“The Black Metropolis”–Bronzeville: The Place That Lived, and The Place That Is Living

Author: Xinran Yu

Program of Study: Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS), Social Sciences Division

When looking at the demographic profile of Chicago, it becomes evident that starting south of downtown from Bronzeville, there begins a significant concentration of African American communities. Since ‘Bronzeville’ is recommended by many tourist guides for its rich historical and artistic heritage, I made a point to visit the Black Metropolis-Bronzeville Historical District. This part of the neighborhood, extending from the Illinois Institute of Technology south to Pershing Road on 39th Street, consists of nine historical landmarks outlining a crucial chapter in the story of Chicago (Wikipedia 2023). However, when I first entered the area under the midday sun, I failed to immediately sense the former prosperity or the distinctive architectural style that branded it a ‘city within a city’. Beyond a few buildings adorned with a piece of metal plaque explaining their historical importance, the rest appeared much like any standard community, only filled with churches. It wasn’t until after taking an intensive tour and engaging in meaningful conversations with true locals, and participating in an evening bus tour focused on African American art, that I began to understand the breadth of the area’s cultural and historical significance.

As an outsider who was initially unfamiliar with the history and the current realities of the neighborhood, I was swamped with knowledge that covered aspects of both the past and the present, transcending both geographical and national boundaries. This information allowed me to perceive both what I could understand and what I could not. Finally, as I ended standing in a local art gallery party drinking a mocktail rich with apple syrup, my feelings became more complex, reflecting a deeper engagement and budding empathy with the community. Moving forward, I plan to explore several dimensions in this blog–historical, artistic, personal feelings–to better represent and try to depict the gravity and vitality of this place.

 

I. Glory and Decline

Between 1910 and 1920, during the period known as the Great Migration, a massive influx of African Americans moved from the Southern United States to northern industrial cities like Chicago in search of better job opportunities and living conditions (Encyclopedia of Chicago n.d.). As the African American population in the area grew, Bronzeville, spanning just seven miles, soon exceeded a population of thirty thousand. In the process of urban expansion in Chicago, Bronzeville thrived and developed into a ‘city within a city’ (WTTW 2016). At a time when the larger urban environment generally disregarded, marginalized and persecuted the black community, Bronzeville’s later prosperity was largely due to its evolvement into “a virtual self-contained metropolitan development” (National Park Service 1985). In the document “National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Submission: Black Metropolis Thematic Nomination” (1985:9), it detailed the economic and political prosperity of Bronzeville at the time:

 “Beginning with the establishment of the black-owned Binga Bank at 3633 South State Street in 1908, the  vicinity of State and 35th streets was rapidly transformed into the Wall Street of the black community, housing  a wide variety of commercial enterprises.”

“Organized political alliances gave Black Metropolis increased participation in city government, beginning  with the election of Oscar DePriest as the city’s first black alderman in 1915.”

The boom time led to the creation of landmarks such as the Overton Hygienic Building and the Chicago Bee Building, which remain integral parts of the nine landmarks making up the Black Metropolis today (Wikipedia 2023).

Besides the commercial aspect, churches have also played a crucial role in the development of the Bronzeville community (National Park Service 1985). Even today, visitors can see churches, church schools, and religious murals along the streets of Bronzeville. During the Great Migration, African Americans who were not welcomed in other mainstream neighborhoods found refuge in many Baptist churches in Bronzeville. The most famous among them was the Wabash Avenue YMCA project, initiated by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald (National Park Service 1985). When my friend and I visited, the YMCA building was locked and rebuilt, but the friendly construction workers nearby pointed us in the right direction. The receptionist at the neighboring apartment even helped us contact the staff inside. Tara Balcerzak, Program Manager at the Renaissance Collaborative, came out to explain the historical background. The YMCA had hundreds of rooms providing temporary housing for African Americans. Initially, it was just an unofficial orientation center, but it gradually evolved into a social hub for the community, attracting many distinguished and outstanding individuals to the neighborhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the Black Metropolis era, Bronzeville also contributed significantly to the flourishing of jazz, blues, and gospel music. This period saw the rise of music, art, culture along with notable figures (WTTW 2016). These figures included the journalist and social activist Ida B. Wells who dedicated her life to fighting against prejudice and violence, advocating for the equality of African Americans, especially women; jazz man Louis Armstrong, an iconic trumpeter and vocalist influential in popular music across racial and global boundaries; and author Richard Wright who addressed the challenges of racial problems and contributed to the discussion on race relations in mid-20th century America (Wikipedia 2024). In terms of media, the Chicago Bee played a crucial role, contributing the name ‘Bronzeville’ based on the skin tone of African Americans. Another prominent publication, the Chicago Defender, became famous for its strong anti-Southern oppression editorials, which encouraged a massive migration of African Americans from the South to Chicago (Encyclopedia of Chicago n.d.).

However, after 1925, the Black Metropolis began to decline due to uncontrolled socio-economic conditions. High unemployment rates, competition with white commercial districts, and discriminatory housing policies led to a peak in difficulties following the Great Depression. Many businesses went bankrupt, and deterioration along with urban renewal efforts resulted in the demolition of large sections of the neighborhood to make way for the Illinois Institute of Technology and public housing projects. Today, only a few landmarks remain to tell the story of this once-thriving community (National Park Service 1985).

II. Body and Expression

After touring the historic district of Bronzeville, it was a total serendipity to discover a place called the South Side Community Art Center displaying a poster about the Brozeville Art District Trolley Tour. This tour happens only once a month, and luckily, it was on the day we visited! The trolley tour centered around several African American art galleries, and it also offered a chance to enjoy the Chicago summer evening breeze from the top deck of the bus while watching the cityscape unfold.

Perhaps it was just coincidence, but I noticed that many of the exhibits were themed around ‘the body’. The first gallery we visited was the Blanc Gallery, which featured a photography exhibition by artist Seed Lynn called ‘This Heavenly Body’. The exhibition showcased black skaters in action, captured through the use of natural light from long-exposure photography. This technique infused the photos with a dynamic and ethereal quality, exquisitely capturing motion. As I viewed the collection, I felt an overwhelming sense of the human body’s power. Another gallery, Gallery Guichard, displayed paintings by artist Calvin Coleman, whose works are primarily influenced by Abstract Expressionism and Fauvism. Thus, his paintings are vibrant with intense colors, and the depiction of human figures prioritized emotional expression and movement over precise proportions and details. I really enjoyed these paintings; even though they did not portray exact human features, they vividly convey human emotions and strength.

These expressions of bodily strength and self-emotion mirrored perfectly with the people I encountered on the trolley tour. The tour guide was an elegantly dressed senior over 80 years old, with a charming hat, who passionately narrated the Black art from the upper deck of the bus. Another group on the bus was comprised entirely of women, all wearing T-shirts marked with ‘GEM’. My friend asked the meaning of ‘GEM’ and then they explained it stood for ‘Girls Evolving into Mature Women’, an organization that periodically organizes educational trips for adult women to lead young girls, a genuinely meaningful initiative. Indeed, a day’s tour and interaction were sufficient to let me sense the warmth and vitality pervasive in this community, a rarity I believe is unparalleled elsewhere.

As I mentioned in the introduction, being someone utterly unfamiliar with both the history and the present circumstances of Bronzeville, I found myself simultaneously absorbing the heavy history yet also the conversations and ideas of contemporary individuals. These dual perceptions almost felt dissonant, yet the creativity and vivacity towards life manifested by these groups seemed consistent overall. Within the same space, even though many architecture from that glorious era have been demolished, the remnants of time in the landscape never fully vanish. By forging a collective identity within this space, it mostly perseveres in the spirit. Later, through each individual’s personal development and expression, they continue to chronicle history through their bodies and presence, albeit in a more covert manner.

III. Segregation and Flow

Segregation has been a pervasive theme since I began attending classes here, including the approach of this blog, which primarily investigates and writes within the boundaries of specific neighborhoods. Positively viewed, geographic segmentation facilitates management and record-keeping. For individuals, seeking homogeneity often feels safer and more familiar than facing heterogeneity. To some extent, the pursuit of efficiency and comfort propels societal development to accelerate continually. Along with the trend, the divisions of segregation have expanded beyond just geographic distinctions, no longer confined merely to broad group categorizations. Tailored algorithms ensure that each individual’s exposure to information remains within their familiar interests, simplifying and reducing the cost of interaction needed to understand another person face-to-face. A person only needs to attend to their affairs to keep society functioning normally, exemplifying the atomization of modern society.

Subconsciously, ‘differences’ seems dangerous, redundant, and something to be combated. With differences being identified, distinctions can be made: national, racial, gender-based, faith-based. Differences not only segregate but also serve as pretexts for violence. Yet no group is entirely homogeneous; differences remain whether intentionally excluded or not, projecting themselves within every collective. One cannot fully understand any group through data summaries and labels alone. Sometimes, as individuals, perhaps we need not attempt to understand a ‘group’ but should genuinely step beyond various differences to interact and try to comprehend another human being.

Outside the transcendence of time, although studies are based on the space of this community ‘Bronzeville’, the space is neither entirely segmented nor static. We still have the power to transcend these divisions and choose fluidity.

 

Bibliography:

[1] Wikipedia 2023. “Black metropolis-Bronzeville District”. Retrieved August 18, 2024. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Metropolis%E2%80%93Bronzeville_District).

[2] Encyclopedia of Chicago. n.d. “Great Migration”. Retrieved August 18, 2024. (http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/545.html).

[3] National Park Service. 1985. “National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Submission: Black Metropolis Thematic Nomination”. United States Department of the Interior.

[4] WTTW. 2016. “DuSable to Obama: Explore Riots to Renaissance in Bronzeville Black Metropolis.”. Retrieved August 18, 2024. (https://web.archive.org/web/20161027213758/http://interactive.wttw.com/a/dusable-to-obama-explore-riots-to-renaissance-bronzeville-black-metropolis).

[5] Encyclopedia of Chicago. n.d. “Bronzeville”. Retrieved August 18, 2024. (http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/171.html).

[6] Wikipedia 2024. “Ida B. Wells”. Retrieved August 20, 2024. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_B._Wells).

[7] Wikipedia 2024. “Louis Armstrong”. Retrieved August 20, 2024.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Armstrong).

[8] Wikipedia 2024. “Richard Wright”. Retrieved August 20, 2024. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Wright_(author) ).