Chicago Neighborhoods

Change neighborhood to:

View of Lake Michigan in Bronzeville, Chicago
1 of 3 next ››

Bronzeville

Send to a friend
…historic roots, begging to grow

Bronzeville is one of Chicago’s most legendary neighborhoods.

But there's a little problem with legends: people think they're not actually real. Maybe that’s why Bronzeville is one of the most talked about—but rarely visited—'hoods in the city.

Check it: Bronzeville's roots go back to the 1920s, when many African-Americans were migrating from the south. With a renewed strength and solidarity, these newcomers established a thriving, close-knit community; one where jobs, churches, clubs and institutions were thriving and working together to support the local population.

Notable residents included iconic figures such as Louis Armstrong, Thomas Dorsey and journalists Ida B. Wells and Robert Abbott. It’s nice to imagine some of the pivotal conversations in American history that might have occurred in Bronzeville during a hot night with cool jazz and blues.

But over time, a series of events battered the area into an economic downturn. By the 1950s, housing projects were sealing the deal and creating some of Chicago's most infamous ’hoods.

Today, with support from the city, Bronzeville is seeing a renewal. Mixed-income, multi-family housing, some duplexes, a plan for better transit and tourist-friendly venues aim to draw people back to the neighborhood, so its grand boulevards and turn-of-the-century homes will not be just legendary, but contemporary.

A ’hood with culturally rich spirit and historic charm? It's like music to our ears.

View neighborhood hotspots

Known for:

Rich in African American and Chicago history

Main drag:

South Martin Luther King Drive

Bronzeville blogs and events

Apartments in Bronzeville

811 E 46th Apartments - 811 E 46th St 4500 S Drexel Apartments - 4500 S Drexel Ave