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Lorraine Hansberry’s Family Transformed Woodlawn. Now, It’s Changing Again.

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Chicago Southsider has been around since 2021, and we’ve been going behind the scenes to showcase the South Side of Chicago. 

Follow and like our new Facebook page at Chicago Southsider to make sure you don’t miss any updates. 

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Lorraine Hansberry’s Family Transformed Woodlawn. Now, It’s Changing Again. 

Carl Hansberry, Lorraine Hansberry’s father, was a successful real estate businessman during the Great Depression.

Hansberry accumulated wealth by meeting the needs of the community, which included providing housing for poor Black Chicagoans. His middle class status earned him access to certain organizations and networks, allowing him to secretly purchase property in a racially-restricted Woodlawn neighborhood. Read more here

Lorraine Hansberry’s Family Transformed the Face of Woodlawn During World War II. Can Black Devel…

We need your help! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter now to help us preserve our history and share upcoming vacant lot sales and developments on Chicago’s S…

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Five Black developers transform 11 Woodlawn vacant lots into 30 new homes. Will this reverse deca…

Last year, five Black community developers bought 11 Woodlawn vacant lots in Woodlawn. Derrick Walker, DaJuan Robinson, Bonita Harris

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Prepare to Buy Property and Vacant Lots in Chicago

Last year, the city launched a new comprehensive portal called ChiBlockBuilder, which consolidates Chicago’s land sale programs. ChiBlockBuilder will help buyers find available properties, identify prices, and complete the application process.

In November 2022, Mayor Lightfoot announced that 2,000 vacant City lots were available for purchase and redevelopment by private buyers. The application deadline closed on February 3, 2023 but we will keep you posted on the next round of vacant lot sales. Read more about the program so you can plan ahead. 

Chicago selling 2,000 vacant lots. Here’s a list of lots available on the South Side. – Chicago S…

Mayor Lightfoot announced that private buyers can purchase and redevelop 2,000 vacant Chicago lots. ChiBlockBuilder, a new online portal,

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If you’re thinking about buying property or a vacant lot in Chicago, here’s how you can prepare: 

Start saving money. The earlier you get started, the more money you could accumulate. Let’s say you start saving $100 every week. At the end of 6 months, you would have $2,400 saved. Save as much as you can towards the future you want. Pay down debt. If you have credit card debt, start paying it down. Ask your credit card company if they can give you a lower interest rate so you can save some money on credit card payments. Tell them you would like them to review your credit profile to determine if you qualify for a lower rate. Build your credit score. If you want to make room for more assets in your life, take care of what you already have. Prove that you are ready for the next level by paying your bills on time and being responsible with your credit. By law, you can get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Through December 2023, you can get a free credit report each week from each of the credit bureaus. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com for more information.  Go to  AnnualCreditReport.com.Attend a Real Estate Workshop. Chicago Southsider will share the latest homebuyer and investor workshops to make sure you are informed. Find a Real Estate Broker. A licensed broker can help you find property in your area and connect you to lenders to make your dreams of owning property a reality. If you are a real estate broker and would like to advertise your services or events, send an email to Chicago Southsider at hello@chicagosouthsider.com.

LIKE our Facebook page to explore hidden gems on Chicago’s South Side with us. Guess what? Lorraine Hansberry’s childhood home is also on the South Side of Chicago. 

Bringing “A Raisin in the Sun” to Life: Visit the Lorraine Hansberry House + Mural in Chicago – C…

Lorraine became the first Black woman to have a play produced on Broadway. Her play, A Raisin in the Sun, debuted in 1959.

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Image Credit: Chicago Southsider

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Going Behind the Scenes of A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun was inspired by Lorraine Hansberry’s experience in Chicago. Do you know her family’s Woodlawn story? Her father, Carl Hansberry, used real estate to transform Chicago’s South Side. If you haven’t read the story, you need to check it out now.

From Segregation to Integration: How Lorraine Hansberry’s Father used Real Estate to Transform Ch…

Carl Augustus Hansberry was a successful real estate broker and activist who purchased property in the white Woodlawn community in 1937, lead

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News You Can Use 

Helping Migrants: How One Chicago Organization Is Helping Migrants Being Bussed in From the Border. Closed school on Chicago’s South Side turns into shelter for migrants A Chicago mural project becomes a nationwide movement

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Help us spread the word about Chicago’s South Side by sharing our newsletter with someone else. You can send them this link to subscribe: chicagosouthsider.beehiiv.com/subscribe

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You can also sponsor our work.

If you support this newsletter (yes, we have to pay hundreds of dollars to be on this newsletter platform), we can keep it going every week. Your support will help us share more content every month. Help us spread the word about Chicago’s South Side. 

Email and Zelle at hello@chicagosouthsider.com.  

Did You Know…

Emmett Till’s childhood home is in Woodlawn. It’s a Chicago landmark. Lorraine Hansberry’s childhood home is in Woodlawn. It’s a private residence.

Pageant Season!

Miss Illinois USA pageant. The 2023 Miss Illinois and Miss Illinois Teen USA pageant will take place from May 26-28, 2023 at the Braden Auditorium of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.

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Miss Illinois State Competion. The 2023 Miss Illinois competition will take place at the Marion Civic Center from June 6-10, 2023.

“You want to set a goal that is big enough that in the process of achieving it you become someone worth becoming.” 

Jim Rohn

If you enjoy this Chicago Southsider newsletter, it would mean the world to us if you let us know what you like most about Chicago Southsider and what you want to see more of. Send us an email at hello@chicagosouthsider.com.

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