Chicago Politics: The Machine, The Daleys, and What It Means for 2019
“Chicago politics” evokes images with the shadiest of connotations. Smoke-filled rooms. Stolen elections. Flagrant corruption. Mayors as powerful as pharaohs. Much of this is true. A lot of it is myth and legend. To truly understand the City That Works, you need a working knowledge of the history of Chicago politics, especially the machines and […]
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 […]
Chicago Irish for St. Pat’s Day: Three Influences on History
With the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and celebrations in Chicago coming up this weekend, I began to wonder about why a specifically Irish celebration is such a big deal here in Chicago. Do the Irish make up a large portion of the populace? What’s their history here and how have they contributed to Chicago’s history? […]