THANK YOU to the nearly 33 thousand individuals who signed the petition to reject the proposed House Museum Ban ordinance. This petition by Preservation Chicago, our media outreach campaign, and advocacy effort in partnership with community organizations throughout Chicago played an important role in helping to defeat an ordinance that would have been devastating for dozens of house museums and cultural centers across Chicago.
In less than one week, the speed and magnitude of signatures helped thrust the proposed House Museum Ban ordinance out of the shadows and into the spotlight. This story seized the attention of Chicago and beyond. Many unknown details were revealed through the outstanding reporting of many Chicago reporters in over two dozen articles.
Preservation Chicago presented the petition along with a formal comment in opposition to the proposed house ban ordinance at the Zoning Committee of the Chicago City Council on March 23, 2021. Final petition totals were 1,488 pages of signatures and 35 pages of comments. Due to the advocacy effort and widespread opposition, the ordinance was withdrawn from a vote shortly before the hearing begin.
While the immediate danger has passed, the inspiring, diverse coalition of organizations and individuals that organized to resist the proposed ordinance will remain vigilant in the event that it resurfaces. We applaud every individual and organization that played a role in helping to oppose this legislation.
We strongly oppose any legislative maneuvers that seek to make more difficult the establishment of Chicago neighborhood house museums. In fact, we strongly encourage additional support to help nurture them.
Now is the time to recognize, honor and protect the many important contributions of African-Americans and traditionally underrepresented communities to Chicago. House museums are powerful vehicles for protecting the history and telling the stories of those who have come before us. House museums amplify the voices of those who have not been heard. It is essential that these voices be heard.
The following emerging museums would have been directly impacted by this ordinance:
- The Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley Home – which achieved Chicago Landmark status after a multi-year effort to save it. It was purchased by a local nonprofit to create a museum to honor Emmett’s memory and to recognize the fierce bravery of Mamie Till-Mobley whose actions helped to spark the Civil Rights Movement.
- The MOJO Muddy Waters House Museum – which plans to turn Muddy’s South Side Chicago home into a blues museum. It would celebrate his legendary contributions to blues music which emerged from the Great Migration and would forever change music in America and around the world.
- The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum expansion – which celebrates and honors the legacy of the Pullman Porters and the important role African-Americans played in shaping America’s labor and Civil Rights movement.
- The Lu Palmer Mansion – which is on the verge of being purchased and converted into The Obsidian Collection museum and library, an archive of Black journalism.
- The Phyllis Wheatley House – which is the last standing African-American settlement house in Chicago, and served African-American women for 50 years during the Great Migration.
- Sajdah House Elijah Muhammad House Museum – To celebrate the legacy of Elijah Muhammad and share the impact of African American entrepreneurship.
Over the past few years, Preservation Chicago worked tirelessly with community members, Blacks in Green, Naomi Davis, the Till Family, 20th Ward Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, and city officials towards a Chicago Landmark Designation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley House.
The Justice D. Harry Hammer / Lu & Jorja Palmer Mansion was a Preservation Chicago 2019 Chicago 7 Most Endangered and we have been working with Angela Davis of The Obsidian Collection to restore and reactive the historic building.
The Phyllis Wheatley Home is a Preservation Chicago 2021 Chicago 7 Most Endangered and we have been working with urgency to protect and stabilize this historic home with owner Dr. JoAnn Cobb Tate so that a long-term solution can honor its important legacy.