The Chicago community of Bronzeville is located in the Douglas neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago adjacent to the Illinois Institute of Technology. With a rich and proud history dating back to the 20th century when it was known as the "Black Metropolis," it is one of the country's most significant landmarks representing African American culture.
Between 1910 and 1920 during the "Great Migration," thousands of African Americans migrated to the area to escape the oppression of the South and to seek industrial jobs in Chicago. Many well-known individuals were associated with the development of the area including Andrew "Rube" Foster, founder of the Negro National Baseball League, Ida B. Wells, a civil rights pioneer, journalist and organizer of the NAACP, Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman pilot, and Louis Armstrong, the legendary trumpet player and bandleader who performed at many of the area's nightclubs.
Chess Records was an important part of the neighborhood during the 1950s and beyond. Founded in 1950 by Leonard and Phil Chess, the company was located in the heart of Bronzeville at 4750 Cottage Grove and featured blues and rhythm and blues hits by Muddy Waters and other musicians. In 1956, the record label produced jazz recordings, and by 1957, the firm had moved into a two-story office complex at 2120 South Michigan Avenue, producing hits by Etta James, the Rolling Stones and other musicians. Though Chess Records was sold to another company in 1969, the new company continues to issue the classic recordings of Chess Records.
The Regal Theatre at 47th Street and Grand Boulevard (now known as South Parkway) was another Bronzeville landmark. Built in 1928, it featured plush carpeting, velvet drapes and some of the most well-known entertainers of the time including Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington, Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole. The theatre was torn down in 1973.
Today, the Bronzeville community has tremendous strengths: lovely old homes, beautiful boulevards, close proximity to public transportation and downtown Chicago, numerous social organizations and churches, and a neighborhood of residents who truly care about their community. It boasts seven historic districts and more than 30 additional landmark sites that have been documented on the National Register of Historic Places.
In terms of new housing, the area has undergone a tremendous change since 1992, when the City of Chicago's Parade of Homes constructed nine houses on South Indiana and South Prairie Avenues. Thirty-four homes owned by the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) were built between Michigan and Indiana Avenues from 31st to 32nd Street, and upscale professionals have rehabbed some of the area's grand mansions. Housing is available in a wide range of prices. A six-bedroom, three-bathroom luxury home on King Drive was listed for $1,295,000 in June, 2006. There are also many far less expensive properties in Bronzeville.
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The Chicago community of Bronzeville is located in the Douglas neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago adjacent to the Illinois Institute of Technology. With a rich and proud history dating back to the 20th century when it was known as the "Black Metropolis," it is one of the country's most significant landmarks representing African American culture.
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