Myrna Skilling
312-850-3717
Fax 312-850-3718
Toll Free 800-959-2640
E-Mail
Chris Gaggero
Office:773-290-2170
Cell:773-715-1479
Fax:773-290-2270
E-mail: chris@skillingteam.com
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Bronzeville
The term Bronzeville originated within the community during the mid-30's,
when the annual Mayor of Bronzeville election was celebrated, drawing on the African
tradition of referring to skin color as "bronze." The election, which honored
people who contributed to the community, was a popular event through the late '40s.
Bronzeville, also known as the Black Metropolis and the Black Belt, was a vibrant
community of jazz clubs, restaurants, cafes, churches and political activity. The area
still carries the name Bronzeville, partly to celebrate the achievements of the past, but
also as a way to look forward to a revitalized community.
Bronzeville is a neighborhood where condominiums sit blocks from Stateway Gardens, a
low-income housing project. Its a place where the former Grand Terrace Ballroom on 35th
Street, which hosted legends such as Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong, is now a
hardware store. Writer Richard Wright lived here, as did poet Gwendolyn Brooks. Buddy Guy
and Muddy Waters kept local crowds entertained. The Chicago Defender and Chicago Bee
newspapers thrived with strong readerships.
The big-ticket clubs and restaurants are gone, but there are still a lot of little
neighborhood restaurants tucked away. You won’t have to look far to find soul food
kitchens and barbecue counters. New construction and renovations are ongoing in
Bronzeville. The Green Line L stops in the area have been refurbished, artistic benches
have been installed along Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, and a map of historical sites has
been cast in bronze and installed at 35th Street and King. There is plenty to learn and
take in in Bronzeville.
When you enter the "Gateway to Bronzeville," you’ll be greeted by a
fifteen-foot tall statue named the Monument to the Great Northern Migration. Plaques,
statues and other street furniture combine ethnic and cultural references that speak to
the neighborhood and the people who have and do live in Bronzeville. The walk consists of
91 plaques, all cast in bronze, which line both sides of a 1.5 mile long stretch of King
Drive. Bronzeville is a neighborhood long passed over by public dollars, but the recent
attention its received has helped renew neighborhood pride.
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