ABC 7 CHICAGO Celebrates Black History Month With Cartoons, News Series And Half-Hour Special “OUR CHICAGO: SPIRIT AND PERSEVERANCE”.
Hosted by ABC 7’s Cheryl Burton and Hosea Sanders, “OUR CHICAGO: SPIRIT AND PERSEVERANCE” showcases the unique histories and cultural contributions of black Chicagoans. The half-hour show airs Saturday, February 25 at 6 p.m. with a bonus performance the following day on Sunday, February 26 at 11 p.m. and will also air live exclusively on abc7chicago.com and ABC 7 Connected TV Apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.
Rig and sanders present the special from the historic Liberty Baptist Church, located at 49th Street and Martin Luther King Drive. Built in 1956, Liberty Baptist Church served as the base of operations for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his “Chicago Freedom Movement.” They will kick off the show by highlighting the historical influence of black churches in Chicago.
Vignettes featuring amazing Chicagoans every day will be shown throughout February on ABC7, including Englewood resident, guitarist and engineer Edward Vaughn, “Rockstar EV”; the inspiring crosswalk guard Tammy Anderson; bakery and candy factory entrepreneur Stephanie Hart; author and advocate Leanne Stuckey; Loyola University Black Dance Team and caregiver Jeannette Jordan, who reflects on her remarkable love story with her husband, Dr. Robert Jordan.
“OUR CHICAGO: SPIRIT AND PERSEVERANCE” highlights individuals and groups in the Black Chicago community with unique stories and community contributions including:
Chicago Freedom Movement: In 1966, Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta, moved to Chicago, where he launched the Chicago Freedom Movement, the historic open-housing campaign that was Dr. King’s first major protest movement in the North. The campaign had a huge influence in Chicago: it brought Jesse Jackson to the city, where he launched Operation Barn. It also brought other important figures to the city, such as the Rev. Al Sampson, a longtime minister on the South Side. The special revisits this historic campaign with the Reverend Sampson, King biographer Jonathan Eig, and others.
Life is sweet: Owner Stephanie Hart, one of Chicago’s most notable minority businesswomen and owner of the beloved South Side Brown Sugar bakery, maintains the candy-making business in Chicago. She bought the Cupid Candy factory, brought it back to life, and now aims to expand her Life is Sweet candies to a larger market. By renovating the factory, Hart helps the neighborhood, creates jobs and gives people the opportunity to earn a living. Hart’s is one of the only black-owned candy manufacturers in the country.
The Chicago “Notebook” Love Story – In Sickness and in Health: Pastor Jeannette Jordan and her husband, Dr. Robert Jordan, have been married for more than 50 years and have five children together. Robert, a retired pediatrician, became Rush Hospital’s first black pediatric chief resident in 1979. A few years ago, Robert was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Now his wife, Jeannette, has devoted her life to caring for him.
Mielle organic products: Chicago founders Monique and Melvin Rodriguez established Merrillville, Indiana-based hair and skin care company Mielle Organics in their basement. Now worth $100 million, they follow in the footsteps of big black-owned hair care companies of the past, like Johnson Products and Soft Sheen (owned by Edward and Bettiann Gardner).
Loyola Afro-descendant Dance Team: AfroDescent is Loyola University Chicago’s first and only African dance team to express itself through the movement of its African ancestors and a variety of styles that have transcended the African diaspora. As a diverse team, they seek to highlight the joyous and artistic expression of African dance and showcase it to the Loyola community.
Faith leaders bring credit unions to Austin neighborhood: Faith leaders from Great True Vine Baptist Church in Austin join forces with a local investment banker to open a credit union in a neighborhood community center later this year in hopes of bringing financial stability to the people of Austin.
ABC7 Eyewitness News will feature many compelling stories for Black History Month under the banner “Building a Better Chicago,” including the following:
–Anchor Rob Elgas takes a trip to Funky Town, the first black-owned brewery in Chicago.
–Reporter Leah Hope reports on the local mom behind Ida’s Artisan Ice Cream. His ice cream will be presented at the Ice Cream Museum starting in February.
–Anchor Samantha Chatman investigates diversity in dispensaries, exploring the number of black applicants for marijuana dispensaries compared to the number of approved applicants who obtain dispensary licenses.
–Race and culture reporter Will Jones spotlights a local entrepreneur by spreading positive messages through clothing.
–reporter juan garcia Dig deeper into The Bears Organization to discover the progress of diversity in their program.
–Traffic presenter Roz Varon takes a trip back in time by visiting an exhibit called “The Black Motorist’s Green Book.”
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