Celebrating Veteran's Day In Bronzeville!

3rd Ward Alderman, Pat Dowell  shows support for the Veteran's Parade on ML King Drive.

 

 

All photos by Aki Antonia c2010

(Click to enlarge)

BAB - Chicago area ROTC and Marching Bands were all spit. polish and shine in their military dress as they marched in a well organized parade for Veteran's Day in Bronzeville. This annual parade was presented by the The Chicago Defender  Newspaper Charities. The parade went north on Dr. Martin Luther King drive, starting at 43rd St. (Muddy Waters Drive) and ending at a Veteran's Day  memorial ceremony held at the Victory Monument on 35th and King Drive.  This monument was the first in Illinois and the United States erected to honor Black soldiers who fought in World War I. 

The Chicago area bands were excellent and the students honored the Veterans with  well rehearsed band performances and lively military chants.  This parade appeared about three times as large as the previous year (2009) with more Chicago area schools marching band participation. There was diversity,  dignity , discipline and respect on display in the  promenade. 

I saw many a tear and a salute from the crowd as the students brought honor to our nation's Veterans. 

It was a job well done. 

AA 11/11/10

Veteran's Day Parade in Bronzeville 2010

The Chicago Defender Charities held its annual Veteran's Day Parade in Bronzeville on Dr. Martin Luther King drive , starting from 43rd St. (Muddy Waters Drive) and ending at the Victory Monument on 35th and King Drive. ROTCs and Marching High School bands were in military dress as they marched with precision and discipline honoring Veterans in the 2010 parade.

The Victory Monument

was dedicated November 11, 1928 on Armistice Day. The bronze panels surrounding the base of the monument were sculpted by Leonard Crunelle, as well as the soldier standing on the top of the monument later added in 1936. The monument was erected by the people of Illinois in memory of the Black soldiers who died in France from the 8th Infantry of the Illinois National Guard during World War I which was reorganized as the 370th Infantry of the 93rd Division of the United States Army.

Thousands were present at the dedication ceremony where Governor Len Small delivered the principal address honoring the one hundred and thirty seven men who died serving their country. This monument, according to Governor Small, was the first in Illinois and the United States erected to honor Black soldiers who fought in World War I.

Source: http://www.statuesandsymbols.com/Victory

Wreaths were placed and community leaders and politicians spoke in a ceremony honoring Veterans at the Victory Monument.

Buffalo Soldiers celebrate Veterans Day 2010 at the Victory Monument in Bronzeville.

Parade organizer, Colonel Eugene Scott and community resident, Cyd Langston

Colonel Eugene Scott smiles at a little one at the event.

Tuskegee Airman, James J. McCastle

shows his Air Force papers. He graduated from high school at age 16

and joined the air force at age 17 because he wanted to learn to fly.

Chicago Defender Fine Arts Writer, Earl Calloway and Mayoral candidate,

William Dock Walls

Chicago Defender Fine Arts Writer, Earl Calloway, Aki Antonia and Mayoral candidate,

William Dock Walls

(Click on photos to enlarge)

All photos by Aki Antonia c2010

Black Age XIII Art Exhibit opens at Little Black Pearl Oct 15, 2010

Monica Halsip, director of Little Black Pearl welcomes you to opening of the Black Age Exhibit produced by Onli studios as part of a series of events on Black Age Weekend.

Little Black Pearl , 6PM at 47th and Greenwood, Chicago .

Join the last Bronzeville Trolley Arts Tour to view this exhibit and more.

DuSable Bridge Dedication Chicago October 15, 2010

Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable

Bridge Dedication

October 15, 2010

11:30 AM

Pioneer Court

Chicago

The Friends of DuSable founded by Haroon Rashid, cordially invites all Chicagoans and everyone to the DuSable Bridge Dedication Celebration!

The Michigan Avenue Bridge, one of Chicago’s premier landmarks, will be renamed the DuSable Bridge in honor of the founder of Chicago, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable.

Please join us at at Pioneer Court located at the northeast corner of the DuSable Bridge.

See you at this historic event!

Hyde Park Ocktoberfest!

Well.... I was having way too much fun... at the Hyde Park Oktober fest sponsered by the University of Chicago on 53rd street...from Dorchester Avenue to Nichols Park on Saturday, October 9, 2010. There were live bands, great food and people everywhere! People of all ages and backgrounds were dancing in the street to live music!

Couples were stepping and waltzing, while little ones were trying to breakdance!

There was even a booth with dancers demonstrating various Chicago slides (Urban line dancing) with instructional DVDs for sale.

Although, here's where I do admit that one of my dance compulsions...which is "that given the right music, I do have a tendency to encourage anyone and everyone to join a conga line in a heartbeat".... and since the music was just too funky and infectious... I did encourage some U of C students to join me as I learned the groove of a new Chicago slide - (named the Herb Kent slide) .... and the results were so much fun!! We could have danced all night!

I came to the Oktoberfest expecting a German festival with brats and kegs of beer. I was looking for a few Bavarian sisters rocking maybe some golden braids, some dirndl dresses and some guys dressed in old school Lederhosen...gear. NOT! What I found was one the things that I love best about Hyde Park. Diversity...merges...and mixes of cultural artforms that flow like a colorful patchwork quilt of music, food, arts & crafts and people.

What I expected to see at the Oktoberfest. This photo is actually from another Ocktoberfest!

Photo from Source: www.red-hot-tips.com/?tag=oktoberfest

The line up of entertainment included German dancers, D'Lustigen Holzhacker Baum, the contemporary music of Koku Gonza, a neo-soul group, Dayna Lynn, LV Banks and his Swinging Blues band, Bernard Crump/ Mecca Band,the Reggae group, Akasha and the R& B Band, Full Circle.

I never found the brats but I did find that the beer was flowing. There was a huge variety of foods including funnel cakes, fruit salads, fried fish, jerk chicken, snow-balls and more as food vendors from the Hyde Park area served up an array of any and everything that one might want.

So, just because I didn't find a brat, but that didn't mean they weren't there!

This Ocktoberfest was the funkiest fest that I've ever been to... in the fall.

Instead of a folksy Germanic beer festival, it was more like an Afrocentric-Germanic funkfest going on! It had some Rock music... a little bit of Reggae... some Soul music...some R&B and finally a rendition of Ike and Tina Turner's Proud Mary from the band, Full Circle that turned the crowd out!

Overall... the Hyde Park Oktoberfest was interesting and vibrant!

Everyone seemed laid back... Hyde Park cool... while enjoying the mixture of foods, cultures and family..all juxtaposed against a beautiful warm fall day.

AA 10/10/10

All photos and video by Aki Antonia c 2010