History Fair assignment 1 What is this years

History Fair assignment #1

What is this year’s history fair theme? • Actions/Legacies

Eight questions to answer… • 1) Do individuals make a difference in history? • 2) Do only famous people make a difference? • 3) How do unknown people play a part in history?

Continued…. • 4) Who are the important individuals in your life? Who has made a difference/impacted you? • 5) What was an experience that had a big effect on your life?

And finally…. • 6) How do you think YOU could make a difference in the world? • 7) If you could change something, create, invent…what would it be? Why? • 8) Once you know that, list 3 things you’d need to do to achieve it and who might help you or oppose you.

List the 4 different ways in which you can present your findings. • • Exhibit Paper Live performance Video documentary

Some individuals who might make good history fair topics…

William Ogden • Chicago’s first mayor • Helped Chicago recover after a financial crash in the 1830 s • Designed first swing bridge across the Chicago River • Donated land for Rush Medical Center • Promoted canals and railroads

Frances Willard • Served as dean of the Northwestern Female College in Evanston • Worked as journalist and editor of Chicago Daily Post • Helped establish the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in 1874 (anti-alcohol) • Supported abolition of prostitution, prison reform, and women’s suffrage

Amos Alonzo Stagg • Football coach at University of Chicago, 1892 -1932 • Developed the tackling dummy, huddle, reverse and man in motion plays, lateral pass, uniform #s, and the awarding of varsity letters

Rachelle Yarros • Set up an obstetrical and gynecological practice in Chicago in 1895 • Advocated birth control and sex education • set up first birth control clinic in Chicago with the help of Margaret Sanger —this formed the root of the future Planned Parenthood clinics

Albert Parsons • Joined the Socialist Labor Party with wife Lucy and edited radical journal Alarm • Fought for 8 hour work day • Executed after Haymarket Riot, though nobody knows who threw the bomb at that event

Jane Addams • Founded Hull House in Chicago, 1889, to help immigrants • Established English classes, soup kitchens, nurseries, playgrounds • Promoted garbage inspection and first juvenile court in the country • Legacy of peace activism, Nobel Peace Prize, 1931

Montgomery Ward • Invented the first mail order catalog • Helped link farmers to the city • Fought to keep the lakefront “forever open, clear and free” in Chicago • Took the city to court with his own money

Upton Sinclair • Went undercover to Chicago’s stockyards and wrote The Jungle about what he saw • Revealed horrible working conditions and disgusting meatpacking practices • His work led to the passage of the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act

John H. Johnson • Created a publishing empire that included Negro Digest, Ebony, and Jet magazines • Also owned book publishing and cosmetics companies • Made TV specials and owned a life insurance company • Visited many countries on behalf of the US government

Rudy Lozano • Forged partnerships among Latinos, African. Americans and other minorities, particularly in election of Harold Washington in 1983 • Regional director of Ladies Garment Workers Union • Tried to organize workers at Del Rey Tortilleria factory • Was killed in his own home

Florence Scala • Resident of Little Italy who fought UIC expansion • Lost the battle, but inspired others by her example

Frank Collin • Led a neo-Nazi group in an attempt to hold a march in the predominantly Jewish suburb of Skokie • Claimed freedom of speech rights to do so • ACLU won the case for him, but ultimately, his group did not march there • There are many layers to this case…

Richard Nickel • Tried to save historic Chicago buildings from demolition • Saved the old Stock Exchange trading room floor, which was relocated to the Art Institute • When he failed at times, he captured the buildings in pictures • Died in a building that was being demolished

Al Raby • CPS teacher who was active in the Civil Rights Movement • Led Coordinating Council of Community Organizations (CCCO) and helped bring Martin Luther King, Jr. to Chicago as part of the Chicago Freedom Movement • Marched for open housing

Bill Ayers • Led a group called the Weathermen • Was part of the “Days of Rage” in Chicago in 1969 to spread the anti. Vietnam War message • Participated in other bombings, including that of the Haymarket police statue • Now a professor at the University of Illinois

Some other topic ideas: • Architects: Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe

City planners • Ellis Chesbrough—water purification issues • Daniel Burnham—Chicago Plan of 1909

Mayors/politicians • • • Anton Cermak Richard J. Daley Michael Bilandic Jane Byrne Harold Washington

Businessmen • • • Marshall Field Oscar Mayer George Pullman Potter Palmer Robert Mc. Cormick—Tribune Robert Abbott—Chicago Defender Ray Kroc—Mc. Donalds Charles Walgreen William Wrigley LEO BURNETT-advertising Hugh Hefner--Playboy

Writers • • • Theodore Dreiser Nelson Algren Ben Hecht Richard Wright Lorraine Hansberry Studs Terkel

Musicians • Louis Armstrong • Muddy Waters • Chess Brothers—recording label

Actors/theater people • Bernard Sahlins—Second City founder • Gary Sinise—one of Steppenwolf Theater founders, actor • John Malkovich—affiliated with Steppenwolf, actor

Reformers/educators/unionists • • Saul Alinsky—stockyards area organizer John Dewey—education reformer Ida B. Wells—anti-lynching campaign Jackie Vaughn—CTU activist Fred Hampton—Black Panthers Ben Reitman—Hobo College Abbie Hoffman—anti-Vietnam War Carl Hansberry—anti-redlining, segregation

And a few more ideas… more to follow soon • Enrico Fermi—first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction • Wallace C. Abbott—Abbott Labs • Walter Polovchak—Ukrainian boy given asylum by the US when he refused to go back home with his parents • Abby Mandel—promoter of Cuisinart, local foods, and Green City Market founder