|
|
|
|
|
A City Within A City - Bronzeville A City Within a City - BronzevilleKathy M. Henry Kathy HenryAugust 3, 2003Black Chicago - 351Dr. L. Carey12:00pm - 1:45pmM-W-FIntroduction The reason I took this class is because so much of my fam
|
|
|
A City Within a City - Bronzeville Kathy M. Henry Kathy Henry August 3, 2003 Black Chicago - 351 Dr. L. Carey 12:00pm - 1:45pm M-W-F Introduction The reason I took this class is because so much of my family’s history has been entwined in the neighborhood called Bronzeville, or as some call it, The Low End. My family started migrating from Mississippi in the 1940s. My Uncle Joseph was the first Allen to make the trek to the Promised Land and for him the journey was bountiful. He started a Ma and Pa grocery store on 45th and Wabash with the help of his wife, who worked as laundress. With the proceeds of both their earnings, they purchased two buildings, including the one where his store was located. After that, my family, with hope high their hearts, came up here to make their fortunes. Some succeeded and some did not. That was not really important. What was important is that they had the opportunity to succeed, an opportunity that was denied to them in the town of Itta Bena, Mississippi because of the rampant racism that existed. My own experiences with Bronzeville started in 1989, when my mother, my daughter and I moved to 49th and Prairie. We lived down there until 1992, and in spite of what anyone says about The Low End, I had a ball. I had never seen such colorful characters that actually existed outside of books. Bronzeville got its name because of the mass influx of African-Americans who came to Chicago that settled in the areas between 29th and 51st Street, during the Great Migration. Bronzeville was once a city within a city, with its own stores, several newspapers and strong churches. This neighborhood was dubbed the Black Metropolis because of all the opportunities offered to Blacks. It became a magnet for African Americans, who were migrating from the South in droves. Jobs were plentiful and there were many Black-owned businesses such as banks, insurance companies and funeral homes. There were many social institutions to help the disadvantaged and activities for people to immerse themselves in. The nightlife was fantastic. Musicians came from all over America to play at the Regal Theater and The Savoy. There were several Blacks who lived in the Bronzeville area that became famous. They include Ida B. Wells, Ferdinand Barnett, Robert Abbott, Lionel Hampton, Richard Wright, Gwendolyn Brooks, George Cleveland Hall, T. K. Lawless, Jesse Binga, Anthony Overton, and Richard R. Wright. These African-Americans contributed many gifts that would stand the test of time. In spite of its rich history, Bronzeville has faced a severe reversal of fortune. The losses of the stockyards and steel mills to different cities have pushed thousands of people out of the job market. Public housing projects - Stateway Gardens, Robert Taylor homes and the Ida B. Wells homes, created to give people better housing, have trapped people in poverty and fear. The middle classed have moved to the suburbs. Retail businesses and lending capital have fled to safer pastures. This once proud Black Metropolis is now one of the poorest in the entire nation. The majority of its young people drop out of high school. Joblessness is the norm. Drugs and violence are rampant. Even with all the adversity Bronzeville has faced in recent years, this community still has several strengths - beautiful old mansions, a great location near public transportation and the Loop, many churches, and a history so thick that you can feel it. My paper will be discussing two things that were very important to the Bronzeville area during its heyday: housing and religion. I will talk about the hard time Black immigrants had getting decent housing due to overcrowding, segregation and what solution was taken to correct it, but ultimately caused a bigger problem. I will also discuss the religious wars that took place between the old guard Blacks that had already settled in Chicago and the new immigrant Blacks. There has been a great deal of renewed interest in the Bronzeville area because of its rich history, so hopefully, some of the money spent on other areas in the city of Chicago, will be spent on this beautiful city within a city, the city called Bronzeville.
|
|
|
|
Still Can't Find What Your Looking For? Then Try a Essay Search!
|
