A New Phase in Chicago Jazz History in Bronzeville
Chicago jazz history in Bronzeville, like any history, will continue to evolve. Meyers Hardware, in Bronzeville, has closed its doors after 95 years in business. For the past six years, I’ve had the pleasure of taking groups on our Jazz, Blues, and Beyond Tour inside his hardware store to see relics from its incredible past as a legendary […]
The South Side by Natalie Y. Moore: Book Review
“The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation” by local author and journalist Natalie Y. Moore tackles the thorny history and ramifications of institutional racism. Despite briefly living in Hyde Park, I knew there was a lot for me to learn. So, being the bookhound that I am, and enticed by a pull quote […]
The History of the South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been an annual tradition for nearly forty years. It’s an expression of the pride and history of the South Side Irish, one of Chicago’s oldest ethnic communities. In fact, the tradition of a South Side St. Patrick’s Day Parade is so strong and long-lasting that it […]
We Ain’t Afraid of No Ghost Signs in Chicago
Look around at the architecture in Chicago and you just may cast your eyes upon a specter…but this is nothing too frightening though! Just one of the city’s many ghost signs. Ghost signs are historic advertisements, usually painted on the sides of buildings, which have been left up for decades. Many of them, perhaps even […]