Springfield project

 Allow me to start with this video from WTVP a PBS affiliate for Peoria/Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. It shows the old state capitol which according to this vid has connections to two future presidents. It's not a very difficult guess for one of them. Also bear in mind the old state capitol of Illinois is connected with the 44th POTUS Barack Obama who announced his candidacy for the Presidency there in 2007. 

Springfield Project restart?

TerryFarmer.com

 Since I'm attempting to come up with places to visit for The Sixth Ward YouTube channel whether The Field Museum (which is reopening soon) or U.S. Capitol, I'm looking into the "Springfield Project" again. It's something I had tentatively planned for last year then coronavirus shutdown things.

I found this website ILStatehouse.com through Capitol Fax years ago and though it seems it hasn't been updated since 2010, this history of the Illinois State Capitol is quite fascinating. I wish there was more about the authors of that site however.

Regardless when I do my Springfield Project this is one of those places I would like to visit to see our General Assembly in action. It's just very rare to see how Illinois state gov't works.

The Sixth Ward presents Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool

 

[VIDEO] I posted this to The Sixth Ward's YouTube channel earlier this month. It shows my visit back in 2014 to the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool in Lincoln Park. It's a great place within a busy metropolis to chill for a moment. You might forget you're not too far away from the busy Lake Shore Drive.

You're actually within the confines of a major public park and you're actually steps away from Lincoln Park Zoo of which this area was once a part. Of course this place fell into disrepair at one point in the past and then received the TLC it deserves in recent years.

It's one of the many things I would like to share on my YouTube channel since I liken usage of that service to taking you places you never knew existed. I expressed this in my plans to visit Springfield, Illinois in the near future - especially to see the Illinois General Assembly in action.

I have a list of places within the city I like to share with you all especially if you've never been.

• DuSable Museum
• Shedd Aquarium - named for Shedd School's namesake John G. Shedd
• Field Museum - never been sadly
• Museum of Science & Industry
• Lincoln Park Zoo

Easy places to visit off the top of my head and hopefully once we get out of this pandemic. I'm thinking of other places to share without not just within Chicago or Illinois but around the nation as well. Because I like to share with you places I've visited and certainly to bring you places you've either never been or never knew existed.

So I hope you enjoy my presentation of the Caldwell Lily Pool on one summer day over six years ago.

CTA Red Line extension project #RLEReady #Ward09

[VIDEO] CTA has a new video out about the CTA Red Line extension that is still being planned that takes the Red Line further south into Roseland and Altgeld Gardens where the final destination is 130th Street. The next critical phase for this ambitious project is construction which is expected to cost $2.3 billion half of that would come from federal funding and the rest from non-federal funding i.e from the city of Chicago, state of Illinois and/or even CTA itself.

I like these renderings of the various stops on the southbound Red Line extensions.

Let's start with 130th not much to be seen here though. They note this stop will be right at Altgeld Garden

Here's Michigan Avenue

Here's 111th Street

And here's 103rd Street

All of these locations look very different don't they. They assume there will be some new development around those stations. I definitely wouldn't mind that new L station on Michigan Ave helping to develop that vacant lot on the corner of 115th & Michigan. It's a long time in coming if that happens as it's been vacant since the mall had been demolished there during the 2000s.

If you got a plan for a "Roseland Coffee Shop" start creating your business plan right now! Don't wait for this L route to be built! Whatever businesses would come to this area, they need to start planning now.

Meanwhile, here's hoping even in these uncertain times that this new L route will come through and be built before the end of this decade.

Future plans for the Springfield project

nhigh/flickr

One of the things I'd like to do for this blog is pay a visit to Springfield, Illinois. It was something of a goal to see Illinois state government in action. Although to be fair I've never had the chance to look at a government that actually does affect me which is Chicago city government. The only thing I've been able to do in Springfield so far is pass through.

I already announced in March that any potential plans to visit Springfield has been put on hold due to the coronavirus. Thankfully we're at a point now where restrictions have been eased to the point where people can dine outdoors for example. I want to note that instead of this ongoing pandemic the headless has been dominated by the unrest due to issues involved police brutality and misconduct towards minority citizens.

This has only served to strengthen my resolve to see some aspects of how at the very least state government works in Illinois. As was my plan even back in March, in the near future my goal is to visit Springfield, IL and document my experiences on the YouTube channel for The Sixth Ward.

On another note another thing I'd like to do in Springfield is to visit the Illinois State Fair. Although Chicago politically dominates Illinois, the rest of the state is largely agricultural. Unfortunately due to the ongoing concerns by state government with regards to the coronavirus, any state fairs have been cancelled for this year.

It's probably a blow to both parties since well in an election year this is a major event for this state's political establishment. However, because we're still within the limits of a pandemic regardless of where the numbers are as far as infections or deaths this unprecedented crisis has caused plenty of plans to change.

We’ve continued to listen to our epidemiologists and follow the data. Illinois is on the right track because all of you are #AllInIllinois. Let's keep it up!

📷: @FortuneMagazine https://t.co/lJAl7O7Jbp pic.twitter.com/hURXMgXmre

— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) June 13, 2020

Regardless I hope that in the future things go back to normal and I will see the Illinois General Assembly in action.

"Springfield" project postponed...

IL State Capitol - Daniel X. O'Neil

I've been wanting to do a project for this blog. No real angle to it other than to document that one time I set foot in Springfield, Illinois - the state capital. One thing I wanted to do was to check out the Illinois General Assembly in action and see both chambers the House of Representatives and the Senate in session.

Well the coronovirus outbreak has slowed down my plans temporarily. I learned that a young lady who was studying abroad in Italy - which is heavily affected by the coronavirus outbreak - came back home with the virus. She took an Amtrak train from Chicago to her home in St. Louis and that became a big thing.

Now that I've learned that there are 105 cases of this infection in Illinois as of Monday. Since schools in this state have been shut down and now dine-in restaurants and public gatherings of over 50 people have now been canceled I'm seeing how serious this pandemic has been. Our normal lives have been disrupted by this.

With this being said once we're in the clear of this virus I hope that I can truly restart my plans to visit Springfield and hopefully when the General Assembly is in session. Hopefully I can document for your enjoyment on this blog and on YouTube through The Sixth Ward our state's legislators in action.

Hopefully when I'm ready to do it I won't put it off and only think about it when that time comes. Plans will be made and it's going to happen. Time will tell.

Be safe all! 

Maggio News: Top 10 most violent Chicago neighborhoods from last year

Last year I posted a video with regards to Roseland from Maggio News who's website seeks to engage in citizen journalism. Victor Maggio's journalism sends him to the hot spots of the city's violence. He records the gritty action as you will see on his YouTube channel.

Regardless what I failed to do both here and at The Sixth Ward is show all ten of his vids that show Chicago's most violent neighborhoods. Here on this blog I did show his video on Roseland which is at #8. And I also noted the reaction to at least two of his videos, that I had shared on Nextdoor.

Especially those affected by the violence on the city's streets I understand the passionate reaction to these videos. Also it should be noted for this series he utilized this website HeyJackass.com to determine the most violent areas of Chicago.

I want to share Maggio News' top 10 violent neighborhoods. The plan is to share all 10 videos not every single day, but over weeks. Since these videos are from last year I'll post them at 9:00 AM though I haven't decided on what day exactly. However my plan is to start as soon as next week.

It's up to you if you want to continue to follow Maggio, but then I want your feedback on these videos and his reporting. Is he right? Is he talking about something he knows nothing about? Are there solutions to the issues of violence? Send me your thoughts.

The new 95th terminal is now open... #Ward09 #BuildingwithBeale

The CTA terminal at 95th is 90% complete. The north terminal is now open as of Friday morning. As a result it gives me the excuse to share this article from the Tribune before the north terminal opened:

The $280 million project replaces the original 50-year-old rail and bus terminal at the southern end of the Red Line, which runs along the Dan Ryan Expressway. The station, one of the busiest on the CTA system, serves 20,000 daily commuters and sees about 1,000 CTA, Pace and Greyhound bus trips on an average weekday, CTA officials said.

The four-year station construction was also a necessary step in building the extension of the Red Line south to 130th Street, which is part of the agency’s long-range plan.

“This is a huge, huge accomplishment for the city of Chicago and the Far South Side,” said Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th. Beale said the station will be more user-friendly for bus, rail and pedestrian traffic and will draw business to the area.

The south terminal was completed last spring. Having two terminals eliminates the conflict between eastbound and westbound buses on 95th Street, allowing eastbound buses to use the south terminal and westbound buses to use the north terminal, CTA officials said. Previously, there was only a north terminal.

The new station includes a heated, glass-enclosed pedestrian bridge over 95th Street, connecting the north and south terminals and cutting down on conflicts between cars and people walking. The number of bus bays has increased to 26, from 12, CTA officials said.

The station also will have more turnstiles and Ventra vending machines, a longer train platform to reduce overcrowding, additional bike racks, and new signage.

“I think it’s a great lift to the community,” said Ald. Howard Brookins Jr., 21st. “It’s a beautiful station. It will spur additional economic development down 95th Street, and it will ease traffic going down that corridor.”

As for that future CTA Red Line extension:

The construction of the new station needed to be done before the Red Line can be extended to 130th Street, CTA officials said. Last year, the CTA picked a route for the extension, which will include four new rail stations. The agency is now preparing to complete the preliminary design and engineering work needed to pursue federal funding for the project.

You want to know the financial scale?

The cost of the station exceeds that of two recent big projects: the $203 million Wilson Street station rebuilding on the Red Line’s north branch and the $75 million Washington/Wabash station in the Loop. The 95th Street station construction was larger than the other projects and included track work in the rail yard at 98th Street, CTA officials said.

Finally seems like an unnecessary expense:

The new station, which has a distinctive red roof, will feature two new public art displays by Chicago native Theaster Gates. The south terminal will have a pair of tapestries made from the strips of decommissioned fire hoses that are sewn together, and the north terminal will include a radio station and DJ booth that will broadcast over the station’s public address system.

A DJ Booth and a radio station, really? Though I hear that there will be public bathrooms available. Still not sure about that idea of DJ at a transit terminal.

Regardless can't wait to see the finished project... 

Chicago Reporter: Instead of extending the Red Line, some see promise in the Metra Electric

Red Line Extension

The future of the greater Roseland area will be affected by the future CTA red line extension. It's something that I'm very excited for and evidently the debate continues over whether or not this is the transit project the far south side of Chicago needs right now.

Another part of this debate - especially with the uncertainty of funding for this project which is only expected to be built during the course of the next decade - includes improvement of the Metra Electric line. Better yet should the Metra Electric (or IC for you old timers) be converted to a rapid transit line operated instead by CTA.

In January, the city announced the final alignment for the 5.3 mile extension to 130th Street. That’s key for the CTA to secure $1 billion in federal funding needed for the project that wouldn’t see construction start until 2022. Though the city has proposed using transit TIFs (tax increment financing) to fund part of the extension, some transit advocates contend that wouldn’t be nearly enough to make a dent in the cost. And others question whether the Trump administration would give the city $1 billion for a project of this scope.

Some transit advocates say there is a quicker and less costly way to improve transit on the South Side by converting the Metra Electric District (MED) main line into rapid transit. Retrofitting Metra’s existing rail infrastructure to accommodate rapid transit, they say, could be completed in less time than it would take to build the extension and without displacing privately owned properties, as the Red Line extension would.

But putting the Red Line extension on the backburner where it has sat for decades would be a disservice to the Far South Side, community members say. Mayor Richard J. Daley promised to extend it beyond its 95th Street terminus when he cut the ribbon on the transit line nearly 50 years ago.

A former candidate for 9th ward alderman - well not identified as such in the article - was quoted in this piece:

South Side resident Michael LaFargue says extending the Red Line south is all about equity – transit equity, economic equity and environmental equity. The loss of manufacturing jobs, he said has devastated the Roseland community economically while lack of rapid transit has made access to jobs and opportunities even more difficult.

The 111th Street station, LaFargue added, could be branded as Greater Roseland Hospital Medical District similar to the Blue Line’s Illinois Medical District. The Michigan Avenue station could reinvigorate that mile-long business corridor, making it the ‘Magnificent Mile South,’ he said.

“This is a catalyst for economic development and branding,” said LaFargue, president of the Red Line Extension Coalition, a community-based group.

And what's the difference in cost?

Policy analyst Daniel Kay Hertz of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability says both projects are important and would have significant impact. He estimated a cost of $27 million per mile to convert the Metra Electric’s South Chicago branch into rapid transit. Hertz based that figure off a 2012 Chicago Department of Transportation report  which puts the cost of converting MED’s South Chicago branch to Millennium Station — not the entire line — at $350 million. Hertz said there’s no reason the per-mile costs would differ substantially to convert the entire MED line. In comparison, the Red Line extension would cost about $434 million a mile.

“It is basically logistical stuff that they need to do as opposed to the physical engineering and  construction of several miles worth of new rail lines and stations,” Hertz said.

Finally a brief history of the Metra Electric and the advocacy for it's conversion to a CTA rapid transit line:

The MED originally ran as rapid transit and the line’s South Chicago branch ran every 10 minutes during the 1940s under its then-operator, Illinois Central. That frequency reduced when it became part of the Regional Transit Authority. Now the line has frequent service during peak evening and morning hours but runs every one to two hours during the mid-day.

The idea to convert the commuter-rail into CTA-style “L” service resurfaced again when transit advocate Mike Payne touted the plan as the Gray Line in the 1990s. It has gained traction in recent years thanks to advocacy groups like Coalition for a Modern Metra Electric and Active Transportation Alliance who want the MED to run every 10-15 minutes. Last year Metra increased mid-day frequency on the line to every 20 minutes between Hyde Park and Millennium Station.

But Metra’s fare structure could create a burden for low-income riders. Metra’s fares are distance-based where CTA charges a flat fee. And since there is no fare integration between Metra and CTA, riders would have to pay two full fares. There’s no fare discount to transfer from one transit system to the other.

What do you all think? Metra Electric (especially serving segments within the city) converted to the "grey line" operated by CTA  or the red line extension which certainly could benefit residents south of 95th through to Altgeld Gardens or perhaps there is a way to make both happen?

Found this article via Chicago-L.org.

Tribune: Planned warehouses could bring thousands of jobs to Pullman

On Wednesday @thesixthward on instagram reposted a screen cap that is a rendering of the future warehouses expected to come near 103rd/Stony Island provided by this Chicago Tribune article. As a matter of fact, these warehouses will be closer to 111th Street near the Walmart. Below I will share the post provided by Ian Lantz who owns The Pullman Cafe.

A post shared by Ian Lantz (@ianlantzart) on Sep 5, 2017 at 3:28pm PDT

Curbed Chi: Proposed Trump budget could threaten Chicago’s mass transit network

Future 103rd St. Red Line stop

A variety of transit projects in our fair city could be on the gun but I want to emphasize one project that could be derailed - no pun intended - by the priority on people who drive their own vehicles:

Amtrak isn’t the only transportation network expected to feel the squeeze from Washington. While CTA’s $2.1 billion Red-Purple Line modernization program managed to secure $1.1 billion in matching federal funds during the waning days of the Obama Administration, Trump’s proposed budget could cast serious doubts on a plan to extend the Red Line beyond 95th Street to Chicago’s Far South Side.

If there was a time for Chicago's south side leaders to make sure we get that extension funded now, this is the time. And yes I realize Trump doesn't have many friends or allies here in Chicago.

Crossposted from The Sixth Ward

"School to Prison Pipeline"

I wish our schools encouraged this type of scholarship. It's truly admirable:

When most kids are told to do Social Studies projects, they huff and puff at the sound of school work which would potentially take away their afterschool play time. That wasn’t the case for young Jalen Kennedy, a sixth grader at Morehouse Magnet School in Bastrop, LA. When Jalen received his assignment he was excited. “My family talks about these issues all the time so this would be a good opportunity to share the truth,” he said.

Kennedy submitted his study as a project in the Region 3 Social Studies Fair. His work was so well researched and presented that he won 1st Place and will use the project to compete at the Louisiana State Finals in Lake Charles in March. His project, School to Prison Pipeline: Is This The New System of Jim Crow?, touched very controversial issues which have plagued the African-American community for decades.

His research was so well constructed that his quotes and subject matter created discussions in Facebook and Twitter chatrooms. Before Kennedy and his family knew it, it was being discussed on syndicated radio shows and was even introduced nationally by Syndicated Radio Host/Comedian DL Hughley. Within two days Kennedy’s research had been shared with over 75,000 people across America.

“I was very confident I would be given proper credit for my project but I actually expected them to find something wrong with it. Most people don’t want to accept the truth about the system of racism and injustice in America,” he said.

The young man gets this from somewhere or at least his interest in these issues:

Growing up in a very socially conscious household leaves young Jalen ostracized at times because many of his peers are not interested in these issues. His mother, Chastity Kennedy, is a member of the Morehouse Parish School Board in Bastrop, LA. His stepfather, Craig Lee, is a Community Activist in Shreveport. “We make sure our kids are well informed and engaged. Jalen is very bright but so is our daughter. They read. They teach their friends and most importantly they are not afraid to ask questions,” said Chastity Kennedy. “We know these kids are being prepared for leadership but we are even more humbled that they know and have already accepted the responsibility to build their peers,” she added.

In research for his project, Jalen says some of the information was heartbreaking even to him. “I learned that 37% of prison inmates are African American. The reason this statistic shocked me is because African-Americans represent less than 15% of the total population in America,” he said. “The government is allowing FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS to build and operate prisons, and they are basing the number of future prisons to build on the reading and comprehension levels of 3rd and 4th grade elementary students,” he explained.

When comparing statistics of today with statistics of the Jim Crow period, Jalen’s research proved nothing has changed. “Black people are still the number one target for discrimination and oppression in America. Most of the issues of yesterday are still critical today, like the lack of school resources for Black children, the lack of employment opportunities, and housing discrimination. It is still the same. Integration gives us the illusion that progress is being made but the system has never changed,” he says.

I hope that Mr. Kennedy will publicly publish his conclusions in the near future. He's already making an impact and for that I certainly salute him.

Found another article on this.

Capitol Fax: Yet another failure

10001 South Woodlawn Ave

This "failure" is located at the south side's Olive Harvey College located east of the Bishop Ford - formerly Calumet Expressway - on 103rd Street. OHC was supposed to be home to a "Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Center". Another job training program provided by the City Colleges of Chicago.

Unfortunately we've learned - especially if you've read this recent post over at CapFax or indeed the Tribune article linked within the post - the program has stalled. The City of Chicago, City Colleges, and also State of Illinois aren't able to come up with funds to finish this project.

Plus when this project was started it was before the transition from Governor Pat Quinn to Governor Bruce Rauner. And if you've been reading CapFax for the past two years we know there has been something of a serious budget stalemate.

CTA Red Line Extension Public Comment Period Ending

 An e-mail from the Chicago Transit Authority

• Public Comment Period Ends November 30
  Red Line Extension Project
  Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 4(f) Evaluation
  
  CTA and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) are proposing to extend the Red Line 5.3 miles from 95th Street to 130th Street. Click here to learn more about the project.
  
  CTA and FTA have prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) based on the technical analysis of impacts of the proposed project. The Draft EIS documents the benefits and impacts of the alternatives being considered, which include impacts to parks and wetlands. Click here to review the Draft EIS on the RLE Project website. Hard copies of the Draft EIS also are available for review through November 30, 2016. Click here to learn more about reviewing the Draft EIS.
  
  Comments on the Draft EIS are being accepted until November 30, 2016 at 4:30 PM. You may submit comments via e-mail to RedExtension@transitchicago.com or by mail to Chicago Transit Authority, Strategic Planning, 10th Floor, Attn: Red Line Extension Project, 567 W. Lake Street, Chicago, IL 60661.
  
  Do you require assistance?
  If you have questions or need assistance, contact Gerald Nichols, CTA Government and Community Relations at 312-681-2710 or GNichols @ transitchicago.com.
  Para más informacion en Español, llame al 312-681-2710
  Customer Information: 1-888-YOUR-CTA (1-888-968-7282)
  
  Thank you for your continued interest.
  
  RLE Project Team
  Chicago Transit Authority

News from the Red Line extension hearing

Rendering of the west option Michigan CTA station - CTA

 I didn't get to attend the recent Red Line extension hearing this past Tuesday at 211 E. 111th St, however, both the Chicago Tribune and DNA Info went. Judging only by the headlines two issues came up during the hearing the dreaded "G" word and eminent domain.

Concerns over gentrification:

Activist Lou Turner, though pleased the project is going forward after decades of discussion, said he also wished it hadn't taken so long and had concerns that some residents may get pushed out by gentrification once the L goes through.

"There could be unintended consequences," said Turner, director of undergraduate and graduate studies in the African-American Studies department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "This area has the largest stock of affordable housing in the city."

Turner said the CTA's draft environmental impact statement on the proposed $2.3 billion project does not address the issue of gentrification, which has driven up property prices by as much as 48 percent in some areas along The 606 trail on the city's Northwest Side. A final environmental impact study is needed to secure federal funding.

"It's a concern, but at the same time I am very happy," said Turner, who like Jones had pushed for the extension with the Developing Communities Project, a group that once included President Barack Obama.

And then of course the properties CTA would need to purchase to build the extension:

Under the east option, the CTA elevated structure would be built east of the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way from 99th street to 118th street. This option would affect 260 parcels, including 106 buildings, 90 of which are residential, officials said. Under this route, more single-family residences would be affected, officials said.

Under the west option, the line would run west of the Union Pacific Railroad from 99th street to 118th street. This option would affect more commercial and industrial properties, some 205 of them, officials said. About 46 would require building demolitions; 26 are residential.

Those homes and business owners would be compensated, including for moving costs, under federal regulations.

Roseland resident Aaron Mallory discovered his four-unit building could be demolished under the extension.

“It’s an investment property, so I have mixed feelings,” he said.

Mallory said he doesn't want to lose the building, but he also supports an extension of mass transit.

By next year it's said we'll know which option east or west the CTA will pursue as their preferred routing. That way any property owner will brace themselves for the impact. Thus anyone in the way would have to move.

If you want to know more about this project click this link.

EVENTS: Whole Foods Market community outreach & CTA red line extension history

Community outreach for the Whole Foods Market Distribution Center to be built on 111th Street will be held at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep auditorum located at 250 E. 111th Street and enter parking at 111th & King Drive door 36. As per information noted at the 9th Ward meeting if you have a trade they are hiring at this event. To pre-register call 888.642.5023 or email pullmanpark @ sbcglobal.net

Also a public hearing for the CTA red line extension project's draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to take place at the St. John MB Church at 211 E. 115th Street on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM.

Please refer to the flyers below

EVENT: Red line extension hearing

A public hearing for the red line extension project's draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to take place at the St. John MB Church at 211 E. 115th Street on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM. For more information please refer to the flyer below.

Red line extension moves forward

Rendering of the 103rd CTA station

I'm somewhat disappointed that the red line extension to Roseland may not open until at least 2026 at the earlier according to what was written by Greg Hinz. Regardless more progress is being made in the future progress to bring the CTA L system further south from 95th street. This project is expected to cost about $2.3 billion.

As CTA continues to move forward we will see a draft environmental impact statement which will be seen on this project's website. In addition as hopefully construction would begin at 2022 at the earliest another step is to purchase those properties within the footprint of the route whether or not the CTA goes with the two options for their preferred routing.

Future project

I've been very keen on doing photo essays taking aim at the 9th ward. Alas I'm only armed with a camera phone at this point, but it's something worth doing.

Perhaps select photos could be posted to Sixth Ward blog's instagram in addition to being posted here. The goal is to document those areas that could use some investment on that part of town. The vacant lots and storefronts for example.

What is shown is largely the community as it appears now. Now what the viewing audience is invited to do is consider what can we bring to those vacant storefronts or lots. Could we beautify the vacant lots or find ways to bring reputable businesses to those vacant storefronts. Think outside of the box to make this a desirable community not just for the residents who live here, but for the rest of the city.

I had hoped to do this while the weather was still warm or before school started back, however, I can still plan ahead for this project. I can do this while the young folks are in school and we still have a few more weeks of warm weather. So hopefully this project can be a go in the near future.

I hope to cross post these essays to the Sixth Ward blog as well.

Civics project teaches youths they can do big things

A project that not only informs of Dr. Martin Luther King's movement in Chicago especially in Marquette Park on the south side, but also how it encourages students to be leaders:

Students at Gage Park High School who had been unaware of their community's part in the civil rights movement — that Martin Luther King Jr. led marches through the then-all-white neighborhoods surrounding Gage Park and Marquette Park — wanted to build a tribute to the civil rights leader, hoping to enlighten others.

But students from a civics class at the Southwest Side high school — where nearly half don't make it to graduation — didn't want just a stone monument or a brick in the ground. They envisioned WiFi hotspots throughout the neighborhood where people could download audio and video about significant sites to their phones.

The result is a touch-activated interactive history kiosk that stands at the Marquette Park field house. The idea of hotspots didn't work out, but in January, students will get further recognition when the kiosk goes on display at the DuSable Museum of African American History for Martin Luther King Day.

The story of the Marquette Park memorial is not just about a class's journey to complete an innovative civics project. It's also about how a project can inspire students.

Read the whole thing it's a very good article!

Here's a link to the DuSable Museum.