Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National Heritage Area

On October 19th at 1:00 pm join Bronzville Black Metropolis National Heritage Area executive director Bernard Turner for this special tour focused on military history, Tour of Duty. The tour is part of Open House Chicago during which ten sites in Bronzeville will be open to the public. The tour starts at the site of Camp Douglas, the former Griffin Funeral Home 3232 S. King Dr. at 1pm. Join Bernard Turner, Dean Rodkin, and Roy Malone from Camp Douglas Restoration Foundation as we tell the story of Black Military history from the Civil War to the present. We will proceed to Victory Monument at 35th and King Dr. to learn about the heroic soldiers during WWI. We will then walk to the Eighth Regiment Armory, now Chicago Military Academy High School to see the artifacts and medals of the soldiers of the 370th Regiment and beyond who served in WWII and subsequent conflicts. The traveling Camp Douglas Exhibit will be on display at Chicago Military Academy High School.

Bronzeville the Musical produced by Mahdi Theatre Company will have another run this summer at the Logan Center for the Arts in Hyde Park on the University of Chicago Campus. The Great Migration to Chicago plays a central role in this father son story with themes of courage, redemption, faith and legacy. Tickets at this link.

The CMAP team will be attending the 6th annual Chicago Race Riot Historic Bike Tour on Saturday July 20th. Look for us on the ride and at the main check in area.

Tickets are free and at this link

The CMAP team will be at the Third annual Ida B Wells Festival on June 29th.Check out our table and map at the Bronzeville Community Forum. The event is free register at this link.

Did you know that Bronzeville has a civil war history?

Learn more at an upcoming opening reception for a pop-up exhibit hosted by The Camp Douglas Restoration Foundation at Illinois Tech on June 8th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The CMAP team and partner The Bronzeville Black Metropolis National Heritage Area Commission will be on hand to engage attendees to promote awareness of the NHA planning process and learn more about the cultural tourism habits and preferences of residents and visitors. The event will take place at 10 W. 35th Street in Chicago.

Join the Bronzeville Black Metropolis National Heritage Area Commission at the Raven Theatre for this benefit performance of the play The Prodigal Daughter, the final installment of The Grand Boulevard Trilogy written by Joshua Allen on Sunday June 2nd at 3:00 pm. The CMAP team will be in the lobby to talk more about the plans for the National Heritage Area to promote cultural tourism and economic development. Be sure to use the promo code HISTORY for a special rate, tickets available at this link or scan the code in the flyer.

More about the play from the Raven web site: In the Red Summer of 1919, Chicago’s Black Belt is boiling over, from both the ruthless heat and the intensifying racial conflict gripping America. Virginia Bass, a successful saleswoman, is traveling with her business partner when they decide to pay her hometown and her family a visit. However, Virginia finds the welcome not nearly as warm as the weather outside, especially from her estranged father, leaving her wondering if it’s ever possible to truly come home. Unresolved feelings, deep-seated tension, and a deadly urban clash set the scene for the third and final installment of The Grand Boulevard Trilogy.

We are excited to see that Bronzeville the Musical is playing once again in Chicago at the Fine Arts Building. It's a short run, from April 5 - 14, so get your tickets right away and don't miss this wonderful show. The show is produced by Mahdi Theatre company visit their web site for a special promo code.

The State of IL has created a cultural district program and designated ten areas in IL - including Bronzeville. Watch the coverage on WTTW TV.

This recent story in Block Club Chicago about the history of Quinn Chapel and its role in the underground railroad.

Check out the latest edition of the BBM-NHA newsletter featuring the recent induction ceremony from the Chicago Black Arts Hall of Fame.