From the research facilities at the Vivian G. Harsh Collection to the display cases of the Bronzeville Visitor Imformation Center, or the digital archives of various institutions to the attics and offices of people who live in and know this history like the lyrics to their favorite song, the history of the Black Metropolis can be found in many different places. Here is a list of people, places and archival collections that hold significant pieces of the story and are open to access with the click of a button or a journey to the location.
Analog (Papers, collections and other physical materials)
- Black Metropolis Research Consortium Survey
- Bronzeville Visitor Information Center
- Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College Chicago
- The Chicago Defender Archives
- The Chicago History Museum
- The Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at Woodson Branch of the Chicago Public Library
Digital (Found on the web)
- Timuel Black
- Harold Lucas
- Christopher R. Reed
- Eddie Read
- Dr. Conrad Worrill
The Music & Poetry.
Often we don’t realize how much the music we listen to today is influenced by music made and poetry written over half a century ago. The following gives a taste of some of the music influenced by the jazz greats who provided a soundtrack to the streets of Bronzeville on a regular basis.
This track samples “In A Sentimental Mood,” a song originally
composed by Duke Ellington in 1935 and performed with John Coltrane.
This album takes various popular tracks performed by
Louis Armstrong spanning the length of his career and adds a new twist to them.