In recognition of April as Fair Housing Month, join us for a panel exploring an impactful and often overlooked Chicago chapter in the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the legacy he left behind in the city’s fair housing landscape.
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The Kings (center), with fellow activists, look out from their apartment on South Hamlin Ave. in North Lawndale. Photo: Lawndale Christian Development Corp.
In January of 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. moved his family to the North Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. On the heels of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Dr. King had set his sights on Chicago for his first major campaign outside the south, joining the Chicago Freedom Movement’s efforts to combat discriminatory housing practices. Due in large part to his advocacy in Chicago and beyond, legal protections from housing discrimination would finally be secured with the passage of the federal Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, six days after his assassination.
Our panel discussion will contextualize Dr. King’s time in North Lawndale and his work with the Chicago Freedom Movement, investigating the progress and ongoing challenges in combatting housing discrimination and access in Chicago spanning six decades.
Hear from distinguished panelists including Monica Chadha, AIA, LEED AP, and founder of the architecture firm Civic Projects; Jonathan Eig, journalist and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, King: A Life; Blanche Killingsworth, president and founder of the North Lawndale Historical and Cultural Society; and Tim Swanson, President & CEO of Inherent L3C. The discussion will be moderated by CAC's Director of Executive Affairs, Julie Burros.
Jonathan Eig is the bestselling author of six books, four of them New York Times best sellers. His most recent book, King: A Life, has been hailed as a "monumental” and “definitive" biography of Martin Luther King Jr. It was longlisted for the National Book Award and named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time magazine.
Jonathan’s previous book, Ali: A Life, won a 2018 PEN America Literary Award. His works have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
Jonathan is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School. He began his writing career at age 16, working for his hometown newspaper, The Rockland County (N.Y.) Journal News and went on to work as a reporter for The New Orleans Times-Picayune, The Dallas Morning News, Chicago Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. He served as a producer on the PBS documentary Muhammad Ali, which was directed by Ken Burns. He lives in Chicago with his wife and children.
Blanche Killingsworth is the President and co-founder of the North Lawndale Historical Society, an organization whose mission is to research, educate and archive the history of Lawndale. She is a long time North Lawndale resident and community activist. She has worked with many organizations and community members to preserve Lawndale History. She is a Diversity Scholar of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and a member of The Central Park Restoration Committee. She has helped facilitate the Contract Buyers League and The Living and Learning from Lawndale Exhibits, Oaks Of Lawndale International project, Route 66 collaboration and many other historic projects in our community.
Monica Chadha, AIA, LEED AP, is a visionary architect with over 20 years of experience, known for her innovative approach to community-focused design. As the founder and principal of Civic Projects Architecture, Monica has transformed the Chicago-based firm into a leader in social impact design with a focus on high quality design and long-term strategic thinking.
Acting as the catalyst the firm’s approach is highly participatory to create spaces that resonate with their communities. Her work at Civic Projects spans diverse scales and sectors, from multi-family residential to community centers. Projects include the museum design for the Obama Presidential Center, an adaptive reuse project for Steep Theatre, and an arts center in a converted fire station for Yollocalli.
Monica's early career at the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation with Balkrishna Doshi laid the foundation for her commitment to socially engaged design.
She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Graham Foundation and has been an Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Monica has a unique understanding of practice as a female and minority architect.
Monica's dedication to community engagement, innovative design, and mentorship has established her as a leader in social impact design, continually pushing the boundaries of traditional architecture to create inclusive, functional spaces that serve and uplift communities.
Tim Swanson is the founder and CEO of Inherent L3C as well as the President of Inherentance NPF, a nationally award winning community reinvestment organization that aligns thriving wage career creation, direct community business investment and meaningful homeownership through sustainable and affordable modular smart homes into thriving local economies. He has led large architecture, engineering and construction companies locally and internationally; and having lived and practiced in Abu Dhabi, rural India, New York and Chicago, with projects that span six continents, Tim brings a unique, global perspective to his local work.
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