Chicago Lawn

      Prayer Points

• This community has a long history of racial division from the civil rights movement to the present day. Pray for the healing of long-standing wounds.

• Gangs, drugs, and the underground economy of that lifestyle are a driving force in this community. Pray for a release from this bondage.

• Foreclosures, boarded up and abandoned housing contribute to a challenging real estate environment for homeowners. Pray for relief economically.

• Pray for city workers with conviction, vision, and influence to begin meeting the many needs of this community.

      Ethnic Breakdown

• Asian (0.5%)
• Black or African American (56.0%)
• Hispanic or Latino (37.2%)
• White (5.3%)

Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. - Ephesians 4:3

Neighborhood Background

Chicago Lawn remained mostly farmland until the 1920s when stockyard workers moved into the area. The next decade marked an influx of ethnic groups leaving Back of the Yards and Englewood, including immigrants of German, Irish, Polish, Bohemian, and Lithuanian backgrounds. During this time, the population jumped from 14,000 to 47,000.

The Lithuanians, in particular, established several institutions in the area and became a prominent identity within Chicago Lawn. During the 1960s the area became a hotspot for racial tension often leading to violence. A march led in 1966 by Martin Luther King, Jr. along with Gage Park High Schools’ attempt at racial integration both spurred racial violence.

Aiming to escalate racial tension, the American Nazi Party also set up headquarters in Chicago Lawn, although short-lived. The racial population of Chicago Lawn continued to fluctuate. Various groups currently work diligently to keep this ethnically diverse neighborhood both economically healthy and racially peaceful.