Saving Gerri's Palm Tavern

Vol. 8, No. 9 Published Bi-Weekly © Copyright 2001 Jarrell Communications Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED March 8-21, 2001 Where are the Saving Gerri's Public Housing Grand Blvd. (Bronzeville) Pal- "All I want to mdo Tavern Residents? is keep the Palm Tavern's historical founda- include mural painted walls, the bar,the tion alive." Those are words of Ms. Gerri booths, and maybe even the antic piano. SSJ File photos 7 Pictured are residents from the now demolished Oliver, the owner for 66 years of Gerri's Palm Saving the Palm Tavern lacks support from Robert Taylor Homes at 5266,5322, and 5326 S. State -» Tavern. Aid. Tillman (3). The alderman stressed, St. Residents met with officials, rallied She has remained basically quiet on her "We're going to take the property", because against the demolishion and are now gone plight with the City of Chicago in taking Ms. Oliver's associates are hard to work with. — not just from these, but others all over the city. Residents have been relocated possession of her business. However, on Her vision is that the property is part of the while awaiting housing, and some report, Thursday, March 6, pictures were worth a 47th Street Blues District and an African Vil- they are homeless. thousand words. She questioned city inspec- lage. Development that calls for the City to tors to inspect her business that day when take possession of the land by way of eminent Alderman Dorothy Tillman's son, Jimmy Jr., domain. an employee of the city came to inspect the Pat Hill, a community and civil activist, business. questions the real agenda of the City and Gerri in the middle of cleaning for Alderman Tillman. an event that evening did not want 'The City is actively recruiting ex- any interruptions in the mist o isting club owners from around the cleaning. She quietly went to her city to relocate to 47th street. At the photo album of many historical peo- same time, excluding the Palm Tav- ple and showed young Tillman a ern as being a part of this blues dis- picture of his father. It was a photo trict the Mayor and the alderman of his father as he performed at the wants to create. Palm Tavern. Young Tillman "It is very alarming for a Black looked at the picture and then at elected official to be opposing this Gerri. A musician himsejf, he said "We're going assistance to the Palm Tavern, when he had no idea, referring to the to take the historically it is the only standing legacy that the tavern has had for establishment to support what thev thase known and those just unaware of the historical foundation iPhas Aid. Dorothy sense." Further a form oi address, by Carmelita Banks she tried to reassure the tenants present that laid for the present. Tillman Hill said, "We oppose closing the Staff Writer they would "see a way to move toward the With a court hearing rescheduled Tavern until there is a plan to ensure Where the public housing residents are to- light." again for April, it may be the final action for the legacy continues on. There should be day depends on whether or not the speaker LaWanda Lynch, who cannot read or write, the city to take ownership and move to close some accountability to the community." works, directly or indirectly, for the city. It sees no light in sight. She was in public the doors. Mary Steward, Executive Director, of the also depends on whether the question deals housing with her four children and their father The only factor in the judge decision is how Mid-South Planning and Development Com- with current or former residents, especially if for about a year in 1989. She left 4429 S. much Ms. Oliver will receive for the fixtures. mission, echoed hills concerns. "They (the they left before Oct. I, 1999. Federal in a hurry because she was not getting Reports of up to $50,000.00. A benefit to Ms. City) should know how important it is to the along with her abusive partner. In 1993, she On the Southside, there is a lot of skepticism Oliver the city does not have to offer because community at large to maintain the Palm Tav- moved in with her mother who doesn't live in about the plight of public housing residents Gerri does not own the building. The fixtures public housing, and in 1998, she took her (Continued on page 4) because so far there is only talk. The two family to Minnesota where they lived in a residents working on each group were sworn to shelter for 4-5 months because she couldn't secrecy during the planning, which alienated find housing. In disgust, they returned to them from the rest of the residents on each Chicago and since she was disabled, she was Local Advisory Council (LAC). Rep. Howard work in put on the housing priority waiting list. For example, Barbara Moore has lived 33 "I wasn't supposed to be on more than two years in the Robert Taylor Homes, once the largest public housing development in the years," she says, "but public housing's got world that housed over 4,200 familes. Today, priority." defense of ex- offend- it barely has 460 families. Lynch is referring to the decision at the Chicago Housing Authority to set a the cutoff On the national punged," she said. Formerly active on the council, Ms. Moore date for its commitment to public housing resi- is apprehensive because Taylor has "lost more level President Bill If the bills become! dents. than anybody. Clinton exist was law, they will auto-1 noted for the pardons matically expunge, or I "We want to know just what we are getting "If they weren't lease-compliant as of Octo- of federal convicted remove from the of-1 back," she says. "I know it's not one-for-one ber 1, 1999, they will have to wait," says replacement housing." Derek Hill, Director of Communication for the felons. However, ac- fender's record,! CHA. "If you don't have rules and regulations, tion in Springfield court-ordered super-1 More highrises are scheduled for demoli- you have mayhem." and Chicago gives vision, reversed con- tion. On Feb. 7, Stateway Gardens' plans for some currently or victions, certain mis-1 redevelopment was approved and on Feb. 20, That means that needy families, including formerly incarcer- demeanors and Class so were Taylor's and Rockwell Gardens'. the disabled, no longer have priority on the waiting list of over 42,000 families according ated individuals rea- 4 felonies, along with "We have come a long way in 20 months," to the Coaliton to Protect Public Housing - son to hope for a certain offenses CHA Board of Commissioners Chair Sharon Rep. Connie Howard form of pardons as served by minors. | Gist Gilliam said at the Feb. 20 meeting. Then (Continued on page 14) well. Those convicted of misdemeanors and In Springfield, State felonies must not acquire other convictions Representative Connie during a waiting period of two or four years, FEATURE: respectively. Sduth Street Howard led buses of sup- CASSIUS & ROXANNE P ports from Chicago in an Minors convicted as juveniles and adults, So,uth St.reet effort to pass state laws who were sentenced to probation or condi- Women Month PERSPECTIVE: that would give back to tional discharge, would have their records & THEN CAME THUNDER ex-offenders some basic expunged after they complete their sentence Meochia Blount PROFESSOR WILLIE DIXOK rights, including access to and did not acquire any additional convic- Harvey - This 26-year old com- FROM THE PUBLISHER: jobs with decent wages. tions during a two-year waiting period. bination of beauty and brains has The seven bills she On March 8, all of the bills were defeat CHICAGO SUN-TIMES AGENDA PAGE 9 her own opinions and techniques. filed Feb. 23, with the except for two. However the representatives Even her name is unique; Judiciary II Criminal Law will be resubmitting for to committee in a Meochia Nochi, pronounced Committee "would give different seeking for them all to pass the "Mee-o-she-yah Noh-chee" which some ex-offenders a sec- House. can, meaning, "BeautifulOne". ond chance by allowing to For more information, contact Michael (Com Mary Dee: Next Issue of SSJ have their records ex- O'Connor at (773) 356-6210. Page 2 March 8-21, 2001 South Street Journal The UnZip Briefs by the Weatherman City Agency Honors Peoples Pictured (I to r) Clarence Wood, chair of Chicago nline with Women's Month the YWCA re- Commission on Human Relations, Audrey Peeples, ceived a $125,00 grant from the Chcoago Com- former CEO of the YWCA of Metropolitan munity Trust to serve more victims of sexual Chicago, and Manning Marable, professor of politi- J cal science and history at Columbia Univer- assault in Chicago. Because only an estimated one sity,New York, at the CCHR annual luncheon. out of eight rapes is reported, the YWCA estimates Peeples received the Thomas and Eleanor Wright that 25,000 rupees and 9,000 cses Award, the group's highest honor. Marable was of child sexual abuse occur each the keynote speaker. year in its city and suburban ser- "The winners were felt to best exemplify the vice areas. mission of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations to help bridge the racial, ethnic, and On another note of Women's religious divides in our society," said Julian Kulas, note, Winnie Mandela loas un- Chairman of the Commission's Select Committee.

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