BLACK CHILDREN PLAY OUTSIDE THE IDA B. WELLS HOMES, ONE OF CHICAGO’S OLDEST HOUSING PROJECTS. THERE ARE 1,652 APARTMENTS HOUSING 5,920 PERSONS IN 124 BUILDINGS ON THE SOUTH SIDE. MANY BUILDINGS IN THIS PART OF THE CITY HAVE BEEN SYSTEMATICALLY VACATED FOR VARIOUS REASONS. EVEN THOUGH MANY ARE SALVAGEABLE, THEY ARE RAZED AND REPLACED WITH HIGH RENT HIGHRISES WHICH HAVE LITTLE OR NO APPEAL TO THE AREA'S PREVIOUS RESIDENTS
Featured on PDR in the collection John H. White’s Photographs of Black Chicago for DOCUMERICA (1973–74)
It’s hard not to read John H. White’s DOCUMERICA series as a love letter to Black Chicago. Whether capturing protesters or checkers players, concerts or chores, White’s work feels animated by a wonder and curiosity for the great breadth of stories and characters he encountered while exploring his adopted home city — “life”, as he put it in the captions to several of his images, “in all its seasons”.
Also appearing in the collection…
“Black children play outside the Ida B. Wells homes, one of Chicago’s oldest housing...”
Artist
Date
1973–4
From
Documerica
Digital Rights
- Labelled CC0 license
- See their general rights page
- We offer this info as guidance only