In an effort to present the historical experiences of the community we work in and care for, we are beginning a new series titled From the Archives: Garfield Park. The neighborhoods of East and West Garfield Park have historically withstood concentrated impacts of structural violence, intentional disinvestment of schools, housing, and hospitals, and disproportionate over-policing and interaction with the carceral system that has targeted the primarily black residents of the neighborhood. As such, abolitionist principles guide us in asking, “What is the history of this neighborhood?” and “What can we learn about caring for our communities from those that shaped its history?” In accordance with these principles, the greater intent of this project extends beyond the exposing of state-violence, oppression, and displacement, and exists as a love letter to the East and West Garfield Park neighborhoods.
The Garfield Park neighborhoods hold an extremely rich history of love, community care, and commitment to collective liberation. Each week, we will present a particular photo or event that took place in the East and West Garfield Park Neighborhoods found on the Chicago History Museum’s Digital Image Archive along with any known historical facts or context. Posts with little historical context to shape our current understandings are unfortunately the result of the notoriously under-documented nature of Chicago’s westside in historical or archival processes. Despite this, a wealth of knowledge and a great deal of westside love can still be discerned from these photographs. In imagining a better future, we look towards the past to gain further knowledge of our community and honor those who have shaped Garfield Park historically and presently.
This work builds on previous efforts to record and document the lived experiences of those in these neighborhoods. Additional information and preceding projects can be found here: TinyURL.com/WestsideHistoryProjects
April 6, 1968
Following the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King on April 4 of 1968, Chicago’s westside neighbor…
June 16, 1979
On June 16, 1979, West Garfield Park community members filled in a pothole at West Van Buren and Sou…