by Cieslafdn | Oct 16, 2013 | Rosenwald Fund
The rehabilitation of the Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments moved one step closer to reality on Friday. The package of grants, tax-free bonds, tax credits and TIF funds proposed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in September to help finance the construction of over 200 affordable apartments was approved at the Finance Committee meeting on October 11th. 3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell posted a press release on the front page of her website, which you can read here.
It’s great to see this project finally coming together. Stay tuned to this blog for more updates.
by Cieslafdn | Oct 2, 2013 | Rosenwald Fund
Welcome Inn Manor is a bed and breakfast located in a mansion on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, across the street from the Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments.
Among their lovely rooms is one named for the creator of that apartment block at 47th and Michigan, Julius Rosenwald. Colloquially known as “The Rosenwald,” the building was opened in 1929 and is in the process of being rehabilitated after standing vacant for decades.
Photo credit: The Welcome Inn Manor
The Rosenwald Suite is graced by an illustration of Julius Rosenwald on the wall. Mell from Welcome Inn Manor told us that it was created and gifted by a former guest, Ian Young. It appears to have drawn its source from a 1929 image of J.R. on the White House steps, seen here:
Photo credit: The Library of Congress, National Photo Company Collection
Click here to book your stay in the Rosenwald Suite Retreat.
by Cieslafdn | Sep 23, 2013 | Rosenwald Fund
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago recently gave its 50th annual Julius Rosenwald Award to Lawrence E. Glick. Play the video below to see Glick’s acceptance speech.
by Cieslafdn | Sep 23, 2013 | Rosenwald Fund
Click here to read an article about the new funding plan for the Rosenwald Courts, at Chicago Development News.
by Cieslafdn | Sep 16, 2013 | Rosenwald Fund
David Roeder of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has offered a package of grants, tax-free bonds, tax credits and TIF (tax increment financing) funds to support the rehabilitation of the Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments. The MBGA was a huge block of apartments built by Julius Rosenwald in Chicago in 1929 at a time when housing for African Americans in the city was scarce and frequently subpar. At a press conference, Emanuel conveyed his enthusiasm for the project:
“The Rosenwald has a long and storied history,” Emanuel said, “but the city’s support for its comprehensive rehabilitation will ensure its best days are yet to come.” (Chicago Sun-Times, Sep 11, 2013)
The Rosenwald Apartments have been vacant for some years
Photo credit: SilverRaven7 (flickr)
Emanuel also announced the donation of 5 adjacent city-owned lots for “Rosenwald Courts” parking. That information was new to us; if you know which lots these are, please leave us a comment on this post.
Read more at the Sun-Times.
by datdudejbal | Aug 29, 2013 | Rosenwald Fund
On Tuesday, August 27th, the Ciesla Foundation joined On the Potomac Productions to present “Reflections on Jewish and African American Civil Rights Alliances,” a symposium remembering the collaboration between Jews and African Americans during the Civil Rights era and considering new ways for the two communities to work together in the future. Ciesla provided 501(c)(3) sponsorship for the event, which was held at NYU’s Constance Milstein Center in Washington D.C. Ciesla Director Aviva Kempner also spoke at the symposium about the Rosenwald Schools and screened the work in progress of Ciesla’s upcoming documentary about Julius Rosenwald.
Aviva Kempner and Gloria Davidson Hart
Photo credit: Tobiah Mues, Aug. 27, 2013
The Rosenwald Schools were one of the main topics on the “Education” panel. In addition to Aviva’s presentation, Gloria Davidson Hart recounted her experience going to a Rosenwald School and talked about the esteem the community had for the comparatively high quality Rosenwald Schools that were built throughout Southern states in the early part of the 20th century.
Rabbi Israel “Si” Dresner
Photo credit: Tobiah Mues, Aug. 27, 2013
Other highlights of the conference included Rabbi Dresner, who shared some stories about the time he spent with Martin Luther King Jr. and talked about the affinity he felt between the Civil Rights struggle and the Biblical Exodus. Clarence Page described his early days at the Chicago Tribune, at a time when some of his co-workers were worried that an African American employee would be too “militant.” Ron Carver implored the audience to remember that Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t act alone and that young people today need not wait for a savior like King to begin collective action. Glenn Rabin chaired the communications panel and discussed the effects of the recent loss of governmental policies to promote minority ownership of media. The audience also heard a recorded message from Julian Bond, who is working on a film project about the relationship between the birth of rock and roll and the Civil Rights movement called “Crossing the Color Line.”
Clarence Page
Photo credit: Tobiah Mues, Aug. 27, 2013
The final speaker of the day was Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray. As a young man, Gray’s parents encouraged him to attend George Washington University despite the fact that he would be one of the only black students on campus. While these difficult circumstances caused a few of his friends to transfer away from GWU, Mayor Gray found a home at Tau Epsilon Phi, a Jewish fraternity that accepted him as its first black member.
Mayor Vincent Gray and Mark Plotkin
Photo credit: Tobiah Mues, Aug. 27, 2013
Mayor Gray contrasted his experience as a minority at GWU with his time at the famous and predominately black Dunbar High School in Washington D.C. and named some of the remarkable alumni of the school, such as Charles Hamilton Houston and Dr. Charles Drew. Mayor Gray also mentioned Ernest Everett Just, who taught at Dunbar. Just, who had a special relationship with Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Fund, will be the subject of an upcoming post on this blog.
Mayor Vincent Gray with Aviva
Photo credit: Tobiah Mues, Aug. 27, 2013
Thomas Hart Jr. of On the Potomac Productions put together an amazing group of speakers for this weekday morning symposium, and the Ciesla Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to participate.
From left to right: Clarence Page, Mark Plotkin, Rabbi Dresner, Thomas Hart Jr., Aviva Kempner, Leroy Nesbitt and Susannah Heschel
Photo credit: Tobiah Mues, Aug. 27, 2013
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