Bronzeville
Bronzeville
New boutiques, restaurants, and hangouts have gradually begun to emerge out of the buildings that once held the thriving Black Metropolis. While the golden days of poets and jazz are gone, today a bold community is committed to keeping its history, independence, and ingenuity alive. »
Bronzeville on the Bayou
Sitting before a massive dish of red, steaming Creole-style jambalaya, my mind echoed with Hank Williams’s famous line: “Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou.” However, I did not find myself in a Southern backwater town but at Le Fleur de Lis, Bronzeville’s self-proclaimed “newest and best Creole restaurant,” located... »
A Cause for Jubilee
Rev. Vance’s message is clear enough: the devil is no fiery denizen of hell—he has a corner office in the Loop. And those “forces of evil” mentioned earlier? They have one face to the people in this room: foreclosure. »
The Writing on the Wall
From charcoal drawings to paintings, the exhibit at the South Side Community Art Center demonstrates Jones’s versatility as an artist. Slide shows and videos wowed viewers with the bright colors and sharp forms that are a trademark of Jones’s work. »
Funnier than hell
After doing uproarious impersonations of a clueless kindergartener, a droning preacher, and a decrepit deacon in the space of five minutes, celebrated comedian Lester Barrie let his voice drop into a deadpan. “I’ve been thinking a lot about heaven lately. Do I really want to go? None of my friends are going to be... »
Art of Three Neighborhoods: Inside and Out
It’s a critical time for arts on the South Side. After years of attention being focused on the pillars of the Pilsen visual art scene, the tide is shifting—in large part because many artists have trickled into other communities south of the Loop, bringing with them both the hope of a colorful neighborhood and... »
Big Trouble at Little Shimer: What’s happening to Chicago’s Great Books college?
Last Sunday afternoon, most of Shimer College crowded into a small room to discuss the future of their school. The Assembly—a democratic body in which all students, faculty, staff, and trustees have equal votes—has traditionally been the moral authority of the college, while legal authority rests with the Board of Trustees. In last Sunday’s... »
Good and Plenty: Abundance Bakery takes the cake
The caramel cupcakes at Bronzeville’s Abundance Bakery are so loaded with frosting that they rest upside down on their muffin-tops to support it all. Eating one is a gooey affair that requires a spoon, not to mention a glass of milk and possibly a friend to help. The cupcakes, like most everything at the... »
