Centro Journal ISSN: 1538-6279 [email protected] The City University of New York Estados Unidos Flores, Carlos Capturing the images of Chicago's Puerto Rican Community Centro Journal, vol. XIII, núm. 2, 2001, pp. 134-165 The City University of New York New York, Estados Unidos Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=37711308010 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative CENTRO Journal Volume7 xiii Number 2 fall 2001 Capturing the Images of Chicago’s Puerto Rican Community Carlos Flores One of the two large Puerto Rican Flags at the west end of Division Street (September, 2001). It was by divine intervention that a camera gram sponsored by the University of Chicago was placed in my hands during my teens and and the Atomic Energy Commission. I began to capture the images of the Puerto Located at Argonne National Laboratory in Rican community residing in various Lemont, Illinois, several miles outside of Chicago neighborhoods in the 1960s. Who Chicago, the program was designed to give would have thought that 30 years later these inner-city youths on-the-job training and a images would serve to document the histo- chance to study for GED (General ry of los Puertorriqueños in Chicago? Equivalency Diploma) certification. The events that led to my photography Upon entering the program, I chose to experience began in the fall of 1968, when I work in the photo laboratory, where sev- entered my senior year at St. Michael eral lab employees took me under their Catholic High School in Chicago’s Old Town wing and taught me the basics of photog- neighborhood. A few months before gradua- raphy. They even equipped me with an old tion, I became a dropout, when I was Ya shica medium-format camera (2-1/4" expelled from school for my involvement in a negative) and plenty of film. Each day I serious altercation. A short time later, I was would return home with camera and film fortunate to be accepted into a training pro- in hand, and I would become so intrigued [ 134 ] with the people and places in my commu- stores, record shops, and other small busi- nity that it became somewhat of a mis- nesses. However, this settlement was short sion to capture the images of practically lived because in the late 1960s Lincoln Park everyone and everything I came in con- became one of the first neighborhoods to tact with. I would photograph my mother be renovated under the Chicago Plan 21. cooking arrroz con garbanzos y patita in The implementation of this plan result- her kitchen; neighbors working on their ed in the gentrification of the Lincoln automobiles; mothers walking down the Park community and the displacement of street with their children; children play- thousands of Puerto Ricans, along with ing a baseball game behind their apart- other residents of color and lower-income ment building; and people lounging on a families. The Young Lords, a movement of street corner or dancing and eating at a politically conscious Puerto Rican youths, picnic. My camera and I were inseparable, emerged in Lincoln Park during this peri- and I never hesitated to capture an image. od of turmoil in the early 1970s. It was an immense feeling to freeze an The effects of the Chicago Plan 21 are exact moment for all eternity. Today, still reverberating through one city neigh- these photographs are significant because borhood after another. Gentrification is in some of the neighborhoods you will displacing Puerto Rican families on the not find any evidence that thousands of west side from their long-standing com- Puerto Ricans inhabited these same munities in Humboldt Park, Wicker Park, streets a few decades ago. Bucktown, and Logan Square. Many of One community that comes to mind is them are dispersing around the city and Lincoln Park, one of Chicago’s premier suburbs, again weakening the stability of neighborhoods, with upscale residences, a vital ethnic community. shops, theaters, bars, and restaurants. If In some ways, my photographs are sad you visit this community today, your con- because they document a community that tact with people of color will be limited to has been uprooted time and again, but restaurant staff, retail clerks, students who they are also a source of pride and satisfac- commute to local schools, and nannies tion. The greatest pleasure I received who care for the children of the many from photographing the hundreds of young middle-class families now residing Puertorriqueños in those early years was in the area. In the last two decades, this the trust that developed between us. I was area has been transformed from a diverse, always comfortable snapping a picture of blue-collar community that was home to anyone in my neighborhood because I was many Puerto Ricans to one that is pre- one of them, and I did not pose a threat to dominantly white and upper middle class. them or their surroundings. In fact, peo- Puerto Ricans began migrating to the ple often expected me to photograph Midwest in significant numbers in the late them, and sometimes even asked. This 1950s and early 1960s. In Chicago, many open, trusting attitude gave me the rare settled on the near north side, in Lincoln opportunity to capture these individuals Park and Lakeview; some settled on the at their leisure, at work, and even in west side, in Westtown, Humboldt Park, moments of quiet and solitude. I feel for- and WickerPark; and some settled in south tunate to have shared my life with so many side neighborhoods. As Puerto Ricans wonderful people, but I am truly blessed became established in the Lincoln Park to have had the opportunity to document area, they opened restaurants, barber the physical beauty and resilient spirit of shops, grocery stores, taverns, clothing the Puerto Rican people. [ 135 ] Jam session at Fullerton Beach by the Lakefront. This beach was frequently visited by the many Puerto Ricans that lived in the Lincoln Park and Lakeview communities (1975). A Puerto Rican family enjoying their hammock on a summer day in Humboldt Park (1975). A “bembe” (Jam Session) on Sacramento Boulevard near Division Street and Humboldt Park (1973). Opposite: Young Puerto Rican couple dancing during picnic at the Thatcher Forest Preserves located at Milwaukee and Devon Avenue (1971). [ 137 ] A jam session in Humboldt Park (1971). Opposite: Portrait of Julianson - one of the friends among the baseball players in Humboldt Park (1975). [ 139 ] Playing the guitar for a young Puerto Rican woman at Thatcher Woods Forest Preserves on Milwaukee and Devon (1971). Opposite: Singing and playing guitar during a picnic at Thatcher Woods Forest Preserves located on Milwaukee and Devon (1971). [ 140 ] A Puerto Rican food stand near the west end bathrooms in Humboldt Park during a Sunday summer day (1980). Opposite: A Puerto Rican woman enjoys an afternoon at the Humboldt Park Beach (man-made beach created for the community residents (1984). [ 142 ] Festivities during Festival Boricua in Paseo Boricua (September, 2001). [ 144 ] Children playing on the corner of Armitage and Clifton in the Lincoln Park neighborhood (1970-2). [ 145 ] Agroup of young Puerto Rican/Latino youngsters take a break from their baseball game to pose for my camera. They were playing their game in the backyard of the tenement building located on Clifton and Armitage Avenue in the Lincoln Park community (1969). A Puerto Rican family enjoying the Puerto Rican Parade (1971). [ 146 ] Isabel “Chavela” Torres - sitting (posing) in the kitchen during ASPIRA Camp in Wisconsin. At the age of 20, Chavela was my first Puerto Rican Love (1970). [ 147 ] During the 1970 Puerto Rican Parade. Opposite: Father and daughter enjoying the 1971 Puerto Rican Parade. [ 148 ] Group of Puerto Ricans hanging out on Armitage Avenue, across the street from the Old Town School of Music in the Lincoln Park neighborhood (1970). [ 150 ] Group of young Puerto Ricans sitting on steps (drinking beer) next door to tavern located on the corner of Fremont and Armitage in Lincoln Park (1970). [ 151 ] Entrance to the entrance to the Young Lords Headquarters at the Armitage-Dayton Methodist Church (People’s Church-1971). [ 152 ] Jose “Cha Cha” Jimenez addresses a crowd at a Young Lords rally at the corner of Wilton & Grace Street (1975). [ 153 ] The Armitage-Dayton Methodist Church (People’s Church), also the headquarters of the Young Lords Organization. In the photograph you observe the murals of Ramón Emeterio Betances, Adelita, and Lolita Lebron (1970). A typical day at the corner of Armitage and Kenmore (near the train stop) in the heart of the Lincoln Park neighborhood (1971). [ 154 ] Waiting for the train at the Armitage Avenue train station in the Lincoln Park neighborhood (1970). [ 155 ] In this photo you see on the left hand side Gilbereto Justiliano and the late Rudy Lozano (with jacket). Rudy Lozano was a young Mexican leader from the community who was murdered shortly after the election of Harold Washington in the 1980’s (1973). [ 156 ] Strategy meetings between Mexican-Puerto Rican students at the University of Illinois. Their demands to the university included the establishment of a program to recruit more latino students. On the right hand side of the photograph (with glasses and a hat) is Alberto Torres, who is considered a political prisoner, and is presently serving time in Federal Prison for his involvement with the FALN (1973). [ 157 ] The funeral of community activist Orlando “Vito” Quintana (shot to death by police officer) at Caribe Funeral Home.