History of the Appalachian people in Chicago facts for kids

The city of Chicago, Illinois is home to many people from a region called Appalachia. This area is in the eastern United States. The Appalachian community in Chicago was historically centered in the Uptown neighborhood.

After World War I, many Appalachian people moved to Chicago. They came looking for jobs. Between 1940 and 1970, about 3.2 million people from Appalachia and the Southern U.S. settled in Chicago and other Midwest cities. Because of rules about immigration in the 1920s, Chicago businesses encouraged workers from the Upland South to fill jobs. The culture, music, and politics of Chicago have been greatly influenced by the people from Appalachia. Most people of Appalachian heritage in Chicago are white or black, but Appalachian people can be of any background.

History of Appalachians in Chicago

By the 1950s and 1960s, Chicago's Uptown neighborhood earned a nickname: "Hillbilly Heaven." For many years, this area was famous for being a home for white people from the Southern U.S., especially those from Appalachia.

While many Appalachian and Southern people settled in other Chicago neighborhoods, Uptown had the largest and often poorest Appalachian population. A lot of Appalachian people still lived in Uptown by the 1970s. However, by the 1990s, the Appalachian community there had largely spread out.

Appalachian Culture in Chicago

Carol's Pub is a country-and-western bar that opened in 1972. It is one of the few places left in Uptown that reminds people of the strong Appalachian community that once lived there.

Politics and Community Action

In the 1960s and 1970s, a group called the Young Patriots Organization (YPO) was active in Uptown. The YPO was a group that worked for social change and against racism. It was mainly made up of young, poor white people who had moved from Appalachia. However, anyone could join, no matter their background.

The Young Patriots worked together with other activist groups. These included the Young Lords and the Black Panther Party. They were all part of Fred Hampton's Rainbow Coalition. The Young Patriots started from a street group known as the Peace Makers. They first used the Confederate flag. But they later stopped using it to show respect for the Black Panthers.

Religion in the Appalachian Community

Most Appalachian people who moved to Chicago were Protestant. Some came from very isolated areas. They may not have met any Catholics or Jewish people before moving to Chicago.

Appalachian Southern Baptists started many churches in Chicago. In 1950, Chicago had only 9 churches linked to the Southern Baptist Convention. But by 1959, this number had grown to more than 70 churches.

Famous Appalachian-Americans from Chicago

• Steve Harvey: A comedian, businessman, and entertainer. He was born in Welch, West Virginia.
• Rich Rodriguez: A former American football coach and player. He is from Grant Town, West Virginia.
• Ada "Bricktop" Smith: A dancer, jazz singer, and saloon-keeper. She was born in Alderson, West Virginia.