Publisher's Note

Inequity in park access lingers

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We don’t typically associate parks with social issues like race and class. But race and class matter when it comes to parks and recreation. Longtime Chicagoans will remember the campaign in the early 1960s to integrate Rainbow Beach in the then white neighborhood of South Shore—one of many examples of the color lines around Chicago’s public spaces. Parks are where we relax, grill, exercise, walk the dog and watch our kids play sports. What can be more universal than that?

Government and Politics

‘Freedom Now’

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As the nation marks the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer, we should remember Mississippi’s black residents, not just the students who went to the South to help them register to vote. Two library collections offer a glimpse into the summer of 1964.

Publisher's Note

Who else will tell these stories?

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Sept. 18 was my first day as editor and publisher of The Chicago Reporter. It’s rare when you can bring your values and skills to a job. I’m privileged to do that at the Reporter, an organization that shares my commitment to investigating race and poverty.