South Shore, Chicago: Difference between revisions

South Shore
Community area
Community Area 43 – South Shore
Rainbow Beach along the shore of Lake Michigan.
Location within the city of Chicago
Coordinates: 41°45.6′N 87°34.8′W / 41.7600°N 87.5800°W / 41.7600; -87.5800
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
City	Chicago
Neighborhoods	list Jackson Park Highlands South Shore
Area
• Total	2.99 sq mi (7.74 km2)
Population  (2020) ZIP Codes		60649 and parts of 60619, 60637
Median household income	$26,425[1]
Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services

South Shore is one of 77 defined

After racially restrictive covenants were declared unconstitutional by Shelley v. Kraemer, African American families began to move into historically white neighborhoods such as South Shore.^[4] The South Shore Commission initiated a program they called "managed integration", designed to check the physical decline of the community and to achieve racial balance. The initiative was largely unsuccessful on both counts. Per the 1950 census, South Shore had 79,000 residents and was 96% white. A 1951 University of Chicago study estimated that over 20% of the neighborhood’s residents were Jewish. In 1960, some of the white residents began to choose to move to new locations.^[4] By 1970, the population had risen to 81,000 and was 69% black and 28% white. By 1980, the population had fallen slightly to 78,000, but was 94% black.^[4]

By the late 1990s South Shore had developed into a middle-class African American community. The Chicago Park District purchased the waning South Shore Country Club in 1972, converting it into a cultural center.^[7]

Neighborhoods and sub-areas

Jackson Park Highlands

The Jackson Park Highlands District is a sixteen block area bounded by East 67th Street on the north. East 71st Street on the south, South Cregier Avenue on the west, and South Jeffrey Boulevard on the east.^[8]

The Jackson Park Highlands District is a historic district in the South Shore community area of Chicago. The district was built in 1905 by various architects. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on October 25, 1989.^[8]

Jeffery–Cyril Historic District

The Jeffery–Cyril Historic District is a national historic district in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The district comprises a cluster of six apartment buildings on Jeffery Boulevard, 71st Place, and Cyril Avenue. All six buildings were built between 1927 and 1929.^[9] The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 5, 1986.^[10]

South Shore Bungalow Historic District

The South Shore Bungalow Historic District is a residential historic district in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The district contains 229 Chicago bungalows and twenty other residential buildings built between 1911 and 1930. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 10, 2008.^[10]

Architecture

The

At the northern end of South Shore is the historic district Jackson Park Highlands, one of Chicago's greatest examples of structural history and 19th-century architecture, with an abundance of homes in the style of American Foursquare, Colonial Revival, and Renaissance Revival on suburban-sized lots.

Located in the Bryn Mawr section of South Shore is the Allan Miller House at 7121 South Paxton Avenue. Commissioned by advertising executive Allan Miller, this home is an excellent example of Prairie-style architecture. Built in 1915, it is Chicago's only surviving building designed by John Van Bergen, a former member of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture firm.

Politics

The South Shore community area has supported the

On July 14, 2018, the community clashed with the Chicago Police Department after a local barber, Harith Augustus, was shot multiple times by a police officer at 71st Street and Chappel Avenue. Body camera footage without audio was released immediately contrary to past practices of months-long waits for video in other police shootings. Footage taken by body cameras of other officers has not been released.^[13][14][15]

Culture and religion

The Nation of Islam National Center and Mosque Maryam are at 7351 South Stony Island Avenue.^[16] The National Black United Front has its headquarters in the community.^[17]

The

The South Shore community area has five stations along the South Chicago Branch of the Metra Electric District. In South Shore, the South Chicago Branch runs eastward along East 71st Street making stops at Stony Island, Bryn Mawr, South Shore stations before going southeast along South Exchange Avenue making stops at Windsor Park, and Cheltenham stations. In addition, the 75th Street station is on the Greater Grand Crossing side of the border between that area and South Shore.^[19]

Education

Chicago Public Schools operates district public schools.

Urban Prep Academies has a South Shore Campus.^[20]

Muhammad University of Islam, a Nation of Islam-affiliated primary and secondary school, is adjacent to the Mosque Maryam.^[16]

Notable people

• Marshall Bennett (1915–2018), real estate developer credited with creating the modern industrial park. He was a childhood resident of South Shore.^[22]
• Bo Diddley (1928–2008), singer, guitarist, songwriter and music producer. He resided in South Shore.^[8]
• Frank Drake (born 1930), astrophyscist and co-founder of Project Ozma. He was a childhood resident of 7347 South Crandon Avenue and a graduate of South Shore High School.^[23][24]
• Stanley Elkin (1930–1995), novelist, short story writer, and essayist. He was a childhood resident of South Shore.^[25]
• Larry Ellison (born 1944), co-founder of Oracle Corporation. He was raised in the South Shore community area by his adoptive parents.^[26][27]
• James T. Farrell (1904–1979), novelist, short-story writer and poet. He resided at 2023 East 72nd Street.^[28]
• Enrico Fermi (1901–1954), physicist and the creator of the world's first nuclear reactor. He resided in South Shore.^[8]
• Air Force Logistics Command from 1967 until his death one year later. He resided at 7838 South Excanaba Avenue for a time.^[29][30]
• Valentine's Day Massacre. He resided at 7827 South South Shore Drive at the time of his murder.^[31]
• S. I. Hayakawa (1906–1992), U.S. Senator from California from 1977 to 1983. At the time of the 1940 United States census, Hayakawa resided at 1715 East 67th Street.^[32]
• Fred Holstein (1942–2004), folk singer. He was raised in the South Shore community area.^[33]
• Murray Humphreys (1899–1965), member of the Chicago Outfit. He resided at 7710 S. Bennett Ave. for most of his criminal career.^[34]
• Robert Irving III (born 1953), musician and longtime South Shore resident.^[35]
• Jacqueline Jackson (born 1944), peace activist and wife of Jesse Jackson. She resided in South Shore for a time.^[36]
• Jesse Jackson (born 1941), activist, Baptist minister, and politician. Jackson moved to South Shore in 1960 after his financial supporters purchased him a home in the area.^[36]
• Jesse Jackson Jr. (born 1965), member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois's 2nd congressional district, son of Jesse and Jacqueline Jackson, and husband of Sandi Jackson. He was raised in South Shore and, as of 2018, is a current resident of South Shore.^[36][37][38]
• Jonathan Jackson (born 1966), businessman, activist, and son of Jesse and Jacqueline Jackson. He was a childhood resident of South Shore.^[36]
• Sandi Jackson (born 1963), politician and wife of Jesse Jackson Jr. She resided in South Shore during her political career.^[37][38]
• Santita Jackson (born 1963), singer, political commentator, and daughter of Jesse and Jacqueline Jackson. She was a childhood resident of South Shore.^[36]
• Jeremiah Jae (born 1989), rapper, record producer, and multi-media artist. He is a South Shore resident.^[39]
• Ferguson Jenkins (born 1942), professional baseball player. He resided at the home of fellow player Billy Williams for a time during their professional careers.^[40][41]
• Gene Krupa (1909–1973), jazz drummer, bandleader and composer. He was a childhood resident of South Shore.^[42]
• Ramsey Lewis (born 1935), jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. He resided in South Shore.^[8]
• Marv Levy (born 1925), football coach. He was raised in the South Shore neighborhood.^[43]
• David Mamet (born 1947), playwright. His family moved from Hyde Park to South Shore while he was a teenager.^[44]
• Raymond S. McKeough (1888–1979), member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois's 2nd congressional district. He resided at 7815 South Euclid Avenue while in Congress.^[45]
• Carol Moseley Braun (born 1947), first African American woman elected to the United States Senate. She lived in South Shore during her political career.^[46]
• Michelle Obama (born 1964), 44th First Lady of the United States. She was born and raised in South Shore.^{[47][48][49][50]}
• South Chicago communities.^[51]
• Suze Orman (born 1951), author, financial advisor, motivational speaker, and television host.^[52]
• Jabari Parker (born 1995), professional basketball player. He was raised in South Shore.^[53]
• Mandy Patinkin (born 1952), actor and singer. He was a childhood resident of South Shore.^[54]
• Elia W. Peattie (1862–1935), author, journalist and critic. She resided near East 74th Street and South South Shore Drive for much of her life.^[55]
• Greek-American life. He resided at 7603 South Ridgeland Avenue for a time.^[56][57]
• Dean Richards (born 1954), film critic and entertainment reporter for WGN-TV. He was raised in South Shore.^[58]
• Craig Robinson (born 1962), college basketball coach.^{[47][48][49][50]}
• Carlo Rotella, professor and recipient of the 2006 Guggenheim Fellowship. He was raised at South Oglesby Avenue and East 71st Street.^[59][60]
• Sebastian Rotella, foreign correspondent, investigative journalist, and novelist. He was a childhood resident of South Shore.^[59]
• Bashir Salahuddin (born 1976), actor, writer, and comedian. He was raised in South Shore on South Constance Avenue.^[61]
• Gale Sayers (1943–2020), professional football player. He resided in South Shore during his time with the Chicago Bears.^[8]
• Elmer Schnackenberg (1889–1968), Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He resided at 2706 East 75th Place during his first tenure in the Illinois House of Representatives.^[62]
• Deborah Senn (1949–2022), 7th Insurance Commissioner of Washington from 1993 to 2001. She was raised in the South Shore neighborhood.^[63]
• Johnny Torrio (1882–1957), early member of the Chicago Outfit. Torrio resided in South Shore for a portion of his criminal career before being incarcerated in Waukegan.^[64]
• Richard B. Vail (1895–1955), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 2nd district during the 80th and 82 U.S. Congresses. He resided at 6946 South Bennett Avenue while a Congressman.^[65]
• Charles R. Walgreen, Sr. (1873–1939), businessman who founded Walgreens. He resided at 6912 South Shore Drive in 1928.^[66]
• double helix structure of DNA. He was raised at 7922 South Luella Avenue and graduated from South Shore High School.^[67]
• Lee Weiner (born 1939), activist and member of the Chicago Seven. He was a childhood resident of South Shore.^[68]
• Kanye West (born 1977), rapper. West was raised at 7815 S. South Shore Drive.^[69]
• Billy Williams (born 1938), professional baseball player. He purchased a home near East 74th Street and South Constance Avenue in 1966. Williams resided in South Shore until moving to Glen Ellyn, Illinois in 1974.^[40][70]

References