator Edward Kennedy for President in 1980, but Jimmy Carter won the Illinois
Democratic Primary. When, she was in office, she worked with the City Council. She made alliances with the
powers that be in commerce and industry, which have a huge influence in how politics happen in Chicago.
She is known to have a strong personality and there is one big issue. Later in her first term, she alienated
many African Americans and Hispanic Americans in Chicago. They felt that she didn’t do enough to address
the socioeconomic problems of people of color in Chicago. Mayor Byrne was an ally of the Democratic
machine. She knew political arithmetic, because she had to get strong support from the black community in
order to be reelected in the city of Chicago. During her term, she had to deal with delievring basic services
to people, she dealt with street lights, public transportation existed, and the city further shifted into a neo-
liberal direction.
The problem was that there were huge budget shortfalls, a pensions problem, lagging revenues, schools
were not performing strong enough, public housing was crumbling, and many public employee unions were
dissatisfied. Teachers, firemen, and others went on strike during the early part of her administration. In
Chicago, after the 1979 snowstorm, black people in Chicago were further exploited by the elites. Many L
trains passed up the black community during the days when Bilandic was mayor. Many black people
accused the Mayor Byrne of under representing black people in appointments, city jobs, and contracts.
Marion Stamps or the Director of Chicago Housing Tenants Organization back then viewed Byrne moving
into the housing project as patronizing and disrespectful. Sister Marion Stamps said that Charles Swibel (or
the chairman of the housing department back then) didn’t provide massive services to public housing or
talked to the residents of public housing (so public housing residents had little recourse in expressing their
concerns). Some of her critics, according to the Chicago Times, called her or Jane Byrne out of her name.
Her husband was Chicago journalist Jay McMullen. Jane Byrne later on wanted to go at it alone mostly. She
had a contentious campaign with Harold Washington in the 1983 mayoral campaign, which further turned
many black people off (from supporting Byrne). So, she made many accomplishments for Chicago. Chicago
was a little better than before she was in office, but the deficits, the problems with public housing, etc. are
some of her overt errors.

She had allies and political enemies. She was Mayor of Chicago from April 16, 1979 to April 29, 1983. In
1982, there was a massive voter registration drive in Chicago. Sister Nancy Jefferson helped people to vote
and spoke up about how public aid were cut back exist during that time. Mondale supported Richard Daley.
Edward Kennedy supported Jane Byrne. Jesse Jackson supported the Brother Harold Washington in the
early 1980’s. Byrne lost to Harold Washington in 1983 (during the Democratic mayoral primary). Sister
Rosie Mars supported Harold Washington. Ironically, Jane Byrne would later support Harold Washington in
the future by 1987. She lived in Chicago. She suffered a stroke, was placed in a hospice care, and she died in
November 14, 2014 in Chicago. She was 81 years old. Her daughter is Katherine and her grandson is Willie.
Her funeral Mass was held at St. Vincent de Paul on Monday, November 17, 2014. She was buried at
Interment Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois. In a dedication ceremony held on August 29, 2014,
Governor Pat Quinn renamed the Circle Interchange in Chicago the Jane Byrne Interchange. In July 2014,
the Chicago voted to rename the plaza surrounding the historic Chicago Water Tower on North Michigan
Avenue the Jane M. Byrne Plaza in her honor. In essence, Jane Byrne’s mayoral legacy (which was mixed)
represented a transitional period in the history of Chicago. She loved politics and we remember this history
in order for us to be inspired to help our neighbors as ourselves. After Jane Byrne was Mayor, the people of
Chicago would vote for Harold Washington to be the first black American to be mayor of Chicago.
Mayor Harold Washington (the first Black Mayor of Chicago)
Harold Washington was a Brother who lived a life filled with a love of politics and a love for the city of
Chicago. His love caused him to be the first black mayor of Chicago. He served in the Army during World
War II in the Pacific. After World War II, he was activist in Illinois politics. He soon ran the election for Mayor
in 1983. The election of 1983 was contentious, hardcore, and many folks appealed to racism in order to try to
prevent Harold Washington from being Mayor. These racist forces failed. His mayoral journey was not easy.
He faced massive deficits caused by the previous mayor and he faced the deindustrialization and the
increasing crime rates that America experienced during the 1980’s. He was a black Democrat who had more
than 514,000 votes in the April 12th election. He led a coalition to win which included black people
obviously, Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans, and progressive whites. He defeated the Republican Bernard
Epton.

Washington sincerely wanted a broad-based coalition of African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans,
progressive whites, the poor, etc. in a progressive multiethnic, multiclass coalition in order for Chicago to
have justice and freedom for all. The problem was that this coalition had difficulties in forming independent
structures to solve problems more readily. A large problem was not just with the Republicans (who were
reactionaries heavy). It was also the Democratic machine who wanted to control Washington and even want
him to follow neoliberal policies explicitly. One reactionary head of the Cook County Democratic Party
machine was alderman E.R. Vrdolyak. He blatantly openly appealed to racists in order to control the
aldermans of Chicago and he didn’t wanting Harold Washington to implement progressive policies in
Chicago. Vrdolyak was an enemy of Washington and the freedom loving peoples of Chicago. Vrdolyak
helped to enacted a policy that only caused the city council to get a two-thirds vote to take bills away from
committees that refused to act on them. Vrdolyak used race baiting in claiming that it’s a race thing. He
wanted the status quo. During the early years of his mayorship, Washington made some actions that were
positive. From 1983 to 1985, Harold Washington allowed Chicago to build 9,596 new residential units, homes
were rehabilitated, the infant mortality rate decreased. Yet, community development funds decreased in that
span of time. Washington used tax increases in order to decrease the city’s long term debt. The tax increases
were about $312 million. The mayor reduced the city’s debt by $27.5 million. The city council blocked many
other alternative sources of revenue. In 1985, he executed an executive order to get city contracts for
minority owned and women owned firms. African American and Hispanic business leaders wanted contracts
to develop their enterprises.

Harold Washington desired social democratic solutions, but some members of the city council (especially the
corporate elites in Chicago) tried to push him into accepting more moderate actions. Some of the
Democratic machine didn’t like this man when he was alive. Overall city employment increased by 2.2
percent from 1983 to 1984 and there was a 5.1 percent increase in jobs on the South Side too. The
Democratic primary of the mayorship in 1987 was hardcore, contentious, and personal. Many Hispanic
people, Arabic people, Asian people, and other groups of people wanted more political power during this
era. In a sense, this story is very similar to the coalition that caused President Barack Obama to be elected in
2008. Reverend Jesse Jackson, community progressive activist Marlene Carter, and others supported
Washington. Yet, many people like Jane Byrne and others challenged him during the primary. Byrne would
go on to support Harold Washington in the 1987 election. Harold Washington won the Democratic primary
and won the mayor election in 1987 against Republican (and Northwestern University professor) Donald
Haider, the reactionary race baiter Vrdolyak (Illinois Solidarity Party), and Cook County Assessor Thomas
Hynes (Chicago First Party). He continued to work. During his second term, Harold Washington wanted to
work to create affordable housing and he had a progressive view on the issue of immigration. He passed
away by a heart attack on November 25, 1987. He was only 65. He brought many people together. He was
the first black mayor of Chicago. He wanted to form coalitions of people across classes, across races, and
across genders. His life is the reminder of the power of coalitions and the importance of dealing with diverse
consistencies in a progressive way.

RIP Brother Harold Washington

Richard M. Daley and the 1990's
The rise of Richard M. Daley as mayor came about in 1989. Questioned about the city's rising homicide rate
on September 10, 1991, Daley said "The more killing and homicides you have the more havoc it prevents."
That comment was blatantly disrespectful. He would be mayor until 2011. From his beginnings as mayor, he
made Chicago a city for the rich and powerful to deal with via deals and various projects, but he didn’t offer
revolutionary solutions to address poverty.

Carol Moseley-Braun made history in 1992 when she became the first African-American woman elected to
the United States Senate. Known as the "Year of the Woman," Moseley-Braun was one of an unprecedented
five women sent to the Senate in a single election year. Carol Moseley-Braun was born in Chicago in 1947.
She attended the University of Illinois, graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School,
and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1973. After three years working as a prosecutor in the office of the
U.S. Attorney, Mosley Braun entered politics and was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives as a
Democrat in 1978. She is a lover of wisdom and she has helped so many people in real life. She would later
run for the Presidency of the United States in 2004. Moseley-Braun heads Good Food Organics, founded in
2005, which follows her commitment to public responsibility through a business approach of financial
profitability, environmental sustainability, and social ethics.
During the 1990’s, there were many people who became even more popular than the previous decades.
There was the further rise of the middle class and the rich in America. Oprah Winfrey is an actress, producer,
business leader, and she is known for her talk show which was highly popular during the 1980’s and in the
1990’s. During the 21st century, she ended her talk show to work on many projects from her schools in South
Africa to her OWN Network enterprise. Oprah Winfrey is an African American billionaire. Since the 1970’s,
there has been the growth of the upper middle class and rich black Americans. The Chicago Bulls during the
1980’s and beyond made huge accomplishments in the NBA. During 1991, Chicago Bulls won their first
championship whose Finals MVP was Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan propelled the NBA into new heights
and took the popularity of the NBA into the next level. The Chicago Bulls represented teamwork and it has
inspired new generations of athletes to this very day. Many people have made contributions in society, but
many of them lack revolutionary ideologies. Many of them want to make money, submit to the 2 party
system, and just go with the flow. Yet, we should be politically independent. In order words, many celebrities
love more of the agenda of the ruling class (and its corporate interests) than the masses of the people.

There must be social transformation of society where universal health care exists, where the War on Drugs
ends, and where economic justice is made for all (with full employment), especially for the poor. Daley saw
the growth of multimillion dollar parks, posh restaurants, hotels, and the Michigan Avenue shopping district
in the Loop. During his time as mayor, there has been huge poverty, stripped down social services, struggling
public schools, and police corruption. On other issues, he was more progressive. On March 19, 1997, the
Chicago City Council adopted the Domestic Partners Ordinance, which made employee benefits available to
same-sex partners of City employees. Daley said it was an issue of fairness. Many black people were
appointed in high positions while Daley was mayor. Many public housing projects were torn down. On the
other hand, Daley wasn’t a revolutionary. He was a Republican mayor who wanted reform instead of
revolution. The ex-cop Burge is known for torturing black people in Chicago and it is only recently when
some of the victims are beginning to be compensation for their abuses and mistreatment. He defeated
Bobby Rush in 1999 in the race for mayor. Amnesty International back in the 1990’s wanted Mayor Daley to
confront police brutality in Chicago. So, Richard M. Daley led neoliberal policies in Chicago.
This picture of President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Sasha, and Malia has taken place in the late
night victory celebration in Grant Park, Chicago on November 4, 2008. This event represented a new era in
American history.

Chicago during the 21st Century

Chicago in the 21st century has made many changes and there is still a long way to go. There can be no
mention about Chicago without the mention of President Barack Obama. The President was not born in
Chicago, but he has great roots in Chicago then and now. During the 1980's, Barack Obama was a
community organizer in Chicago. He helped people in some of the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago. He
took inspiration to work in Chicago heavily from Mayor Harold Washington during the 1980's. Ironically, the
multiracial coalition of the late Harold Washington was similar to the multiracial coalition that supported
Obama in his 2008 and 2012 Presidential campaigns. President Barack Obama is the first black President
of America. That is very historic.

Barack Obama gave his Presidential acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois on November 4,
2008. The strengths of President Barack Obama is that he has immense intelligence (as a constitutional
professor and a civil rights lawyer), he is a great organizer, and he has great eloquence in outlining his views
(whether people agree with him or not). Obviously, I do disagree with the President's drone policy. I believe
that his foreign policy is heavily imperialist. For example, the US/NATO attacks on Libya, the US funding a
reactionary Ukrainian regime, and other actions are not revolutionary but reactionary (which has caused
deaths of human lives and the destruction of whole countries). I don't support those policies at all. The
President is wrong to advance imperialism. Imperialism in the modern age has originated from white racist
Europeans, who organized the Maafa and other forms of oppression against black people, other people of
color, and other oppressed people worldwide. This system is classist and sexist too. Also, I disagree with his
pro-surveillance policies, his neoliberal economic policies (which has benefited Wall Street and the 1% on
many ways. There has been a massive transfer of wealth from the masses of the people to select wealthy
oligarchs. We see massive increase of low wage jobs instead of living wage jobs while many people have left
the job market), and on other issues. The labor force participation rate remained at 62.6 percent for a third
month, which is the lowest rate since October 1977. The President is wrong to ignore the discrimination,
racism, occupation, and apartheid policies that Israel executes day in and day out.
 This shows the president Barack Obama, his family, and Joe Biden including his wife celebrating the Obama’s
campaign 2012 Presidential victory in November of 2012.

There has been the growth of economic inequality in America for decades. The recession didn't originate
with the current President (an obstructionist mostly Republican Congress refuses to even pass a
infrastructure bill, which is a disgrace on the part of the GOP. We know that GOP leadership supports the
evils of war, austerity, anti-civil liberty laws, and anti-labor rights), but under his Presidency poverty,
economic inequality, and wage stagnation are still serious problems in America. I do agree with the
President on him signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the Dodd-Frank law, the American Jobs and
Closing Tax Loopholes Act, the Civil Rights History Act, the expansion of the Pell Grant Program, the
expansion of the Nurse-Family Partnership program, the support of giving compensation to black
farmers, the signing of two executive orders that mirror provisions of the Paycheck Fairness Act, the
expansion of funding for the Violence Against Women Act, signing the Post-9/11GI Bill (or the GI Bill 2.0),
the signing of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, and other actions. I do agree that many of the right wing
attacks on the President go beyond legitimate dissent and some of that criticism has been slanderous and
racist without question (Some of these cowardly extremists even disrespect his wife and his children. That
is wrong). These racists (not people who express legitimate dissent) attack the President not because of
them desiring to legitimately disagree with his political policies, but they want to advance more anti-black
hatred. I disagree with some of the policies of the White House, but I don’t attack the President unjustly or
personally. So, the right wing attacks by white racists are part of the agenda of white supremacy since these
racists omit that the system of racism/white supremacy is the origin of the oppression of black people in
our modern age. Obviously, President Barack Obama is not the worst President ever.

It is important to realize that tons of people know the truth and that is important to advance Black Unity,
Black Collective Power, and Black Love. So, regardless of which year we live in, we have to continue to fight
for justice and freedom worldwide. Also, another point is to be made. The current President is a
representative of the system. We know that there is still the system of racism/white supremacy (including
capitalism) that has harmed people worldwide beyond the power of the President (though the President is
still accountable for the policies that he personally implements). In other words, when President Obama
leaves office in 2017, the system of racism/white supremacy (which is pro-capitalist) will still exist. Not only
must we legitimately critique our elected officials. We have the responsibility to be part of the solution too.
It is not enough to condemn evil. We have to do some good too and promote the view that the government
should promote the general welfare for all people (which means that our social programs should be strong
and freedom is to be made into a reality succinctly).

The City of Chicago, Illinois
The problems in this country existed long
before Obama was elected President though
the President should have responsibility and
accountability for his actions. We want the
neoliberal/Empire agenda to end. We desire
universal health care, educational justice,
racial justice, an end to imperialism, and end
to the War on Drugs. The system of
racism/white supremacy must end and be
replaced with the system of justice. Forever, I
believe in social justice, environmental justice
(where the world ecology is improved upon),
and an end to the prison industrial complex. I
reject materialism 100 percent. There ought
to be end to police terrorism, and the
creation of economic justice. I believe in jobs
with living wages for humanity as Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. (who respected democratic
socialism) has advocated. I want any Wall
Street banker, who is a criminal, to be
prosecuted. I believe in civil liberties and I
oppose the USA Patriot Act and the NDAA. I
believe in the common good and democratic
rights. That's real talk.

The Great Recession came from the previous

Republican administration. Not everything is
The top row (from left to right) shows the places of the
Chicago Board of Trade Building and a mural from Logan
terrible in America, but we have a long way to
Street. The bottom row (from left to right) shows the Chicago go. Not to mention, as I have said before, I
Theater and the Aerial View of Navy Pier at the nighttime. will never call the Brother (who is the
President) out of his name. We live in a new
• Country United States era with an African American President, but
• State Illinois still we witness high levels of unemployment
• Counties Cook, DuPage in the black community including a racist,
• Population 2,704,958 (estimate from 2016) classist criminal injustice system. The First
Lady Michelle Obama (who is a beautiful black woman with blessed children) advancing fitness, exercise,
and healthy eating has inspired people worldwide. That's good thing. The President has a tendency to
overtly refuse to condemn the system of white supremacy and call out the oligarchy because of fear of
offending right wing sensibilities. In essence, the neoliberal President Barack Obama embraces neoliberal
philosophies (as he has admitted that he agrees with the free enterprise system, which I don't). There has
been a high level of police brutality in America and we see the growth of social movements fighting back
against police terrorism, economic inequality, xenophobia, misogyny, imperialism, and ecological injustices
as well. This means that we should both address racial oppression and class oppression (which exists from
capitalist exploitation as we need the poor and the workers to have liberation) in order for us to see justice.
We want the entire human race to be free and to have justice without oppression.

Also, another great point is to be made too. I believe in Black Unity, Black Liberation, and international
Black Solidarity forever. I reject the system of white supremacy. Yet, we can’t ally with members of the
establishment’s Black political class (called the black bourgeoisie or the black misleadership crew by
activists), who presides over the state-sanctioned violence against Black Life in America, who privatizes our
public schools, who advances neoliberal economic policies, who support Western global dominance, and
who submits to the 2 party duopoly. In other words we have to ally with the Black working class and poor
(including other sincere, freedom fighters) in order for us to get the liberation that we should have. We
know that the Black Lives Matter movement is being attacked by the right (as reactionaries like Bill O’Reilly,
Elizabeth Hasselback, Ted Cruz etc. have slandered the BLM movement as responsible for the deaths of cops,
which is a lie. These right wing attacks against the BLM are condemned by me and by others globally) and
the Democrats are constantly trying to co-opt the movement. Bill O’Reilly wants to shut down the BLM
movement and he won’t win. To the credit of the Black Lives Matter movement, they have rejected the
DNC’s resolution to support of the BLM movement as they wrote: “…While the Black Lives Matter
Network applauds political change towards making the world safer for Black life, our only
endorsement goes to the protest movement we've built together with black people nationwide--not
the self-interested candidates, parties, or political machine seeking our vote…” So, we must address
not only police terrorism in our communities. We have to address poverty, unemployment, substandard
housing, unequal access to education, and economic inequality (as we have 400 billionaires in America while
there are 45 million American people in mass poverty). We have much more work to do.

The city increased its population density and its air quality has improved. There is the park district. The park
district is the biodiversity recovery plan is set to restore damaged natural areas of the city as well as
creating new ones. There is the existence of many green roofs that were created to reduce heat gain, aid in
air quality, and provide insulation. Millennium Park on the lake demonstrates man of the new concepts.
Political changes have taken place too. Mayor Richard Daley was mayor from the later 1980's until the early
part of the 21st century. Richard M. Daley was focused on business development, he developed tourism,
and he saw the construction of Millennium Park. Daley did some positive things. His problems were his over
emphasis on privatization programs and many of his family members would disproportionately benefit
from city contracting. Also, when Mayor Daley took office, there was a budget surplus (as caused by the
late Brother Mayor Harold Washington). He left the city as Mayor with Chicago having massive structural
deficits. His budgets ran up the largest deficits in Chicago history. He sold many public lands to private
corporations, which many progressives didn’t like. Mayor Daley didn't radically improve the conditions of
its poor citizens in Chicago either. In 2003, Meigs Field was closed with the Chicago Film Archives founded.

In 2005, the Chicago White Sox win their first World Series in 88 years. Back in May 1, 2006, U.S.
immigration reform protests in Chicago draw over 400,000 people. "There were some positive benefits into
the neighborhoods, there was some spreading of housing and economic development into particularly
minority areas, which had not been seen for decades," said Dick Simpson, head of the political science
department at the University of Illinois at Chicago who served two terms as alderman of the 44th Ward
during the 1970s. "But it's not been enough to compensate for the other two problems: the recession and
the collapse of affordable housing." Overall, Simpson said he considered Daley's impact on the city's
impoverished areas would be viewed as "mixed". "Some of the neighborhoods, like Woodlawn and others,
have begun to get more private housing development in them and some economic development," Simpson
said. "But overall, poverty and unemployment have remained at unacceptably high levels and the Daley
administration was not able to resolve that."

Many lower income neighborhoods suffered massive poverty. Census data showed that while the citywide
unemployment rate decreased from 11.3 percent in 1990 to 10.5 percent in 2009. In fact, no ethnic group
saw bigger changes over the course of the Daley era than the city's African Americans, which lost 12.5
percent of its total population between 1990 and 2009. He left behind a budget deficit estimated at more
than $500 million, and famously sold off public assets such as the Chicago Skyway and the city's parking
meters for one-time cash infusions whose proceeds are very nearly exhausted. During the Daley era,
predominantly black communities witnessed the highest unemployment and the highest increase in
unemployment from 18.4 percent in 1990 to 19.6 percent in 2009. So, his legacy was mixed with good and
bad policies. The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2010. After Daley, Rahm Emanuel was sworn in
as Mayor of Chicago in May 16, 2011.
The May 2012 NATO Summit took place in Chicago and massive protests has existed in the city as well.
Rahm Emanuel is a neoliberal through and through. Rahm Emanuel has been a great reactionary force in
Chicago. He closed tons of Chicago public schools. He promoted wage cuts. He is very unpopular among
many people in Chicago. He was reelected in massive unpopularity. Kari Lydersen’s book entitled, “Mayor
1%: Rahm Emanuel and the Rise of Chicago’s 99%” talks about Emanuel’s neoliberalism a great deal.
Emanuel was once the White House Chief of Staff for the Obama administration from 2009 to 2010. He is
known for his temper and his usage of vulgar language. The crime rate in Chicago has declined since the
1990’s, but gun violence is still a serious issue as hundreds of people have died in Chicago every year. That
is totally unacceptable. It is also unacceptable for innocent unarmed black people to be murdered by the
police. Any death of any innocent person in any location of America is unacceptable, so this is a national
problem. There are so many tragedies of gun violence in Chicago. One story was Hadiya Pendleton. She was
only 15 years old when she was killed. She was killed only one week after performing at events for the
President’s second inauguration. She was shot in the back while she was standing with friends. She died in
January 29, 2013. Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton and Nathaniel A. Pendleton Sr. are her parents. So, we
mourn her passing. Shannon Harper was shot and killed on 66th and Champlain. Also, we recognize there
are tons of independent organizations in Chicago who are working all of the time to combat violence in the
city.

These are the courageous human beings involved in the strike in Chicago (in order to improve Dyett
High School in Chicago).

Fights for Justice

There are musicians, religious people, social activists, and other great person who are putting in work in
fighting back against gun violence in Chicago. So, that should be acknowledged. That is why activists (then
and now) among many backgrounds are constantly fighting in programs, community groups, and other real
organizations to combat gun violence and any crime in Chicago. Rahm Emanuel has been re-elected as
Mayor of Chicago. Karen Lewis and other fought back and are still fighting back. Jitu Brown, a member of
the Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School on August 2015, and other courageous people have organized
a historic hunger strike. This hunger strike has been staged by parents and community residents, who are
resisting the closing and privatization of their neighborhood high school and the intransigence of Chicago's
City Hall. These heroic human beings are not only protesting the closing of public schools. They are against
the closing of hospitals and trauma centers including the evil of gentrification. They are involved in
grassroots organizing and they want the improvement of the South Side community and all areas of
Chicago. I am in solidarity with them. So, Chicago is still here and it's a strong city that I have great respect
for.

The protesters in Chicago are letting their voices to be heard. The Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke executed
Laquan McDonald. Laquan was only 17 years old. Many of the protesters are protesting Black Friday. The
video clearly shows Van Dyke firing 2 shots into McDonald while he moved away from the police and then
he fired 14 more shots into McDonald’s body as he lies dying the middle of the road. He was murdered in
October 20, 2014 at 10 pm. The cold blooded murder of Laquan was evil. Van Dyke has been charged with
first degree murder. Across America, the police have murdered almost 1,200 people during this year alone.
People know that Chicago is known for many of its officers using police brutality. At first, the police claimed
that there was only one shot not 16. The cops' account was that McDonald was allegedly "acting erratically"
and "armed"--with what turned out to be a small pocketknife. The police insisted that McDonald "lunged"
at them, and that Van Dyke fired in fear for his life. That’s a lie as the video shows that McDonald was no
direct threat to any of the officers. McDonald didn't lung at any officer. That is why the City Council
approved a $5 million payout to McDonald’s family just six months after the shooting even before the
family had even filed a civil suit.

Chicago authorities wanted this case to be placed under the rug, but the truth should never be placed
under the rug at all. Back in 2012, protesters against NATO in Chicago were assaulted by the police and
entrapment of activists existed on trumped up charges. This is the first time a Chicago police officer has
faced criminal charges for a murder committed while on duty in 35 years. But the fact that it happened 400
days after the murder occurred--and just hours before the video was to be revealed--demonstrates that the
charge has nothing to do with trying to hold a violent cop accountable and everything to do with public
pressure.

A number of the groups, including Black Youth Project 100, We Charge Genocide, Fearless Leading by the
Youth and others, refused to meet with the mayor. They made it clear that the city is not really transparent.
They are accurate to say that the mayor of Chicago has bankrupted public education to fund militarized
police occupation and terrorism. Days ago, when protesters were marching in Lake Shore Drive, officers
charged the crowd and arrested three activists. Another activist named Malcolm London was arrested. He
was charged with felony charges of assaulting an officer. Yet, marchers said that London was whisked away
after the police used a smoke bomb. People are in defense of Malcolm London from young activists to
teachers. Later, London’s charges were dismissed. Protesters want investments in schools, clinics, libraries,
transit, and health care not in police occupation. We desire an end to class oppression. We want the
working class and the poor to have liberation. The cover up of this crime is brutally clear. Cops who were
involved in the cover up should be prosecuted too. DA Anita Alvarez threw out the Rekia Boyd case when
Sister Rekia Boyd was murdered. Alvarez indicted the murderer because she was trying to save face. Public
pressure caused the murderer to be indicted. The murderer should be convicted and sent into prison. We
have to fight structural evils in America. We believe in Black Unity and justice for all. The protesters are
made up of courageous people who aren’t going to take it anymore. We want justice.

RIP Laquan McDonald

RIP Rekia Boyd
By Timothy
 Also, it is important to note the talent of the legendary Sister Miki Howard.

Appendix A: The Culture of Chicago

Chicago and culture goes hand in hand. There is so much culture in Chicago among different cultures that
long books can be written on it. African Americans have a huge cultural history then and now in Chicago.
There have been African Americans in Chicago for centuries since the 1700’s. Fugitive slaves and freed
black people lived in Chicago. The black community grew greatly during the 1840’s. By the late 19th century,
there was the first black person in office. In 1874, school segregation was outlawed and by 1885,
segregation in public accommodations was first outlawed. For a time, Chicago had some of the most
progressive anti-discrimination legislation in America. Today in 2015, there are about 887,608 black people
who live in Chicago. Between 1916 and 1920, almost 50,000 black Southerners moved into Chicago.
Chicago’s black population grew to 278,000 by the year of 1940. The Great Migration has influenced the
city of Chicago with the growth of local churches, businesses, and community organizations. This also
spread the musical culture with songs like jazz traveling form the Mississippi region (in the Delta) up into
Chicago. During the Jazz Age (from the 1920’s to the 1940’s), nationally renowned musicians rose up in the
Chicago world. Louis Armstrong and other jazz greats would headline in places like DeLux Café (along the
Stroll, which was a bright light district on State Street). The Great Migration lasted from 1910 to 1960 in
Chicago. The Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago (in the South Side) decades ago was filled with black
owned banks and black owned businesses. People could vote for black political candidates during the early
1900’s too. Restrictive covenants were racist policies that prevented black people to own land and to have
housing in some neighborhoods. The Chicago Defender was a famous black owned newspaper, which
showed information on black life and informed human beings on a myriad of issues.

To this very day, many jazz clubs are common in Chicago. Blues artists who played in Chicago include
Muddy Water, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson. Jazz greats like Gene Ammons, Benny Goodman, Nat
King Cole, etc. performed in Chicago all of the time. Gospel music is a strong staple of African American
culture in Chicago. We can go down the list. Our parents and our grandparents know about the Staples
Singers, Edwin Hawkins, James Cleveland, etc. Mahalia Jackson (who was very active in the Civil Rights
Movement and she was a friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), Edwin Hawkins, Rev. Milton Brunson and
the Thompson Community Singers, etc. all lived in or worked in Chicago. Curtis Mayfield, Lou Rawls, the
Impressions, the Chi-lites, Rufus, Chaka Khan (she is a gorgeous black woman), R Kelly, Jennifer Hudson,
Dave Hollister, Carl Thomas, etc. were/are great soul or R&B singers. Hip hop artists in Chicago include
Common, Lupe Fiasco, Da Brat (her sister is Lisa Raye, who is from Chicago too), Chief Keef, Shawnna,
Twista, and you know Kanye West (he recently said that he will run for President in the year of 2020). There
has been much public art that celebrate black culture in Chicago too.
Alison Saar designed the Monument to the Great Migration in 2600 S. Martin Luther King Drive, which
celebrates the thousands of African Americans who came into Chicago for the purpose of trying to have
freedom and opportunity during the early 20th century. The monument shows a statue of a man with a
suitcase, which represents his journey as the Great Migration is one of the greatest events in African
American and American history. The Chicago Defender (which is a black media institution) successfully
campaigned for the memorial to African American veterans of World War I to allow the Victory Monument
to exist in Bronzeville. It was created by the French sculptor Leonard Crunelle with large granite columns
with designs. It remembers the names of the 137 fallen soldiers of the Eighth Regiment of the Illinois
National Guard. America’s first independent museum dedicated to the history of African and African
American culture is The DuSable Museum. It is located in 740 E. 56th St. It is one of Chicago’s greatest
cultural institutions. It has more than 15,000 artifacts, priceless paintings, sculptures, and historical
memorabilia. The South Side Community Art Center shows many art from paintings to sculptures as found
in the South Side neighborhood of Chicago. To this very day, there are many black owned businesses in
Chicago.

BLACK CULTURE IS BEAUTIFUL AND BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL.

In our generation, there is a great artist and Sister who is Angela Redmond. She makes great work with oil
paintings and other medium. She is from Chicago. She does figurative and portrait art. Angela focuses on
detailing how people feel or the artistic expressions of human emotions. She is especially gifted in showing
drawings that deals with black women. She is now working on her project called, “Hey Girl! Your One of
God’s Best Creations.” This project celebrated black womanhood from young to old. It seeks to celebrate
the diverse emotions and personal qualities of black women like courageousness, passion, and
seductiveness. She is celebrating the power that Black women possess. Angie’s past series include, “Crown
and Glory”. This series is a celebration of natural African American hair. She is a gifted Sister and I wish her
the absolute best. Woodlawn Supporters, the Network of Woodlawn and the Woodlawn Public Safety
Alliance (WPSA) have worked to fight for solutions in the communities of Chicago. Lavon Pettis, Dr. C.
Siddha Webber, Kosmos, Marcus Sterling Alleye, Donnie L Carter, B Ra El, Alpha Bruton, and so many other
Brothers and Sisters are doing great work in Chicago too. Roger Carter is a Brother is a great Chicago artist
as well. There is the American Rhythm Center in Chicago that showcases African dance and music. The
Hyde Prk Jazz Festival happens in September 26-27, 2015.

This statue is called the Victory The South Side Community Art
Monument and it is found in the center is a stable of African
Bronzeville neighborhood where a lot of American culture in Chicago. It
black history has taken place. It is the has arts education services, dace,
place where a lot for black people from visual arts, and other forms of
the South came into during the Great
cultural expression in the world.
Migration of the early 20th century. The
structure honors the achievements of
the 8th Regiment of the Illinois National
Guard, which was an African American
unit that served in France during World
War I. The sculptor of it was Leonard
Crunelle.
There are a large number of Hispanic people who live in Chicago. They include Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, etc.
During the late 19th century, Mexicans came into Chicago. They at first worked in semiskilled and unskilled
jobs. Some came from Texas including from Guanajuato, Jalisco, and Michoacán. By the 1920’s, migration
increased. There has bene a great increase of Mexican Americans in all of Cook Country since the 1990’s.
The amount of Mexican Americans in Chicago has surpassed the number in the cities of Houston and San
Antonio, Texas. There are many Mexican neighborhoods in Chicago like the Pilsen in the Lower West Side
and Little Village in South Lawndale. There is the National Museum of Mexican Art is located in Pilsen.
Puerto Rican people in Chicago also have a long legacy and history. They have contributed to the economic,
social, and cultural wellbeing of Chicago for more than 70 years. In Chicago, there is Division Street or Paseo
Boricua, which faced east from Mozart Street, one hat block west of California Avenue. The first Puerto
Rican migration into Chicago came about during the 1930’s. They came from New York City and many
settled on State Street or just south of the downtown hotels.

A large migration of Puerto Ricans into Chicago came in the late 1940’s. Many people settled in the “La
Clark" neighborhood around Dearborn, La Salle and Clark Street just north of downtown. Starting in 1946,
many people were recruited by Castle Barton Associates and other companies as low-wage, non-union
foundry workers and domestic workers in hotels and private homes. As soon as they were established in
Chicago, many were joined by their spouses and families. By the 1960’s, many Puerto Rican moved into the
north and west because of urban redevelopment. Some went into the city’s West Side. City hall sponsored
gentrification in Lincoln Park started in the early 1960’s and Puerto Rican’s protested by a Lincoln Park Poor
People’s Coalition led by the Young Lords under the leadership of Jose Cha Cha Jimenez. The first major
Puerto Rican urban rebellion for human rights came from June 12 to 14, 1966. This occurred when African
Americans were rebellion too. Today, the Puerto Rican is very politically active in Chicago. With the support
of the community, Puerto Rican leaders in Chicago leased the historic Humboldt Park stables near Paseo
Boricua to house the Institute. About $3.4 million was spent to renovate the exterior of the building and
another $3.2 million for the interior. The Puerto Rican Arts Alliance is similarly enjoying growth, with
expansion to its second location in Avondale in a former firehouse at the intersection of Central Park and
Elbridge avenues. Puerto Ricans celebrate in Chicago in Paseao Boriuca in the West Side of Chicago too.
The Puerto Rican Parade Committee of Chicago has been serving their community for over 40 years. Now in
its 48th year, the six-day festival in Humboldt Park has become the largest attended Latino festival in the
city of Chicago and in the Mid-West.
 This is the Osaka Garden in Chicago.
Asian history and culture is found heavily in the city of Chicago. Chicago’s Chinatown community has over
65,000 residents. Asian influence in Chicago exists in the South Side and all over the city. The Chinese
American Museum in Chicago was opened in 2005. It is located in 238 W. 23nd Street. Its goal is to promote
the culture and history of Chinese Americans in the Midwest. It has educated people with its exhibitions
and research. There is the Cambodian American Heritage Museum in 2831 W. Lawrence Avenue. The
Cambodian community is strong in the Chicago area. The Punjabi Cultural Society of Society is found in
Palatine, Illinois. It advances Punjabi culture. The Punjabi people live in Pakistan and India too. There is the
Nine Dragon Mural Wall on 170 W. Cermak Road. It is modeled after Beijing’s famous wall in Beihai Park. It
shows hundreds of dragons painted in red, gold, and blue. It’s found in Chinatown neighborhood. Phoenix
Restaurant is found in 2131 S. Archer Avenue. It has dim sum and dumplings. There is the Japanese style
barbeque found in Albany Park’s Chicago Kalbi on 3752 W. Lawrence Avenue. Osaka Garden is one of the
beautiful sights in Chicago. It is found just south of the Museum of Science & Industry’s campus. This is a
jewel of the Jackson Park. It was created in 1893 for the Chicago World’s Fair Columbian Exposition.

Jewish culture is strong in Chicago. Jewish people came into Chicago from every country in Europe and
from the Middle East. Many Jewish people back in Europe and Eastern Europe faced discrimination,
poverty, massacres (or pogroms), and racism. So, they let Europe and came into America for the sake of
finding opportunity and justice. This is why many Jewish people back then called America the “New
Jerusalem.” Since 1841, Jewish people came into Chicago permanently. Some many companies like
Florsheim, Spiegel, Alden’s, Mandel Brothers, Albert Pick & Co., A. G. Becker, Brunswick, Inland Steel,
Kuppenheimer, and Hart, Schaffner & Marx. By the early 1900’s, there were about 270,000 Jewish people
in the Chicago metropolitan area. Jewish immigrants founded Chicago’s first synagogue called Kehilath
Anshe Mayriv (KAM) in 1847 at the corner of Lake and Wells. After the fire of 1871, many Jewish people
moved out of the downtown area and lived in the communities of Kenwood, Hyde Park, and South Shore
(in the lakefront areas). Jewish people created institutions like Michael Reese Hospital, the Drexel Home
(for elderly Jewish people), and the social and civic Standard Club. By the late 1870’s, Eastern European
Jewish people (like from Russia and Poland) came into Chicago in large numbers. They came from mostly
shtetlach or small rural villages or towns). By 1930, they consisted over 80 percent of the Jewish population
in Chicago. Many of them were poor and they grew in economic power. They were in progressive union and
many met in Maxwell Street Market. Back then, German Jewish people were heavily Reform Judaism while
the Eastern European Jewish people were more Orthodox. After World War II, many Jewish people came
into the West Rogers Park, etc. Today, Jewish people deal with issues like everyone deals with like
Americanization issues, identity, etc. There is the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago who help
thousands of Jewish people all of time. They are doing great work in giving services to the Jewish
community. There is the Jewish War Veterans, Hadassah, B’nai B’rith, and other Jewish institutions.

Irish Americans came into Chicago during the early years of the city’s existence. The fourth largest Irish
population by 1860 would be found in Chicago. Many of them worked in labor from lumber wharves,
railroads, stockyards, and steel mills. As time went on, the Irish people had a great influence in Chicago’s
city government, the police force, the fire department, and the public school system. Since Chicago has a
very large Catholic population, many Irish were leaders of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese. Chicago has
great ethnic diversity and tensions arose among many ethnic groups, especially during back in the day. Yet,
as time came on, many people have learned to live together as people. Every year, there is the South Side
Irish parade on Western Avenue. It has rivaled the traditional downtown parade in size and influence. To
this day, Irish citizenry in Chicago has done scholarly preservation, social activism, and other contributions
in society. There are many other diverse ethnic groups in Chicago. Germans came into Chicago by the
1830’s. By 1845, there were 1,000 Germans in Chicago. People know about the Lager Beer Conflict that
came about when Mayor Levi Boone of Chicago declared that on Sundays, all beer gardens and saloons will
be closed.
 This was the annual Christkindlmarket which shows German culture to Chicago via foods and holiday
traditions.
Many Germans Americans in Chicago were involved in antislavery abolition movements and in anarchist
politics. Many were leaders of the labor movement. The peak of German immigration would be in 1890.
Those of German descent were the largest ethnic group of Chicago from 1850 to the turn of the century.
Polish people have a long history too. Polish Chicago is sometimes called Polona. People came from Poland
to Chicago for economic reasons from the 1850’s to the early 1920’s. By 1930, Polish immigrants replaced
the Germans as the largest European ethnic group in Chicago. During World War II and after the
Communist takeover of Poland, more Polish people came into Chicago. Many of them set up institutions
and neighborhoods. During the Solidarity movement, more Polish immigrants came into Chicago during the
1980’s. They are known for forming a community in the Northwest Side. Anthony Smarzeski-Schermann
was a man who worked with the youth too. Polish newspapers opened offices throughout Chicago like the
Gazeta Polska or the Polish Gazette in 1872. Polish Chicagoans of course worked in the labor movement.
The Copernicus Center was created in the early 1980’s as a Polish cultural center. The Polish National
Alliance has moved its headquarters to the far North Side of Chicago. There are Bosnians, Lithuanians,
Welsh, Italians, Assyrians, Arabic people, Armenians, Iranians, Kurds, and other ethnic groups found in
Chicago.

By Timothy
 This work is dedicated to the late, great Sister Marva Collins. We
will never forget you. Your sacrifice will always be remembered
and appreciated.
RIP Sister Marva Collins (1938-2015)