Riches to rags and back again.Chicago radio personality Herb Kent was elected mayor of Bronzeville by an informal ballot vote in the South Side neighborhood in August 1999. Since the 1930s, the honor has been bestowed upon prominent residents, who have contributed to the neighborhood. After his election, Kent promised to use his influence to bring citywide attention to events in Bronzeville. Born and raised in the Ida B. Wells Ida B. Wells, also known as Ida B. Wells-Barnett (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931), was an African American civil rights advocate and an early women's rights advocate active in the Woman Suffrage Movement. public housing development, Kent has lived in the neighborhood most of his life. "I'm very proud of [the title]," said Kent, a 74-year-old DJ who still spins contemporary R&B and "dusties" on Saturday and Sunday mornings Sunday Morning may refer to:
"I've been so indigenous to music and people, and so many folks have grown up listening to me," said Kent. "I guess I was just kind of a poor guy from Ida B. Wells that really didn't go too far from Bronzeville. I ended back up here and I'm part of it." Kent spoke with The Chicago Reporter about the history of Bronzeville and how the recent revitalization re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. has affected its legacy. What is Bronzeville's cultural significance? A lot of entertainers came out of Bronzeville, like Nat King Cole a legendary king of Britain, who is said to have reigned in the third century. See also: King . Some blues artists came out. Some noted educators. It was just the heart of everything. The Regal [Theater], the Metropolitan Theater, [and] Cern's Palm Tavem. All around 35th [Street] and Cottage [Grove Avenue] were blues clubs that are all gone now. The place was just alive at one time. 47th Street was really just flowing with merchants like the South Center Department Store, Max Taylor Max Taylor is Professor of International Relations at the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV) in the School of International Relations, University of St Andrews; prior to that, he was Professor of Applied Psychology at University College Cork, Ireland and just many, many, many places. All of that began to fade. In the I 960s. a lot of the merchants left because it was getting poor. How has the recent revitalization changed the area? It's changed for the better. When I grew up in it, it was just another neighborhood. It was very poor. I think that, if anybody really knew, you could probably have picked up a greystone or a brownstone brownstone, red to brown variety of sandstone. Its unusual color is caused in some instances by the presence of red iron oxide which acts as a cement, binding the sand grains together. for $10,000. They were just kitchenette apartments. For an investment of $100,000, you could have been a millionaire today because these greystones and brownstones are selling for $500,000 or $600,000 now. It's really been updated and rehabbed since I was younger. It went from riches to rags and has gone from rags to riches Rags To Riches is a TV show which was broadcast on NBC from 1987 to 1988. It stars Joseph Bologna as Nick Foley, a businessman with a playboy lifestyle. He wants to develop a familyman image so takes in a group of six orphaned girls, moving them into his mansion in Bel-Air, again. You know how growth is--you don't see anything, and then you look up and say, 'Wow. It's all changed.' What about low-income Bronzeville residents who have been scattered Scattered Used for listed equity securities. Unconcentrated buy or sell interest. because of the teardowns of public housing units? That is indeed unfortunate. If you continue to let them proliferate pro·lif·er·ate v. To grow or multiply by rapidly producing new tissue, parts, cells, or offspring. , you still have the drugs and the gangs. There was no way out from that. Then again, there were' some very nice people who had to be relocated in order to effect this change. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. any other way to build this area up and to clean it up. When the projects first came out, I used to live in them--Ida B. Wells. They were two-story things. People were really screened before they got in there. And, in my particular block, [which included] about six buildings and maybe 18 families, [we had] a jazz trumpeter, one gentleman became a doctor, and then, of course, I went into radio. And that all happened in that small area there. I'm sure that was multiplied many times all over, because it was exactly what it was designed to be: a place where single mothers could maybe bring their families, or families with low income could live and prosper. What about the controversy surrounding Second City opening a venue in Bronzeville? I'd love to see Second City in [Bronzeville] because perhaps we can discover some more great artists who would go on to stage and screen. So many things have been taken away from us. The Metropolitan [Theater] is gone. And we need the spirit to keep going. The Supreme Liberty Life Building has been granted landmark status. There are a lot of things left, and I don't think that the addition of Second City will hurt us. I think it can only help us. It would be just another place for black people to get a foothold foot·hold n. 1. A place providing support for the foot in climbing or standing. 2. A firm or secure position that provides a base for further advancement. foothold Noun 1. in this world. |
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