The University of Illinois at Chicago appears intent on destroying the hope of a Maxwell Street Market preservation area in favour of its own expansion plans. Your voice can contribute to changing those plans. You can help save the memory of a unique spot that is historically significant in at least three important ways:
The Maxwell Street Market was one of the largest and longest-lived urban open-air markets in North America. It is significant for its contribution to the history of economics and commerce in the United States.
The Maxwell Street area of Chicago was an important landing place for migrants from the deep south to the northern United States. It was the promised land for generations of poor farmers hoping for a better life. As such it is an immeasurably important piece of the social history of the United States.
Maxwell Street and the surrounding areas were the home of the electrified Chicago blues style, an important contribution to world musical history, the significance of which is deepened by the contribution that style later made to the development of rock and roll, which has had an undeniable impact on world culture during the 20th century.
Express your concern. Write to:
Or send E-mail to Chancellor Broski at: David.C.Broski@uic.edu. Fax him at 312-413-3393. Please send a copy of your message to The Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition so your concern can be posted on their Web site (http://www.openair.org/maxwell/preserve.html).
Studio IT and the people of the And This is Maxwell Street project are proud to be members of the Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition. For more information about the coalition contact:
