February in Chicago is traditionally the coldest month of the year. It’s also the shortest month. But the good thing is, it’s Black History Month. Of course we don’t need a certain month to reflect on our Black History – our ancestors, our past and present leaders, our legendary events and proud moments are celebrated every day of the year. Still, Black History Month is a great time to remind us of our proud, resilient, and painful past; the struggles we’ve overcome; the hurdles we’ve gotten over; and the obstacles we’ve faced. We celebrate the victories we’ve won; the great men and women who inspired, and guided, and motivated us; and who excelled in every phase of life: in our families, in art, in sports, music, medicine, education, entertainment, science and technology. And poetry.
On our cover are two women who made a difference in Chicago and the world: Margaret Burroughs and Gwendolyn Brooks. It is a little known fact that these two outstanding women were friends. In this issue, Gwendolyn Brooks’ daughter, Nora Brooks Blakely talks about that friendship in such a beautifully-worded article, you can’t help but know she is her mama’s daughter.
Following in Chicago’s own Ms Brooks’ footsteps is the Poet Laureate of this generation, Angela Jackson. You will absolutely enjoy reading Corey Hall’s inspiring and reflective words honoring this talented young woman.
Black History Month is not, as some seem to think, only about Martin Luther King. Before Dr. King, before Malcolm X,
Art, Business, Culture & Community, Dining. Events, Entertainment, Health & Heritage to Build and Thrive.
The South Side Drive magazine is published by Real Men Charities, Inc. The organization’s mission is Building Healthy Families and Communities. The magazine is designed to be a catalyst for economic development, reflecting a truthful image and examples that demonstrate the art of living. We seek to share the Good News about Chicago’s south side and Black culture and serve as the Guide to the Good Life in our city. We are placemakers and keepers of the culture.
there was a man from Jamaica who made a difference in the lives of Black people throughout the world – including the United States, including Chicago, Illinois. That man is Marcus Mosiah Garvey, and no one can tell his story better than singer, actor and historian, Maceo Leon Thomas. To too many of us, Marcus Garvey was just a Black man with a strange hat telling Black people to go back to Africa. As you will read in this enlightening article, he was much, much more than that.
As we pay tribute to the late, great actor, Sidney Portier, did you know he had a Chicago connection beyond A Raisin in the Sun, that magnificent play by Chicago’s own Lorraine Hansberry? This little known Chicago Black history piece, written by Ernesto “Pompey” Borges, informs us of his mother, Frances Wallace Borges’ special friendship with Sidney Portier and his wife, Juanita; and how Sidney Portier befriended a young Ernesto Borges between movie making right here in Chi-town. Don’t miss our March Women’s issue when we share more about beautiful Frances, as Ernesto’s intriguing story begs for more about how a Chicago beauty queen, at the top of her game all of her life, came to reach many milestones.
Last year we lost a legend, Herman Roberts, who brought us Roberts Motel, Roberts Show Lounge, Roberts 500 Room, and Roberts Bowling Alley. Before he passed I asked Sasha Daltonn to speak to Herman and write this piece. His is an inspiring story and this legacy is one that drives us. He is a true Chicago legend
Finally, considering this magazine’s commitment to arts and culture and our commitment to preserving our music legacy here on the south side, we couldn’t go to press with-out a tribute to yet another Chicago legend that recently left us to join the ancestors. Ezell Cooper, known to many jazz enthusiasts who remembered Coop’s Record Store as the “Jazzologist.” Mr. Cooper had a love and appreciation for jazz, and he is as much a part of Chicago’s Black History as the music itself.
