Insights into Chicago’s Black Population Decline, and Its Reversal
For the July Power Breakfast, CUL CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson shared the Chicago Urban League’s State of Black Chicago 2023. In its conclusion, the report called attention to the city’s declining Black population and how Black Chicagoans were moving to the suburbs and other states in search of housing and employment, higher-performing schools and safer communities. The report warned of serious consequences if the depopulation persists.
“A mass exodus of people from our communities directly reduces the number of residents, students, earners and consumers in the local economy,” the report noted. “Local businesses experience reduced revenues, which limits their ability to hire as well as operate. This leads to closures, thus empty businesses, which further reduces incomes and property values in the areas.”
WBEZ took a deeper look at the areas in Chicago that have suffered the deepest declines in Black population. For the September 9th Power Breakfast, COAL is honored to host Alden Loury, Data Projects Editor at WBEZ Chicago, to share insights from his deeper look behind Chicago’s loss of Black population, towards us determining how to turn this decline around and promote thriving Black neighborhoods.
Please join us for a topically important conversation.
Respectfully,
COAL Board of Directors
Let Us be intentional in all aspects of the Work that must be done.