The winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, is the unofficial start of cold weather celebrations. Light festivals, snowy days, gatherings, gifts and special foods are a few ways to make the season bright. Although the days are short and the nights are long, the solstice is the perfect time to cozy up with…
Black Poetry Day: Celebrate Black Poets in Chicago and Beyond
On Thursday, October 17, we celebrate Black Poetry Day! Initially celebrated in 1970 at New York Public Library’s Huntington Library Branch on Long Island, Black Poetry Day awards us a chance to celebrate and recognize African American poets, old and new. The inspiration for Black Poetry Day was the birth anniversary of Jupiter Hammon, long-considered…
Bud Billiken Parade Celebrates 90 Years
On Saturday, August 10, the Bud Billiken Parade celebrates its 90th anniversary! The iconic parade has marched down Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive since 1929. It's a celebration of students going back to school and highlights the significance of education. The parade starts at 35th Street and stretches approximately 2 miles down Dr. Martin Luther King…
Chicago Race Riots: The Long Hot Summer of 1919
The sky was a searing hot blue with temperatures in the 90s. Farmers anxiously watched for signs of healing rain for their dry crops. As school was out, teenagers hung out at the beach for relaxation. Eugene Williams and four of his friends were relaxing on a raft at the 27th Street beach when his…
Celebrating 100 Years with Timuel Black, Jr.
On December 7, 2018, one of Chicago's greatest treasures, Timuel Black, Jr., turns 100! Please join us in wishing him the happiest of birthdays! Black was...
