Located between Lake Michigan and the Dan Ryan Expressway, this historic neighborhood is just four miles south of downtown Chicago. The area’s boundaries overlap with the community areas of Douglas and Grand Boulevard. It is home to several neighborhood parks, such as Burnham Park, Ellis Park and Dunbar Park.
The Bronzeville neighborhood is home to about 68,000 people, of which approximately 78 percent are Black. In the mid 20th century, racially motivated housing policies created a chasm of disinvestment and has resulted in a greater than 50 percent low income rate today. Nevertheless, a rich history and revitalization efforts maintain this vibrant community.
Between 1910 and 1920, during the period known as the “Great Migration,” Bronzeville became home to African Americans who had fled Jim Crow South in search of Industrial jobs and a better life. By 1950, Bronzeville was an epicenter for black art, literature, music, and business. Many influential African Americans called Bronzeville “home” including Ida B. Wells, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, and Gwendolyn Brooks. With the rise of the civil rights movement and the dismantling of segregation in the late 1950s, many African American families left Bronzeville for less crowded neighborhoods with better housing and schools. Bronzeville’s population declined by more than 75 percent between 1950 and 2000, and much of the community’s economic base was lost. Today, neighborhood groups and businesses are working to reinvest in this dynamic community.
The Bronzeville Neighborhood Network, led by Bright Star Community Outreach (BSCO), was formed in 2015 with a coalition of 10 agency partners. BSCO has since completed their “Community Action Plan,” which outlines a strategy to bring committed community stakeholders to the table to address the neighborhood’s most pressing needs and implement change in workforce development.
The Bronzeville Neighborhood Network is addressing the community’s needs through a multi-pronged approach to reduce violence and increase healthy living opportunities.
Select “next” to read more about the Network’s progress.
A Framework for a Stronger Bronzeville
The Network has created a framework that includes a comprehensive community action plan that focuses on four areas: violence prevention, trauma-informed care, education, and workforce development.
Bronzeville is committed to bringing all necessary partners to the table—schools, social service agencies, faith community leaders, businesses, law enforcement, and political officials—to address the community’s biggest challenges through the multi-pronged approach by the year 2027.
Coalition Highlights
As a major component of their work force development program, Bronzeville launched the Access United initiative in conjunction with the Chicago Federation of Labor to identify residents who want to work in the construction trades.
The Network developed the Greater
Bronzeville Community Action Plan handbook as an engagement framework aligning new and existing partners around the Network’s bold goals.
“We believe that Chicago will be a better place to live if every person has access to opportunities and resources they need to thrive. We are committed to supporting initiatives, like United Way’s Neighborhood Networks that look to expand opportunities for all Chicagoans regardless of zip code, race or income.”