Tag Page ChicagoHistory

1987: Death of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington

Harold Washington, the first Black mayor in Chicago’s history, passed away on this day in 1987 after collapsing at his desk in City Hall. He was sixty-five. His election reshaped Chicago’s political landscape. Washington built broad coalitions across neighborhoods that had long been divided. His administration shifted attention toward communities that spent decades on the margins and brought new expectations for transparency and reform. Even with the challenges he faced, Washington’s leadership changed how people saw the possibility of political power in Chicago. His time in office lives on as a turning point for the city and for generations who studied the path he carved. #HaroldWashington #ChicagoHistory #AmericanPolitics #HistoricalLeaders #LataraSpeaksTruth

Frank Lloyd Wright gem gets a second chance

A 123-year-old Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home on Chicago’s West Side just landed in Fannie Mae’s hands, finally clearing years of foreclosure chaos. This could be the best shot in decades to save the Walser House, a landmark that inspired some of Wright’s most famous designs. The catch? It needs a $2 million restoration, and a fake online listing recently tried to scam would-be buyers. Local groups are pushing to restore it for community use, but until real investment arrives, the house’s future is still up in the air. What would you like to see happen to this piece of Chicago history? #RealEstate #FrankLloydWright #ChicagoHistory

Chicago Race Riot. 1919. Want to know why??? The summer's riots were fueled by simmering tensions and sparked by the stoning and drowning of a Black teenager named Eugene Williams. Williams had been on a raft with friends when they floated across the line dividing the White and Black beaches. #raceriots #chicagoraceriots #BlackHistory #BlackLivesMatter #CivilRights #ChicagoHistory #Racism

1964. She was just a terrified girl from Brooklyn marrying into a wealthy Chicago family, complete with twin flower girls

My parents eventually divorced when I was in my mid-twenties, but they’re both still around today. Looking back, it’s funny because my mom ended up being so similar to her mother-in-law. My grandma opened one of the first children’s bookstores, and my mom became a COBOL programmer, though no one in the family could ever wrap their heads around why either of them wanted to work. #VintagePhotos #1960s #FamilyHistory #VintageWedding #ChicagoHistory #CareerWomen

December 22, 1969 arrived with anger that refused to sit still. Weeks after Fred Hampton was killed in his sleep, the shock had worn off. What remained was clarity. The Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party understood exactly what had happened, and they weren’t willing to let it be buried under official lies. On that day, organizers met, spoke to the press, and forced the issue into public view. No theatrics. No panic. Just deliberate pressure. They rejected police accounts that didn’t hold up and refused to let authorities control the narrative through silence and delay. December 22 marked the turn from mourning to method. What they named was concrete: police violence, coordinated surveillance, and the familiar machinery of repression later exposed as COINTELPRO. They didn’t need leaked files to recognize the pattern. Instead of retreating, they widened the frame and demanded the country look straight at it. This date matters because it shows how resistance often works in real time. Not as spectacle, but as persistence. Showing up again. Speaking clearly. Refusing to let a political killing be quietly filed away. That kind of action doesn’t fade. It leaves a record. #December22 #1969 #FredHampton #ChicagoHistory #PoliticalOrganizing #PoliceAccountability #HistoricalMemory #CivilRightsEra #MovementHistory #TruthOnRecord

In December 1971, Rev. Jesse Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), an organization that became a major force in promoting economic empowerment and corporate accountability in Black communities across the United States. The name later evolved to People United to Serve Humanity, reflecting a broader mission of long-term social and economic advancement. Operation PUSH was established after Jackson departed from Operation Breadbasket, the economic development arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. While Breadbasket focused on negotiating fair hiring practices with major corporations, disagreements over leadership structure and direction led Jackson to pursue an independent path. This move marked a significant shift in post–civil rights era organizing, placing economic power and access at the center of the movement. Based in Chicago, Operation PUSH concentrated on expanding employment opportunities, increasing minority participation in corporate contracts, and strengthening Black-owned businesses. The organization used negotiations, boycotts, and public pressure campaigns to push companies toward more inclusive hiring and investment practices, producing measurable changes in several major industries. Operation PUSH also emphasized education as a pathway to economic progress. In later years, programs such as PUSH Excel supported student achievement and encouraged long-term success beyond high school. The founding of Operation PUSH reflected a broader transition in the civil rights movement during the early 1970s, as activists increasingly focused on economic equity and structural opportunity. In 1996, Operation PUSH merged with the Rainbow Coalition to form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which continues its work today. #OperationPUSH #JesseJackson #EconomicJustice #CivilRightsHistory #BlackEconomicPower #ChicagoHistory #SocialChange #HistoryMatters

In the late 1910s, cornetist Joe “King” Oliver left New Orleans for Chicago, a move that became part of a much larger shift happening across the country during the Great Migration. As Black families moved north in search of opportunity and safety, musicians carried their sound with them. New Orleans jazz did not stay rooted to one city. It traveled with the people who created it. Chicago quickly became one of the most important destinations for this music. King Oliver’s presence there helped establish the city as an early jazz capital, shaping what audiences across the nation would come to recognize as the New Orleans jazz style. His leadership and musicianship influenced a generation, including Louis Armstrong, who later joined Oliver’s band and carried that sound even further. This movement was not a single moment or one man acting alone. It was a gradual cultural migration, built through train rides, nightclubs, and crowded dance halls. Jazz spread the same way people did… step by step, city by city. What began in New Orleans found new life in northern cities, changing American music forever. The story of King Oliver’s move is a reminder that culture doesn’t just stay put. It moves with people. And when it moves, it reshapes the nation. #KingOliver #NewOrleans #ChicagoHistory #JazzHistory #GreatMigration

Lou Rawls: A Voice That Lifted Generations

Lou Rawls was born on December 1, 1933 in Chicago, a city known for shaping icons, and he grew into one of the defining voices of soul music. His smooth baritone carried emotion, clarity, and a kind of grounded skill that influenced listeners across multiple generations. He won Grammy recognition throughout his life, but his impact reached far beyond awards. Rawls became a major force for education, raising millions for historically Black colleges and universities through his annual telethons. That work created scholarship opportunities, supported students, and strengthened institutions that often struggled for fair funding. His birthday marks the beginning of a life filled with artistry, service, and generosity. Lou Rawls left behind a legacy built on music, community, and a steady commitment to lifting others. #LouRawls #SoulLegend #ChicagoHistory #MusicHistory #HBCULegacy #BlackMusicCulture #OnThisDay #NewsBreakCommunity