Chicago History Museum

01/01/2021

Happy New Year from CHM!🎉 We wish you all the best for 2021. See more images: https://bit.ly/3hsMwu7. #MuseumFromHome

12/29/2020

#OnThisDay in 1958, Reverend Joseph H. Jackson received his official Certificate of Life Time Call as head pastor of Olivet Baptist Church in the city’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Jackson was a renowned African American pastor and civil rights leader in the 20th century who left his mark through activism focused on education, housing, and economic and political equality for Black Americans. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Jackson notably disagreed with direct action and nonviolent civil disobedience. Learn more about Jackson’s life, work, and occasional controversy in our Google Arts & Culture exhibit, Reverend Joseph H. Jackson. https://bit.ly/34S38q5 #MuseumFromHome

12/28/2020

Earlier this month, Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred made big sports news with the announcement that the MLB had “elevated” seven professional Negro Leagues to major league status. With this addition, the MLB now has the monumental task of recalculating statistics, which will change the career numbers for players who got their start in the Negro Leagues, including greats such as Satchel Paige, the Cubs’ Ernie Banks, and the White Sox’s Minnie Miñoso. In our latest blog post, CHM chief historian Peter T. Alter talks about the Chicago American Giants, a charter franchise in the Negro National League that regularly drew crowds that outnumbered those of the White Sox and Cubs and in the 1940s even made Comiskey Park their home field: https://bit.ly/2Jr0ZtX #MuseumFromHome

12/25/2020

The Chicago History Museum wishes a safe and happy Christmas to you and yours. The Inland Printer was a Chicago-based trade journal for the printing industry that began in 1883. In 1958, it merged with the American Printer and Lithographer, and went through a series of name changes that ended with The American Printer, which was also an earlier name of the publication with which it merged. It ceased regular publication in 2011. Learn more about the history of Chicago’s printing industry: https://bit.ly/3aHW0A3 // Front cover of The Inland Printer, c. December 1895. Designed by Will H. Bradley. CHM, ICHi-076734. #museumfromhome

12/23/2020

December 23 marks the anniversary of two milestones for Phil Jackson, the Chicago Bulls’ head coach from 1989 to 1998. In 1992, he earned his 200th career regular-season win as head coach in a record 270 games when the Bulls beat the Washington Bullets 107‒98. Just five years later, in 1997, Jackson recorded his 500th career victory with a 94‒89 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in his 682nd regular season game. He reached both of those milestones faster than any head coach in NBA history. The 1997–98 season would be Jackson’s last with the Bulls, where in his nine seasons he led the team to six championships. See more Bulls images from our Chicago Sun-Times collection: https://bit.ly/37LN4rP // Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson interviews with the Sun-Times about the 1989‒90 basketball season at Chicago Stadium, 1800 W. Madison St., Chicago, Oct. 1, 1989. ST-10000211-0022, Chicago Sun-Times collection, CHM

12/22/2020

Explore the concepts of faith, identity, personal journey, and safe havens in a program with TheIsmaili USA featuring CHM chief historian Peter T. Alter, the curator of our exhibition American Medina: Stories of Muslim Chicago. Tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/214165647002692/

12/22/2020

#OnThisDay December 22, 1910, one of the greatest disasters to strike an American fire department took place in Chicago. Around 4:00 a.m. that day, a night watchman noticed black smoke pouring out of the six-story Nelson Morris meatpacking company’s Beef Plant No. 7 in the Stockyards District. Several fire companies rushed to the scene, and Chief James Horan arrived at 5:05 a.m. to personally direct the response. Within minutes, the east wall of the plant suddenly collapsed. In that instant, the chief and twenty other firefighters were killed along with three Nelson Morris employees, leaving behind nineteen widows and thirty-five orphaned children just before Christmas. It was the single greatest loss of professional big-city firefighters in US history until September 11, 2001. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/34SAKEn #MuseumFromHome

12/19/2020

#OnThisDay 200 years ago, Mary Livermore was born in Boston. When her family settled in Chicago, she quickly established herself as a philanthropist, until the Civil War broke out. In June 1861, President Lincoln established the United States Sanitary Commission to centralize civilian relief efforts to support the Union Army. A Chicago branch opened and was managed by Livermore and Jane Hoge. To raise money, the women proposed a Great Northwestern Fair, where they could auction off or sell food, entertainment, and mementos of the war. The 1863 Great Northwestern Fair was a resounding success, and a second iteration followed in 1865. Learn more in our Chicago History magazine article “The Art and Politics of Chicago’s Sanitary Fairs”: https://bit.ly/3p5MzhT #MuseumFromHome

12/18/2020

A visit to the Walnut Room is normally part of Chicago holiday tradition, but it might have to be takeout this year. The Walnut Room is the flagship restaurant of Marshall Field & Co. (now Macy’s) in downtown Chicago at State and Washington Streets. The building opened in 1907, and the Walnut Room existed from the start, though it was initially named the South Grill Room. Eventually, the restaurant was renamed for its Circassian walnut paneling, though the exact date of the switch is unclear. For decades, hungry shoppers have enjoyed favorites such as millinery clerk Mrs. Hering’s chicken pot pie, which she started serving in an earlier Field’s restaurant in 1890. The special atmosphere and food have ensured the Walnut Room remains a nostalgic favorite for generations of Chicagoans. See more menus: https://g.co/arts/12AALsEb6bUx7cYL9 #FoodFriday #MuseumFromHome

12/17/2020

Out at CHM and ALMA Panel Discussion

Out at CHM is excited and honored to partner with ALMA Chicago for a sustained experiential program of community-centered stories focusing on the intersection of Chicago’s Latinx/Queer/Immigrant community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This joint venture embodies the Museum’s mission of sharing Chicago stories and our work to bolster diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.

Learn more about this initiative as Kim L. Hunt, executive director of Pride Action Tank, moderates a free discussion with Julio Rodriguez, ALMA board president; Emmanuel Garcia, ALMA member; and Nancy Villafranca-Guzmán, CHM vice president for education and engagement.

https://youtu.be/dqX_5Bv_JfM

Kim L. Hunt, executive director of Pride Action Tank, moderates a free discussion with Julio Rodriguez, ALMA board president; Emmanuel Garcia, ALMA member; a...

12/17/2020

In December 1869, the Territory of Wyoming passed the first women’s suffrage law in the US, 44 years before Illinois women would be granted limited suffrage in June 1913 to vote for local offices and in presidential elections. In the decades before the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, Chicago women of different backgrounds pursued varied goals—working to reform society, achieve economic and political empowerment, and promote racial equality. These issues and efforts propelled many to also campaign for suffrage, and they achieved small victories along the way. Learn more in Episode 3 of our digital experience, Democracy Limited: Chicago Women and the Vote: https://bit.ly/2J3vAxw // Grace Wilbur Trout (second from left), returning to Chicago after campaigning in Springfield to secure a statewide suffrage law, June 14, 1913; DN-0060624, Chicago Daily News collection, CHM. #MuseumFromHome

12/16/2020

Gerri Oliver, who made the Palm Tavern a nexus of Black culture in Chicago, dies at 101

For years, the Palm Tavern and its owner Gerri Oliver were Bronzeville institutions. Both the establishment and the woman were a welcoming sight for performers like Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Fernando Jones, but also historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Harold Washington. Many who remember the Palm Tavern felt the loss of a significant part of Chicago history, and now that “Mama Gerri” is gone as well, the loss stings even more deeply. CHM was fortunate to have acquired the Palm Tavern’s building sign and much of Mama Gerri’s images, posters, menus, and other archival materials.

Gerri Oliver, who made Gerri's Palm Tavern on the South Side famous, dies at age 101.

12/14/2020

The feds finally got the Blues brothers. Today The Library of Congress announced its annual selection of 25 influential American motion pictures to be inducted into the National Film Registry, which includes John Landis's 1980 film "The Blues Brothers." Learn more and see the full list: https://loc.gov/item/prn-20-082 // Dan Aykroyd (left) and John Belushi perform as Elwood and Jake Blues, 1979. Photograph by Don Bierman for the Chicago Sun-Times, ST-17500906-e1, Chicago Sun-Times collection, CHM

12/11/2020

Artifact loans are a common museum practice. This past spring, CHM conservator Holly Lundberg and her team prepared an Ann Lowe cotillion gown (1956) to go on loan to the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, MA. Ann Lowe (1898–1981) was an African American fashion designer who was known for her fine handiwork and use of floral motifs and is perhaps best known for creating the iconic wedding gown worn by Jacqueline Bouvier upon her marriage to John F. Kennedy. After CHM's Lowe gown was requested for loan, it was brought to the conservation lab to be assessed for condition, treatment needs, and recommendations for display and handling, as well as for any required conservation treatment. While it was heavily wrinkled and had some wear and tear from normal use, the gown was found to be in fairly good condition. Over the course of three months, the team painstakingly secured loose or detaching appliqués, beads, sequins, faux pearls, and rhinestones; patched a 9-inch-long tear in the interlining of the underskirt; and reduced wrinkles and creases throughout. Reshaping of flattened and crushed flower appliqués was done by hand with the aid of a localized humidification technique whereby a small piece of blotting paper, dampened with deionized water, was carefully wrapped around each flower petal for less than a minute to relax the textile fibers. The flower petals were then gently manipulated back into a bud shape and left to reacclimatize. The Lowe gown is currently on display in PEM’s exhibition "Made It: The Women Who Revolutionized Fashion," which is open through March 14, 2021. https://bit.ly/3m6VopN #MadeItFashion #MuseumFromHome #CHMCostumeCouncil

12/11/2020

You've heard of Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for phone on a Capone, cowbell on a Norell, and dragon on a wagon. #MyElf #MusMeme

12/10/2020

Happy Hanukkah from CHM! We wish you peace and happiness in this season of lights. Chicago’s Jewish community began taking shape shortly after it was incorporated as a town in 1833. Jewish immigrants came to Chicago from virtually every country in Europe and the Middle East, but especially from Germany and Eastern Europe. Many of them started out as street peddlers with packs on their backs and later opened small stores downtown. From these humble beginnings they later established such companies as Florsheim, Spiegel, Alden's, Mandel Brothers, Albert Pick & Co., A. G. Becker, Brunswick, Inland Steel, Kuppenheimer, and Hart Schaffner Marx. By the end of the 20th century, only about 30 percent of the entire Jewish population remained within city limits. Read more: https://bit.ly/3m2Y5ca // Mayor Richard J. Daley (right, wearing glasses) assists the lighting of a menorah in the Civic Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, December 9, 1974. ST-11005601-0004, Chicago Sun-Times collection, CHM #MuseumFromHome

12/05/2020

Raise your glass and enjoy a legal drink! #OnThisDay in 1933, Prohibition ended when the 21st Amendment went into effect and repealed the 18th Amendment. This bottle of Chapin & Gore Old Reserve Bourbon was part of the company's first post-Prohibition shipment in December 1933. The Chapin & Gore Building (1904) at 63 E. Adams St. was a multiuse building that had a warehouse, office space, street-level liquor store, and bar. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and designated a Chicago Landmark in 1982. In 1994, it was acquired by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and is now home to most of the CSO's administrative staff. Learn more about Prohibition in Chicago: https://bit.ly/37uy3cg #MuseumFromHome

12/04/2020

The best presents are the ones that remind us of the gift-givers and their love for us. With Afghan refugees and immigrants spread throughout the world, exchanging keepsakes across thousands of miles strengthens family connections. Hanna Kherzai of north suburban Lake Villa was gifted this hand-embroidered dress (c. 2005) and hand-beaded purse (c. 2005), which were made by her grandmother and cousin in Afghanistan, respectively. The purse’s design is from the Jughoto district in the Wardak province. Kherzai wore the dress for special occasions, such as her kindergarten graduation. The embroidery (gandh) is from a dress that belonged to her mother, Oghay. Kherzai’s grandmother removed that section from the original dress and used it for the new dress. The dress style comes from Medculii, a village in Afghanistan, while the mirrors on the garment are a common feature of Pashtun clothing. Pashtuns are the majority ethnic group in Afghanistan. Women in Afghan villages often make and sell handicrafts like these to help support their families. Learn more about the Kherzai family and our exhibition #AmericanMedina: Stories of #MuslimChicago: https://bit.ly/3lCakfq // Dress and purse courtesy of Oghay Kherzai. Photographs by CHM staff. #MuseumFromHome #FashionFriday

12/03/2020

With 2020 bringing a pandemic, budget cuts, a record number of mail-in ballots, and now the holiday rush, we’d like to say a big thank you to the postal workers for keeping our letters and packages moving along. Government mail delivery in Chicago began in 1831 with the appointment of a fur trader as the first postmaster. In 1836, mail contractors instituted stagecoach service, and the following year, the Chicago post office became a distribution center. As transportation technology developed, so did the mail service. In 1864, Chicago postal administrator George B. Armstrong established a railway mail train on the route between Chicago and Clinton, IA. A milestone in postal sorting occurred in 1924 with the construction in the city of an enormous railway mail terminal, hailed as the largest of its kind in the world. In 1918, airmail service between New York and Chicago began. By the 1920s, it was possible, for an extra fee, to send a letter by air from Chicago to most of the major urban centers in the country. For most of the past century, the Chicago post office has been one of the busiest in the country. Along with New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, it is one of the five International Service Centers in the US. Read more: https://bit.ly/36zdWKW #MuseumFromHome

11/29/2020

Tonight, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Chicago Bears will play the Packers in a matchup that has become one of the longest-standing rivalries in the NFL and the league’s most played. Since their first meeting in 1921, the two teams have met 200 times in regular- and postseason games. Notable Bears wins over the Packers include their second meeting of 1963, with first place in the conference on the line, and their October 21, 1985, win in which rookie defensive tackle William “The Fridge” Perry was put in at fullback and scored his first touchdown. Before you cheer on the Bears tonight, take a look back at 100 years of Bears history on our blog: https://bit.ly/373KRWV #MuseumFromHome

11/26/2020

Happy Thanksgiving from CHM! What’s on your menu today? This Seneca Hotel menu from 1943 has a patriotic design that is undoubtedly influenced by US participation in World War II. Despite the food rationing in effect then, it appears that the Seneca Hotel spared no expense in procuring a wide selection of meat for their patrons, including Vermont turkey, prime ribs of beef, and Long Island duck. Located at 200 E. Chestnut St., the Seneca Hotel was built in 1924 and features neoclassical detailing with streamlined elements—a suitably opulent look befitting a hotel that was close to both the Gold Coast and the then-developing North Michigan Avenue. In 2012, the building was renovated and converted into apartments. Learn more about Chicago's hotel industry: https://bit.ly/33hIVJw #MuseumFromHome