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Essays about Chicago's South Side

Many Chicagoans go years without visiting or thinking much about the south side of the city. This is a shame. The South Side has many places of social, cultural and historical interest. The issues gripping the South Side (such as quality health care, race relations, urban redevelopment, education policy) are those that challenge the nation.

This web page links you to papers about places and issues on Chicago's South Side. The papers were written by students in Dr. Michelle Navarre Cleary's English 102 classes at Olive-Harvey College. Located on the far South Side of Chicago, Olive-Harvey is one of the City Colleges of Chicago.

Across the Atlantic Ocean, to the South Side of Chicago. Many years ago in the early 1960s, families, including mine, migrated from Ghana across the Atlantic Ocean to the South Side of Chicago. Initially, I did not understand why people had to travel that far, leaving behind their beautiful culture and customs. But, now I understand the reason. Aside from the culture and customs for which Ghana was noted, there were the problems of the Ghanaian men engaged in polygamous relationships, of the women seen as child bearers without any education, and being looked upon as just farmers and housewives. These basic women’s rights had eluded Ghanaian women for so long but now they are ready for a change. Written by Emmanuel Annang, Fall 2002.
Behind the Brick Walls. Contrasting the management of two high-rises, Lake Meadows and Stateway Gardens, it is clear that the management of Stateway as well as of other Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) units could lead only to demolition. More families will soon be displaced by CHA demolition plans. Stateway declined to the point of demolition due to the poor practices of the CHA. Unfortunately this is not an insolated incident. Demolition of three Robert Taylor housing units has already been completed. The plan to demolish Stateway is merely the early stage of a mass redevelopment plan. Despite their history of negligence, CHA continues on as it ventures into yet another project. CHA continues to receive aid from government and city programs. While CHA is able to regroup from negligence, victims of CHA’s errors still scramble to survive homelessness. Written by Dominica Giles, Fall 2001.
Benefits Denied. According to the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools that receive federal money must offer services to students who are in a special education program as well as all special needs students. These schools receive federal money in order to service the individual needs of each student in the special education program. However, it has become apparent to Chicago Public Schools officials that all special need students were not obtaining these services. For example, Libby Elementary School does not receive the same services that are provided to high-income area schools like Burnside Elementary School. There may be multiple reasons these services are not present, nevertheless for schools that receive federal money there is not a valid excuse. It is against the law for schools to receive federal money to fund special education programs and not provide these services to special need students (Shin 3). Consequently, it is the responsibility of the schools, not the parents, to make sure funds are spent appropriately. Written by Vivian Stewart, Spring 2004.
CAPS in Morgan Park. I was born and raised in the nice and quiet community of Morgan Park. It used to be a very pleasant community to live in and raise children. Growing up, I remember when I could leave my bike outside over night, and when I woke up it would be in the same place. My mother speaks all the time about how she could leave the doors unlocked, not only at home, but in her car also. Basically, you could go just about anywhere and not worry about anyone bothering you. In 1990, all of the pleasant living changed when drugs and crime started to take over the community. Just about every community in Chicago has its ups and downs, but I never anticipated my community would change as fast as it did. Morgan Park is faced with problems such as loitering, speeding and police not responding to emergency calls in a timely manner. I feel the problems in my community are not being taken care of because the cops and the citizens aren’t working together as effectively as they should be. Written by Raymond Wilson, Spring 2004.
Community Revitalization: It Can Happen. I Must Happen. Why is it that you can have manicured lawns and an abundance of city services in one neighborhood, but just yards away it seems like there is a civil war going on, where one neighborhood is peaceful and the other is crime ridden? Community revitalization is needed for some of America’s neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are the ones that most Americans never see, but often hear about through the news media. The forgotten neighborhoods are in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. They go by the names of Compton, Watts, Inglewood, the Bronx. And even closer to my home, Roseland, Cabrini Green, and yes, we have an Englewood in Chicago too. What is most astonishing is that most of these forgotten communities border or are adjacent to prominent, flourishing communities. What can a people, community and nation do to prevent this great spread of disparity amongst neighborhoods in various communities? The residents of Auburn Gresham must rise up and take their community back by returning it to its former glory. Written by Mr. Jeffery Reneau, Fall 5004.
Failing the Students of Chicago. In the Chicago Public Schools, there are regular neighborhood schools like Percy Julian High School and there are charter and magnet schools like Morgan Park High School. Charter and magnet schools tend to get the best of things, while regular schools get whatever is left. Basically, the Board of Education is failing the students of the Chicago Public School system by allowing certain schools to get better programs, curriculums, and teachers; while regular neighborhood schools are being left with few to no advanced programs, poorly constructed curriculums, and teachers who barley got their licenses. Anyone who takes a look at the schools’ yearly report card can tell that this is a serious problem plaguing the city of Chicago. Written by Patrice Spivey, Fall 2001.
The Furnaces That Never Stopped. The steel industry, one of the most powerful branches in the American economy in the last hundred years, suffered a major collapse at the end of 1990’s and beginning of the new century. Major factors, such as NAFTA regulation abuses, dumping, and improper management of the steel plants throughout the United States, left tens of thousands of people unemployed and retirees of the steel industry with their health and pension benefits in uncertainty. What were the circumstances under which the steel industry, once the most stable and profitable of the primary product industries, became today a field of permanent changes and instability? Is there a solution to a national problem without precedence? LTV Steel, one of the largest steel companies in the central US, is a good example of survival linked to the South Side of Chicago and NW Indiana. Recently, thousands of employees of the East Chicago LTV Steel plant experienced changes they would have never thought possible before. Written by Catalin Constantin, Spring 2004.
Is It True Love? Domestic Violence of Teens and Pregnant Moms. Since July of 2002, I’ve been a Child Care Specialist for a program called Parents Care & Share. This program gives teens and young mothers a chance to discuss stresses in their daily lives, something like an outreach program. As I sat down and talked with the young parents and teens in the program, I found that four out of five of these young ladies were involved in some kind of abuse that involved one or more children. I did not realize how common domestic violence affected teens and young pregnant moms until I began bonding with the girls in the parent care and share program. The girl’s feel as though domestic violence is a form of love, domestic violence is natural and all of their relationships are similar. I knew at this point I had a job to do! Written by Lakeischa J. Morgan, Fall 2002.
Looking for More Good Men. There is something keeping the majority of the young men in our community from attempting to pursue higher education. But what is it? When interviewed specifically for this paper there was one fact that kept surfacing amongst the men who are attending college, and that was that the men in our community would rather risk jail for fast money instead of pursuing a higher education or career. If we can get the young men in our community to change their economic focus from selling drugs to getting the best education and training possible in order to have a good career, then we will have found the answer to this problem. But, everyone must work together to achieve this. Written by Leslie L. Hooks, Spring 2004.
Maxwell Street -- A Long Battle for Territory. Most of us are proud of the communities we live in. But no community has battled as long for stability as the people of the Pilsen community. People in the Pilsen community are going to bat once again with UIC over territory. They are afraid of what may happen as a result of a new wave of gentrification. They want to keep their affordable housing, refurbish their businesses, receive jobs promised to them and preserve their culture. Written by Yona Jordan, Spring 2000.
The Mexican Community Committee Betters the South Chicago Community With Its Many Important Services. The Mexican Community Committee helps many South Chicago inhabitants with economic, health, and educational services. These services help pave a way toward a brighter future for the community residents, making this local community center a benefit to the community. Written by Julio Alvarez, Fall 1998.
An Ongoing Struggle in Trumbull Park. In 1977, my family moved into Trumbull Park housing development. We had to endure a lot of name-calling, being spat on, and having stones thrown at us. As a black family, we may not have asked for the problems that we had to encounter, but we learned to turn the other cheek. Soon, the children had started to play together. By the early 80’s, the racism had declined. Residents had begun to accept their fellow neighbors as neighbors. When some one had a cookout in their backyard, no matter who you were, an open invitation was extended to your family. However, after living in Trumbull Park for 20 years, in 1997, I moved my mother out. With the constant drive-bys and gang fights, I feared she was not safe any longer. Although my mother did not want to move because it took her so long to get into Trumbull Park, I had to make her realize that Trumbull Park was not the same quiet community that she had moved into. Written by Janet Green, Fall 2001.
Parent Involvement Makes A Difference. In today’s society, children are deprived of getting a good education. Some parents say that children do not get the education they deserve, because teachers are not trained properly. What about the parents? Parents also have to do their part to educate their children. Parent involvement is important to a child, because "it is one way of demonstrating to your child that their education is important" (Sears, 73). There have been numerous studies, which prove that parent involvement is beneficial to their children’s education. Parent involvement is an issue at Taylor School because it is located in a low-income community. Since a large number of the parents of this community work during the daytime, they have less chance to be able to attend their children’s school functions. Written by Yolanda Martinez, Spring 2004.
The Racism Never Ends. "There isn’t any racism in Chicago H.S. For Agricultural Sciences [CHSAS]" (Gilligan, principal). "There is racism in Mt. Greenwood and segregation in CHSAS" (Saldanya, librarian). The principal does not believe that segregation in Chicago H.S. For Ag Science exists, but the librarian at the school disagrees. The librarian is right, there is racism in this high school. The principal is in denial about the segregation because he doesn’t see the students interacting at school like the librarian does. Segregation and racism are issues in Mt. Greenwood; therefore they are problems in CHSAS. Written by Morgan Andrews, Spring 2004.
St. Ailbe: How One Catholic Church Changed to Fit the Needs of the Community. In 1968-1973, St. Ailbe Parish changed from an Irish and Polish to an African American parish. In the next 15 years, the growth of the church stagnated because the traditional Catholic setting did not reflect the cultural identity of its congregants. However, in 1991, Father John Breslin took over the pastoral duties at St. Ailbe. Through his efforts and those of Sister Katherine, the principal of St. Ailbe, a once obsolete church and school have been turned into a spiritually fulfilling and distinctly Afrocentric Parish. Written by Pascale Pouponneau, Fall 1998.
Single Sex Education: A Better Choice for Girls. There are no single sex public high schools in Chicago. Richards Career Academy should have remained an all girls school. Although studies show that girls get better grades than boys in school, girls do even better when they study away from the opposite sex. They also earn higher scores, have positive attitudes about careers, and higher self-esteem. Written by Aida Perez, Spring 2000.
South Chicago: The Rise and Fall of a Community. U.S. Steel South Works grew quickly. It helped the economy of a small community, but good things do not last forever. U.S. Steel South Works was a strong and large running mill, when it went down so did the community of South Chicago. Businesses and residents suffered. Quality department stores closed along with some small businesses, leaving empty, abandoned buildings. Families lost homes, banks repossessed cars and some families broke up because husbands turned to alcohol. It is important that the people of South Chicago today know how the community grew to be too dependent on the mill. Hopefully, something like this will not ever happen again. Written by Sandra Oehman, Spring 2000.
There are Programs to Help our Young, Minority, Disadvantaged Youth Get Ahead. A student who started in the Office of Special Programs - College Prep Program (OSP-CP) at the University of Chicago when she was in seventh grade graduated from Hyde Park Academy with a full academic scholarship to Florida A&M for scoring a 34 on her ACT. Another student who attended the program received a chance to go to the South Pole for two weeks. She received a partial scholarship to the University of Chicago. I have worked with this program over ten years and I have watched it change the lives of so many disadvantaged young minorities. Through jobs, cultural enrichment, parent participation, academic classes, high school and college guidance, the students are improving their chances of having a better life for themselves. Written by Tawana Dukes, Fall 2002.
The University of Chicago vs. The Community of Bronzeville in the Battle for the Checkerboard Lounge. Chicago is known as the home of the Blues. So why are two communities in Chicago fighting for custody of one of the historic blues lounges located in this city? The University of Chicago and the community of Bronzeville have been debating back and forth over the location of a local blues club, the Checkerboard Lounge, which was originally located in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The Bronzeville community wants the Checkerboard to remain in their community because it is a part of their history and culture. This lounge can also provide economic relief for the Bronzeville neighborhood. The University of Chicago wants the Checkerboard in their neighborhood of Hyde Park in hopes of restoring blues/jazz to their community. Written by Dameka Brown, Spring 2004.
Welfare to Work, Will it Work in the Southeast Office? The first thing you see when walking into the Public Aide Southeast Office is the line, a line of tired, frustrated, young women who have been waiting for hours. You can here the chatter of young girls asking why is it taking so long. Once you have made it through the line, you have to go into the waiting area. In the waiting area, you are over run with children young and old, infants yelling and crying. There is no place in the office to keep the children occupied while you wait. Some recipients are sitting in this discomfort for three to four hours just waiting to see their caseworker. The recipients know they may not get to see their caseworker, but they take the chance of waiting because they need their benefits. Delivering poor benefits to recipients is not the way to get them off of welfare. Written by Deidra Murphy, Fall 2001.
What is so Special about the Festivals in Washington Park? People attend these festivals to have a lot of fun, which is what they get. But they always leave with a piece of history, more knowledge about Africa and themselves. To be honest, I can go on and on about how good and educational the festivals are. The only thing left for you to do is attend one and you can judge for yourself. This is not a paper about an empty lot; this is not a paper asking you to help save something. I’m just telling you about the education, the fun, and the beauty of the African Arts Festivals. Come on out and join the fun. Written by Renell Allen, Fall 2002.
Who Will Suffer from the Rebirth of Woodlawn? Today Woodlawn is a big construction site. Property is a hot commodity in Woodlawn. Buildings that were once abandoned are now condominiums. Those who have owned property for over thirty years are being offered a nice penny to sell. Those who do not sell are finding that the taxes have risen to unbearable cost. The entire city is under reconstruction, supplying limited areas in which to move, unless in senior public housing. How will these seniors adjust to a new living area? Where will they relocate in the city? This community has been their home for most of their lives. With their income, they would have to live in areas like Englewood or Ford Heights. These townships, infested with gangs and drugs, would not replace home sweet home. How will the seniors ever feel safe to walk in these communities? Many of the residents of Woodlawn are looking for these answers. Written by LaRai Williams-Barrett. Fall 2001.

We welcome your comments upon these papers and any suggestions you may have for future topics. Please e-mail Dr. Navarre Cleary at mcleary@ccc.edu.

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