BLACK STUDENT WELDERS WORK IN A MACHINE SHOP COURSE TAUGHT AT THE CHICAGO OPPORTUNITIES INDUSTRIALIZATION CENTER IN THE HEART OF THE CABRINI-GREEN HOUSING PROJECT ON CHICAGO’S NEAR NORTH SIDE OTHER COURSES IN AUTO REPAIR, DRAFTING AND CLERICAL WORK ALSO ARE OFFERED. THE STATE FUNDS THE CHICAGO PROGRAM WHICH IS A PART OF A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1964 TO PROVIDE FREE JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT FOR MEN AND WOMEN IN POVERTY AREAS. A POLICE RECORD IS NECESSARY TO QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM

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”.