this is a weirdly enjoyable activity for 60-90 minutes I’ve done a bunch of times: you’re in the Cook County building basement looking for race restrictions in property sales ledgers and logging ones you find so a student researcher can look up their details on microfilm later
We will meet every other Friday from 12-1:30 PM at the Recorder of Deeds Office in the City/County Building (118 N. Clark St.) on the following dates:
January 9
January 23
February 6
February 20
March 6
March 20
RSVP at the following link or by emailing chicagocovenantsproject@gmail.com (2/2):
Flyer titled “Chicago Covenants Project” with the heading “Volunteers Needed.” Text invites volunteers to help locate racially restrictive covenants in Cook County to document the history of housing discrimination. Includes a section titled “What is a covenant?” explaining that racially restrictive covenants were used to exclude Black families from neighborhoods in the 1900s and features a historical example. Design uses red, blue, and black text with star borders.
Flyer titled “Chicago Covenants Project” advertising Winter Research Sessions. Dates listed are January 9, January 23, February 6, February 20, March 6, and March 20, all from 12 to 1:30 PM. Location is 118 N. Clark Street, City-County Building, Tracts Department. Text notes “Registration link below.” Design features red and blue text with white stars on blue borders.
Winter Research Session dates ❄️ Help us locate every racially restrictive covenant in Cook County to document the history of housing discrimination. See more ⬇️ (1/2)
2/2 BMRC grad assistant Hannah Simmons is doing a deep dive in @chicagomuseum.bsky.social's archives for @chicagocovenants.bsky.social See what she's found:
www.chicagocovenants.com/research/rac...
85 Years Ago Today:
The US Supreme Court struck down a racially restrictive covenant in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood, opening this South Side area to Black homeownership but falling short of challenging the constitutionality of such covenants.
Read more about Truman Gibson, a lawyer involved:
Stay tuned for more collaborator profiles, or visit the ‘About’ section on our website 💻⬇️
www.chicagocovenants.com/about-1
On her involvement, Yasmine says, "I have always had a deeply rooted investment in the recovery of suppressed histories of the Black experience. While my research interests in Black Studies are not historical, I wanted an opportunity to get archival research and learn more about Chicago."
Headshot of Yasmine Grier with overlaid text that specifies her position as a research assistant for the Chicago Covenants Project.
MEET THE TEAM 👋 Yasmine Grier serves as a Research Assistant for the Chicago Covenants Project. She is in her second year as a Black Studies PhD Student at Northwestern.
I talked to the Chicago Covenants Project about the significance of their work to me as a Black Chicagoan and researcher, why Chatham fascinates me as a building nerd, and the importance of celebrating the unsung architecture & neighborhoods of this city
Black-and-white photo of Helen C. Maybell Anglin smiling in front of her mid-century modern home in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood, 1974. Overlaid text reads: “Chatham, The Soul Queen, and Covenants: A Conversation with Cristen Brown.
Read our conversation with Chicago Covenants Project volunteer Cristen Brown (@ladytophamcatt.bsky.social) about how covenants research featured in her recent article for @southsideweekly.bsky.social.
This is a great read from @chicagocovenants.bsky.social The parallels to today--a white criminal preferable to a black homeowner . . .
www.chicagocovenants.com/research/al-...
Stay tuned for more collaborator profiles, or visit the ‘About’ section on our website 💻⬇️
www.chicagocovenants.com/about-1
Asked about his favorite part of Chicago, he answers, “I love the Art Institute—truly one of the world's great museums. I have a number of friends who work there, so I love swinging downtown to see them and the incredible art they steward.”
He says his favorite part about the project is “the people, of course! It's a blast to meet folks from so many different backgrounds who find their way to the project and pour their heart into it.”
On covenants, Ben says he is "fascinated by what covenants can teach us about the boundaries of race and community, and I absolutely love working with our team of passionate researchers and volunteers."
Ben Miller smiles in a headshot. Overlaid texts reads: "Ben Miller, Director of Chicago Research."
MEET THE TEAM 👋 Ben Miller serves as the Director of Chicago Research. He is in his second year as a PhD Student in history at Northwestern.
@benmillerbenmiller.bsky.social
The Great Chicago fire was 154 years ago this month🔥
"The 1871 fire destroyed almost all of the county's real estate records as City Hall burned [...]. There was uncertainty over how the rights to ownership would be upheld."
Read more from Maura Fennelly📖
www.chicagocovenants.com/research/mai...
Swipe through to read about David! One of the best aspects of working with the Chicago Covenants Project is the many volunteers it attracts. Volunteers like David make this experience so much more rewarding. Thanks David!
Looking for a way to escape the cold? Join us for our next research session this Friday, January 24th from 12:00pm - 1:30pm at 118 N. Clark St. RSVP using the link below!
www.addevent.com/event/Yu2458...
Welcome back volunteers! Join us for our next research session this Friday, January 10th from 12:00pm - 1:30pm at 118n Clark St. RSVP using the link in below, we hope to see you soon!
www.addevent.com/event/Jo2433...
Hello everyone! We are the Chicago Covenants Project. A research project based in Chicago that discovers racial covenants here in Cook County. Our research schedule is attached below. Have questions? Please DM us!
