Chatham, Chicago Explained

Chatham
Official Name:	Community Area 44 - Chatham
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	United States
Subdivision Type1:	State
Subdivision Name1:	Illinois
Subdivision Type2:	County
Subdivision Name2:	Cook
Subdivision Type3:	City
Subdivision Name3:	Chicago
Parts Type:	Neighborhoods
Parts:	list
P1:	Chatham
P2:	East Chatham
P3:	West Chatham
P4:	West Chesterfield (portion)
Unit Pref:	Imperial
Area Total Km2:	7.56
Population As Of:	2020
Population Total:	31,710
Population Density Km2:	auto
Demographics Type1:	Demographics 2015^[1]
Demographics1 Title1:	White
Demographics1 Info1:	1.24%
Demographics1 Title2:	Black
Demographics1 Info2:	96.61%
Demographics1 Title3:	Hispanic
Demographics1 Info3:	0.91%
Demographics1 Title4:	Asian
Demographics1 Info4:	0.35%
Demographics1 Title5:	Other
Demographics1 Info5:	0.89%
Timezone:	CST
Utc Offset:	-6
Timezone Dst:	CDT
Utc Offset Dst:	-5
Coordinates:	41.74°N -87.6117°W
Postal Code Type:	ZIP Codes
Postal Code:	60619, parts of 60620
Area Code:	773, 872
Blank Name:	Median household income
Blank Info:	$32,222
Footnotes:	Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services

Chatham is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, on the city's South Side. It includes the neighborhoods of Chatham-Avalon, Chatham Club, Chesterfield, East Chatham, West Chatham and the northern portion of West Chesterfield. Its residents are predominantly African American, and it is home to former Senator Roland Burris. Housing many city employees and other officials, Chatham has been a central area for Chicago's middle-class African Americans since the late 1950s.^[2]

Neighborhoods and sub-areas

Historically, the Chatham community area consisted of three neighborhoods; Avalon Highlands, Chesterfield, and Chatham Fields.^[3] The community area also contains two districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to two residential historic districts, Chatham is also the location of the Four Nineteen Building, a building which demonstrates the domestic style of gas station architecture, in which stations were designed to resemble small houses.

Garden Homes Historic District

The Garden Homes Historic District is a residential district bound by South Wabash Avenue to the west, East 87th Street to the north, South Indiana Avenue to the east, and East 89th Street to the south.^[4] The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 2005.

West Chatham Bungalow Historic District

The West Chatham Bungalow Historic District is a residential district bound by South Perry Avenue to the east, West 82nd Street to the south, South Stewart Avenue to the west, and West 79th Street to the north. The district includes 283 Chicago bungalows built between 1913 and 1930 along with a smaller number of other residential buildings.^[5] The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 2010.

Demographics

In the 1990 census, Chatham was found to be 1.0% White, 98.7% Black, 0.5% Hispanic, 0.1% Asian and 0.3% other.^[6]

In the 2000 census, Chatham was found to be 0.32% White, 98.0% Black, 0.59% Hispanic, 0.06% Asian and 1.00% other. The median income was $37,809.^[7]

Transportation

The CTA Red Line stations at 79th street and 87th street are in the Chatham community area. The Metra Electric District, which provides daily service between downtown Chicago at Millennium Station and the southern destinations of University Park and Blue Island, runs along the eastern border of Chatham and has stops at the 79th Street station, the 83rd Street station, and the 87th Street station.^[8]

Politics

The Chatham community area has supported the Democratic Party in the past two presidential elections. In the 2016 presidential election, the Chatham cast 14,075 votes for Hillary Clinton and cast 230 votes for Donald Trump (96.91% to 1.58%).^[9] In the 2012 presidential election, Chatham cast 16,696 votes for Barack Obama and cast 93 votes for Mitt Romney (99.27% to 0.55%).^[10]

Notable people

• Ernie Banks (1931–2015), professional baseball player for the Chicago Cubs between 1953 and 1971. Banks resided at East 82nd Street and South Rhodes Avenue during his time in Chicago.^[11]
• Chance the Rapper (born 1993), rapper, record producer, activist, and actor. He was raised in West Chatham.
• Taylor Bennett (born 1996), rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was raised in West Chatham.^[12]
• Keni Burke (born 1953), singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He and his siblings, who made up the Five Stairsteps, were childhood residents of Chatham.^[13]
• Roland Burris (born 1937), U.S. Senator from Illinois from 2009 to 2010. He is a resident of Chatham.^[14]
• Charles Chew (1922–1986), member of the Illinois Senate from 1967 to his death in 1986. He resided at 8156 S Champlain Ave. during his political career.^[15]
• Thomas A. Dorsey (1899–1993), composer recognized as the Father of Gospel Music.
• John P. Fardy (1922–1945), Corporal in the United States Marine Corps and recipient of the Medal of Honor.^[16] He was raised in Chatham at 8144 South Calumet Avenue.^[17]
• Mahalia Jackson (1911–1972), gospel singer. She lived at 8358 South Indiana Avenue from 1956 until her death in 1972.^[18]
• R. Eugene Pincham (1925–2008), attorney, civil rights activist, and Judge of the Illinois Appellate Court. He was a resident of Chatham.^{[19] [20]}
• Welton Taylor (1919–2012), microbiologist, inventor and civil rights activist. He and his wife were the first Black couple to move to Chatham.^[21]
• Michael Wilbon, sports columnist for The Washington Post and host, commentator and analyst for ESPN.^[22]
• Brandon Breaux, multi-disciplinary artist

Education

Chicago Public Schools operates public schools serving Chatham. The following schools serve students from the Chatham neighborhood.^[23]

Secondary Schools

• Simeon Career Academy

Primary Schools

• Arthur R Ashe Elementary School
• Arthur Dixon Elementary School
• James E McDade Elementary Classical School
• Jane A Neil Elementary School
• John T Pirie Fine Arts & Academic Center ES
• Martha Ruggles Elementary School
• Oliver S Westcott Elementary School
• Ted Lenart Regional Gifted Center

See also

• Lem's Bar-B-Q
• List of African-American neighborhoods
• History of African Americans in Chicago

External links

• • Encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org: Chatham
• Official City of Chicago Chatham Community Map

Notes and References

1. Web site: Community Data Snapshot - Chatham. cmap.illinois.gov. MetroPulse. November 28, 2017.
2. Web site: Chatham. www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org. 23 April 2018.
3. Web site: Goeken. Brian. Landmark Designation Report: Chatham-Greater Grand Crossing Commercial District. November 1, 2007. City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development. December 6, 2019. Commission on Chicago Landmark.
4. Web site: Guarino. Jean. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Garden Homes Historic District. https://web.archive.org/web/20160422143020/http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/223361.pdf. dead. April 22, 2016. Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. April 10, 2016. July 1, 2004.
5. Web site: Bruni . Carla . National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: West Chatham Bungalow Historic District . https://web.archive.org/web/20191021171649/http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/223496.pdf . dead . October 21, 2019 . . October 21, 2019 . August 19, 2009.
6. Encyclopedia of Chicago, "Chatham", Available online at http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/232.html, Cited September 29, 2009
7. U.S. Census, Record Information Services.
8. News: Lane. Laura. Map: South Shore Line, Metra Electric Line. January 19, 2014. The Times of Northwest Indiana. June 11, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200611220749/https://www.nwitimes.com/digital/graphics/map-south-shore-line-metra-electric-line/html_43aede00-23f1-57d5-b9b0-b4441bee1bbf.html. June 11, 2020.
9. News: How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2016 Presidential Election. Ali. Tanveer. DNAInfo. November 9, 2016. October 4, 2019. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190924090904/https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/numbers/president-vice-president-every-neighborhood-map-election-results-voting-general-primary-illinois/. September 24, 2019.
10. News: How Every Chicago Neighborhood Voted In The 2012 Presidential Election. Ali. Tanveer. DNAInfo. November 9, 2012. October 4, 2019. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190203045330/https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/numbers/obama-romney-president-vice-president-every-neighborhood-map-2012-election-results-voting-general-primary-illinois/. February 3, 2019.
11. News: Linda. Lutton. Andrew. Fan. Alden. Loury. Where Banks Don’t Lend. June 3, 2020. WBEZ. September 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200603194532/https://interactive.wbez.org/2020/banking/disparity/. June 3, 2020.
12. News: Why Chance The Rapper Doesn't Talk About Rahm Emanuel Publicly. Obaro. Tomi. Chicago Magazine. December 4, 2015. December 16, 2015. December 16, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151216203041/http://www.chicagomag.com/arts-culture/December-2015/Why-Chance-the-Rapper-Doesnt-Talk-About-Rahm-Emanuel-Publicly/. live.
13. News: O'Donnell. Maureen. Clarence Burke Sr., ex-Chicago detective who managed his kids, The Five Stairsteps, dead at 90. August 28, 2020. Chicago Sun-Times. August 28, 2020.
14. Burris. Roland. Roland Burris. Carol Felsenthal. Roland Burris: No Regrets on Accepting Senate Seat from Blagojevich. Chicago. Chicago. April 18, 2011. December 5, 2019.
15. http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/bb/id/33533 Illinois Blue Book 1971-1972
16. Web site: Corporal John Peter Fardy, USMC. Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. 2006-04-06. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050926040342/http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/HD/Historical/Whos_Who/Fardy_JP.htm. 2005-09-26.
17. News: Staff Report. . 20 Streets in New City To Be Named for Men in War II. August 8, 1948. Chicago Tribune. ProQuest.
18. Web site: List of Chicago Tribute Markers 1997–2002. City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. December 5, 2019.
19. News: Jensen. Trevor. Mills. Steven. R. Eugene Pincham: 1925 - 2008. April 4, 2008. Chicago Tribune. March 10, 2020.
20. Web site: James Janega . R. Eugene Pincham remembered for contributions to law, community . Chicago Tribune . 2008-04-13 . 2017-06-23.
21. Web site: Allen. Erin. Inspired By a Soldier’s Story. August 28, 2015. Library of Congress. April 8, 2021.
22. https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/may-2020/michael-wilbon/ Michael Wilbon
23. http://www.cps.edu/Schools/Find_a_school/Pages/Findaschool.aspx | Chicago Public Schools' Search