’Tis the season for unbridled consumerism masking as some of us insisting that “gift giving is my love language!” While we can’t stop the avalanche of gifting that is already in motion (although Reverend Billy would disagree), we can encourage you to check out some local pop-up holiday markets and consider purchasing directly from Chicago […]
Tag: Bronzeville
Posted inNews & Politics
The unsung women healing Chicago
In communities reeling from gun violence, Black women caregivers do work that is often underpaid, undervalued, and hidden from public view.
Posted inNews & Politics
Can a new housing development revitalize Bronzeville without displacing residents?
One housing complex can’t reverse decades of historical trends—but city officials hope 43 Green can be a model for equitable development.
Posted inMusic
Living with Muddy
In 1954, McKinley Morganfield bought his first house, located at 4339 S. Lake Park Avenue in Kenwood. Better known as Muddy Waters, the Father of Chicago Blues shared the south-side house with his wife Geneva, Geneva’s son Charles, his granddaughter Amelia “Cookie” Cooper, and his great-granddaughter Chandra “Peaches” Cooper. Quite a few people came and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The big world of Brandon Breaux
Yes, Chance the Rapper did give a big push to artist Brandon Breaux’s career when Breaux designed the covers for three of the singer’s mixtapes: 10 Day, Acid Rap, and Coloring Book. Breaux also recently landed two high-profile commissions—the February 2022 Ebony cover honoring editor André Leon Talley, and the cover of Carry On: Reflections […]
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best place to buy luxurious menswear created by local Black designers
“To each their own, and Agriculture to all” could be the motto of Christopher Brackenridge, 43, and Milton Latrell, 42, the owners of Agriculture menswear boutique, which offers custom-made suits, personalized styling services, and a wide range of ready-to-wear garments at every price point. “We cater to different people and body types,” says Latrell. “When […]
Posted inArts & Culture
It came from the south side
When do you cross the line from casual collector to full-on vintage reseller? For Michael W. Phillips Jr., a south side-based film programmer and copy editor, the moment happened in 2019 when he started posting books for sale on Instagram under the name It Came From Beyond Pulp. A more robust eBay store followed, and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The best Chicago books of 2021
Every year, I wonder if Chicago’s literary renaissance will ever start to ebb. No city can keep this up forever, right? But just like last year and the year before, dozens of new fiction, nonfiction, and poetry books by Chicagoans garnered national acclaim in 2021. In no particular order, here are my favorite Chicago books […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Race, fate, and sisterhood on the south side
“My earliest memory of myself is of my sister. My earliest understanding of my world comes from three women—my mother, grandmother, and aunt.” In her new memoir Three Girls From Bronzeville: A Uniquely American Story of Race, Fate, and Sisterhood, Dawn Turner turns her journalistic eye toward her own story, one she weaves as inextricable […]
Posted inCity Life
Juneteenth celebrations and more
Upcoming events and recommendations for the next seven days
Posted inFood & Drink
Bobby Morelli is the sausage king of Bronzeville
A father-and-daughter team sling loaded wieners from a storage container.
Posted inMusic
Beth King, staffer at Intonation Music
“When I was working in politics, we always went to the community for answers. Community organizations are going to be around a lot longer than any politician.”
Posted inFood & Drink
Yuta Katsuyama is the once and future rice ball king of Chicago
His Onigiri Shuttle Kororin rolls to a stop next week—but he’ll be back.
Posted inArts & Culture
Jasmon Drain joins the ranks of Chicago’s greatest authors
His debut collection, Stateway’s Garden, captures the city’s unique, ugly beauty.