Join Dr. Chris Stacey for a presentation in the History of Chicago Series on the intense conflict over site selection for UIC. The conflict over the site selection for a new University of Illinois campus involved the Near West Side and West Side neighborhoods where the Congress Street Expressway had sliced through homes, businesses, and community organizations. West Garfield Park residents were the only group of community activists who sought the new campus. Their efforts intended to use the university as a means to reenergize their neighborhood and keep African Americans in East Garfield Park from moving into the area. They lost their campaign to win the new campus as the Daley Administration compelled the University of Illinois to select a Near West Side location to “protect” the downtown business district.

The residents of the Near West Side aggressively protested against the new campus and were able to stall construction for several years. The experience of both neighborhoods left their residents' bitter. White West Garfield Parkers rapidly abandoned their neighborhood for the suburbs. The building of UIC displaced many Mexicans, Puerto-Ricans and Italian-Americans. Residents of both neighborhoods felt that the Daley Administration had sacrificed helping stabilize working and middle class neighborhoods to the interests of wealthy Chicagoans and the business community.  

Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Time: 6:30PM Central, 7:30PM Eastern, 4:30Pm Pacific 

Location: Zoom Video Conference

Cost: Free