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Austin is one of 77 community areas in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. Located on the city's
West Side West Side or Westside may refer to: Places Canada * West Side, a neighbourhood of Windsor, Ontario * West Side, a neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia United Kingdom * West Side, Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Westside, Birmingham ...
, it is the third-largest community area by population (behind the Near North Side and Lake View) and the second-largest geographically (behind South Deering). Austin's eastern boundary is the Belt Railway located just east of
Cicero Avenue Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that ...
. Its northernmost border is the Milwaukee District / West Line. Its southernmost border is at
Roosevelt Road Roosevelt Road (originally named 12th Street) is a major east-west street in the city of Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. It is 1200 South in the city's street numbering system, but only south of Madison Street. It runs under t ...
from the Belt Railway west to Austin Boulevard. The northernmost portion, north of North Avenue, extends west to
Harlem Avenue Harlem Avenue is a major north–south street located in Chicago and its west, southwest, and northwest suburbs. It stretches from Glenview Road in Glenview to the intersection of East South Street and South Drecksler Road in Peotone, where ...
, abutting Elmwood Park. In addition to Elmwood Park, Austin also borders the suburbs of
Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises tha ...
and Oak Park.


History


Early development

In 1835, Henry DeKoven purchased prairie land in the region. In 1857, a group of citizens formed the Town of Cicero, a ten-member local governing body that covered modern-day Cicero, Oak Park, Berwyn, and Austin. Eight years later, DeKoven's land was bought by Henry W. Austin. Austin, a businessman and real estate speculator, developed the namesake Austinville subdivision. Its population grew exponentially as the area's attractive amenities and access to suburban railroad service drew in population. In 1870, the Town of Cicero placed its town hall in Austin. However, by the 1890s, the heavily populated Austin area dominated town politics, but did not constitute a majority of voters. The Austin-controlled township government allowed the
Lake Street Elevated The Lake Street Elevated, also known as the Lake branch, is a long branch of the Chicago "L" which is located west of the Chicago Loop and serves the Green Line for its entire length, as well as the Pink Line east of Ashland Avenue. As of Febru ...
to extend into Oak Park. Outraged, the other residents of Cicero Township voted to allow Chicago to annex the Austin area in an 1899 referendum. The residents of Austin voted against the referendum.


Neighborhood growth

After its annexation, Austin continued to maintain an independent, suburban identity. By the 1920s, the area had developed significant street railways to serve its commuter population. This infrastructure attracted a large group of European immigrants to the community. In 1926, the area had an estimated 140,000 residents. In 1923, Austin Hospital opened. In 1938, the hospital, now called William Temperance Hospital, was taken over by
Sisters of Saint Casimir The Sisters of Saint Casimir are a Roman Catholic religious community of women founded in 1907 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, by Mother Maria Kaupas. It is dedicated to Saint Casimir, patron saint of Lithuania. Description Mother Maria, a native of ...
, who operated the hospital as Loretto Hospital. In 1949, construction began on the
Eisenhower Expressway Interstate 290 (I-290) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that runs westward from the Jane Byrne Interchange near the Chicago Loop. The portion of I-290 from Interstate 294, I-294 to its east end is officially called the Dwight D. Eisenhowe ...
, which bisected the southern portion of Austin.


African-American migration, white flight, and economic decline

After
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, African Americans increasingly moved into the surrounding community areas of East Garfield Park,
North Lawndale North Lawndale is one of the 77 community areas of the city of Chicago, Illinois, located on its West Side. The area contains the K-Town Historic District, the Foundation for Homan Square, the Homan Square interrogation facility, and the gr ...
, and
West Garfield Park West Garfield Park on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. It is directly west of Garfield Park. Neighborhood boundaries The boundaries of West Garfield Park are NORTH: W. Kinzie St ...
. After the arrival of African Americans during the Great Migration, race-related prejudices such as a case of the
White flight The white flight, also known as white exodus, is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the Racism ...
movement, with a dramatic decrease in White residents, White-owned businesses, equal city services support and resources, racially motivated
realtor Real estate agents and real estate brokers are people who represent sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and agent ...
practices, and industrial jobs. By 1970, the Austin community was 32% Black. A decade later, it was 73% Black. These trends of a decline in city services and resources and jobs would continue for the rest of the 20th century with Austin. The Austin community became known for violence after the loss of free-flowing capital during white flight when prostitution, drug dealing, gang activity, and shoot-outs became commonplace in the Austin neighborhood. Many trace the problems that impacted this community to the crack cocaine epidemic, as well as the
opioid crisis The opioid epidemic, also referred to as the opioid crisis, is the rapid increase in the overuse, misuse or abuse, and Drug overdose, overdose deaths attributed either in part or in whole to the class of drugs called opiates or opioids since th ...
,
mass incarceration Incarceration in the United States is one of the primary means of punishment for crime in the United States. In 2021, over five million people were under supervision by the criminal justice system, with nearly two million people incarcerated ...
, and the
HIV epidemic The global pandemic of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) began in 1981, and is an ongoing worldwide public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2023, HIV/AIDS ...
, which resulted in further economic decline and the loss of many social safety nets. This led to many middle- and upper middle-class African Americans leaving for the suburbs. In 1992, the 15th District (Austin) of the
Chicago Police Department The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the primary law enforcement agency of the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Chicago City Council. It is the second-largest Law enforcement in the United States#Local, ...
located at 5327 West Chicago Avenue at the time recorded about 48 homicides, which covers most of the Austin neighborhood, making the Austin District the fourth-deadliest police district at the time, before the 11th District (Harrison), which had 93 homicides, 7th District ( Englewood), which had 80 homicides, and the 2nd District (Wentworth), which had 69 homicides. The latter half of the 20th century saw significant
divestment In finance and economics, divestment or divestiture is the reduction of some kind of asset for financial, ethical, or political objectives or sale of an existing business by a firm. A divestment is the opposite of an investment. Divestiture is a ...
from the community. The
Central station Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
of the Chicago Transportation Agency's
Congress Line The Blue Line is a Chicago "L" line which runs from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee–Dearborn subway and across the West Side to its southwest end in Forest Park, with a ...
was closed on September 2, 1973. In 1988, West Side Health Authority was formed after the closure of St. Anne's Hospital. In 1991, the Sisters of Saint Casimir gave control of Loretto Hospital to a management company. In 1999, developers agreed to turn the abandoned Galewood railyard into an industrial park. During the development of the property, then-Alderman Ike Carothers solicited a bribe to allow the permitting process and zoning changes to move forward. The subsequent trials created a political scandal, and ended with the conviction of the developer and Carothers on various felony charges. The $60 million development ultimately brought new homes and a movie theater to the neighborhood.


Neighborhoods

Austin is Chicago's second-largest community area both by population and by land area. The Austin community area is made up of four neighborhoods: Galewood, The Island, North Austin, and South Austin.


Galewood

Galewood is named for Abram Gale, who bought a farm on the area in 1838. The neighborhood is bordered by the Milwaukee District / West Line to the north, Harlem Avenue to the west, North Avenue to the south, and Narragansett Avenue to the east. The area is a historically Italian-American community with a sizable population of Chicago city employees. Since the 1980s, it has seen an increase in African-American and Latino residents, but this integration has occurred peacefully in contrast with other areas of Chicago. Galewood has two stations on the Milwaukee District West Line. The first, Mars station functions as a stop for employees of the nearby
Mars, Incorporated Mars, Incorporated (doing business as Mars Inc.) is an American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products and a provider of animal care services founded on June 23, 1911, headquartered in McLean, Virgini ...
factory, closing in 2024, and
Shriners Hospitals for Children Shriners Hospitals for Children, commonly known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and other pediatric medical facilities across North America. Children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord inj ...
, the latter of which is located in Montclare. The Mars station only stops during traditional commuting hours. The second, Galewood station is located east of Mars station and is a regular service station.
Canadian Pacific The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...
(which operates in the U.S. Midwest as the
Soo Line Railroad The Soo Line Railroad is one of the primary United States railroad subsidiaries for the CPKC Railway , one of six U.S. Class I railroads, controlled through the Soo Line Corporation. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Saul ...
) operates freight trains on the line via trackage rights. The neighborhood has strong ties with neighboring Montclare, including sharing a namesake library in the Chicago Public Library system, and is sometimes considered as part of that neighborhood and not the Austin community. Galewood is significantly whiter than the remainder of Austin. Galewood is 22.51% White, 50.17% African American, and 1.77% from two or more races. Residents who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.96% of the total Galewood population, with the western half of Galewood being 36% White and 31% African American.


The Island

The Island neighborhood is located in the southwest corner of the Austin community. It has a population around 1,700 residents. It encompasses roughly a square mile and its western and southern borders are to the suburbs of Oak Park and Cicero, respectively. It is further isolated from the rest of Austin by an industrial corridor to its east and railroad tracks and Interstate 290 to the north. It is only accessible from Austin Boulevard and Roosevelt Road. The Island was the last of Austin's neighborhoods to integrate. In the 1980s, when the rest of Austin was over 70% African American, The Island did not have a single African-American family. In 1984, when an African-American family attempted to move in on Roosevelt Road, they were met with violent resistance and shortly moved out. Politically, the area went heavily for
Jane Byrne Jane Margaret Byrne (née Burke; May 24, 1933November 14, 2014) was an American politician who served as the 50th mayor of Chicago from April 16, 1979, until April 29, 1983. Prior to her tenure as mayor, Byrne served as Chicago's commissioner of ...
in the Democratic primary and for
Edward Vrdolyak Edward Robert Vrdolyak (; born December 28, 1937), also known as "Fast Eddie", is a former American politician and lawyer. He was a longtime Chicago alderman and the head of the Cook County Democratic Party until 1987 when he ran unsuccessfully ...
against
Harold Washington Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician who was the 51st mayor of Chicago. In April 1983, Washington became the first African American to be elected as the city’s mayor at the age of ...
in the 1987 mayoral election that broke down on racial lines. Today, The Island is an integrated community. The area, once industrial, has a diverse economy. Chicago Studio City, the largest film studio in the Midwestern United States, is located here. The films '' Transformers: Dark of the Moon'', ''
The Dark Knight ''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay co-written with his brother Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005), and the second inst ...
'', and '' Public Enemies'' were partially filmed in The Island, as were episodes of ''
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' and '' Shameless''.


North Austin

One of Austin's neighborhoods is North Austin; its boundaries start north at
Milwaukee District/West Line The Milwaukee District West Line (MD-W) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. Metra does not refer to any of its lines by a particular color, but the timetable accents for the Milwaukee District West line a ...
and Armitage Avenue, western boundaries are Austin Avenue or Austin Boulevard south of North Avenue, eastern boundaries to
Cicero Avenue Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that ...
, and southern boundaries to Division Street. The Robert LeFlore Jr. Post Office at 5001 West Division Street is in this neighborhood.


South Austin

South Austin is the area's largest neighborhood. It is bordered by Division Street to the north, Austin Boulevard to the west, Roosevelt Road to the south, and Cicero Avenue to the east. During the Austin area's transition from a predominantly white community to a predominantly African-American community, the South Austin neighborhood was the first neighborhood to become African-American majority. The neighborhood is characterized by its numerous historic buildings. The neighborhood is home to six landmarks on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
: Austin Historic District, Midway Park, Austin Town Hall Park Historic District, Columbus Park, First Congregational Church of Austin, Joseph J. Walser House, and the Seth Warner House. Austin Town Hall Park, modeled after Philadelphia's
Independence Hall Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia, where both the United States Declaration of Independence, Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were debated and adopted by the Founding Fathers of ...
, is also in this neighborhood. It is also home to an additional seven
Chicago landmarks Chicago Landmark is a designation by the Mayor of Chicago, Mayor and the City Council of Chicago for historic sites in Chicago, Illinois. Listed sites are selected after meeting a combination of criteria, including historical, economic, arch ...
not listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Beeson House and Coach House, Hitchcock House, Laramie State Bank Building,
Schlect House The Schlect House is a Shingle Style house at 5804 West Race Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The house was built in 1887 by Fredrick R. Schlock for his aunt Catherine Schlect. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on January 20, 199 ...
, F. R. Schock House, Marie Schock House, and the Third Unitarian Church.


Demographics

According to a 2016 analysis by the
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) (est. 2005) is a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) responsible for comprehensive regional transportation planning in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties in nor ...
, 99,711 people and 32,277 households were residing in the area. The racial makeup of the area was 4.2% White, 84.2% African American, 0.5% Asian, and 0.80% from other races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.3% of the population. In the area, the age distribution was 30.5% under 19, 20.8% from 20 to 34, 18.7% from 35 to 49, 18.4% from 50 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33.9 years. The
median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...
for the area was $31,435 as opposed to $47,831 for the city. The area's residents were disproportionately lower income; 41.0% of residents earned less than $25,000, 27.6% of residents earned between $25,000 and $49,999, 14.1% earned between $50,000 and $74,999, 8.0% earned between $75,000 and $99,999, 6.4% earned between $100,000 and $149,999, and 2.9% earned $150,000 or more. About 41,807 residents were in the labor force; 18.9% of workers were employed in the healthcare industry, 11.3% were employed in retail, 11% were employed in administration, 8.4% worked in education, and 8.3% worked in hospitality and food services. The area had an unemployment rate of 22.1%.


Crime

According to the ''Chicago Tribune'' "Crime in Chicagoland" page, the Austin neighborhood ranked 11th out of 77
community areas in Chicago The city of Chicago is divided into 77 community areas for statistical and planning purposes. Census data and other statistics are tied to the areas, which serve as the basis for a variety of urban planning initiatives on both the local and re ...
in violent crime, 25th among Chicago community areas in property crimes, and fifth out of 100 for quality-of-life crimes.


Economy

As of 2023, a general lack exists for food-oriented retail in Austin, and many people living in Austin go to suburban communities to the west to buy groceries. The Austin Town Hall City Market is held to stave off the
food desert A food desert is an area that has limited access to food that is plentiful, affordable, or nutritious. In contrast, an area with greater access to supermarkets and vegetable shops with fresh foods may be called a food oasis. The designation cons ...
complex.


Education

Austin Community Academy High School closed after spring 2007. New smaller schools have replaced Austin Community Academy High School: Austin Business and Entrepreneurship Academy, which opened in 2006, and Austin Polytechnical Academy, which opened in September 2007. Other portions of the community area are zoned to Manley High School, Marshall High School, and Orr Campus. Michele Clark Magnet High School is in Austin.
K-8 schools K8 or K-8 may refer to: * K-8 (Kansas highway), two highways in Kansas, one in northern Kansas, one in southern Kansas * K-8 school, a type of school that includes kindergarten and grades one through eight * Red telephone box, K8 telephone box, des ...
: * George Rogers Clark Elementary School - It is a part of the "Island" Community. In 2022 there was a proposal to have CPS acquire an abandoned parking lot to add play space for Clark ES. * DePriest Elementary School * John Hay Elementary School * Howe Elementary School * Leland Elementary School * Leslie Lewis Elementary School * Joseph Lovett Elementary School * Nash Elementary School * Ronald E. McNair Elementary School * Harriet E. Sayre Elementary School * Spencer Elementary School * Ella Flagg Young Elementary School Former public schools: * Robert Emmet Elementary School - Closed in 2013. The West Side Health Authority acquired the building in 2018. The author planned to make a community service center for a cost of $120,000,000. This was because the Austin community was not interested in the former Emmet School being a medical facility. The
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church located in Northeast Illinois, Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. The Vatican erected it as a diocese in 1843 and e ...
formerly operated: * Our Lady Help of Christians School. (closed 1998Closed School History: 1984 – 2004
" ''
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church located in Northeast Illinois, Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. The Vatican erected it as a diocese in 1843 and e ...
''. Retrieved on February 16, 2009.
) * St. Peter Canisius School (closed 1990) * San Miguel School Gary Comer Campus - Opened in 2002, closed in 2012.
Chicago Public Library The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the public library system that serves the Chicago, City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. It consists of 81 locations, including a central library, three regional libraries, and branches distributed thr ...
: * Austin Branch - Opened in 1929, named after Henry W. Austin, with Alfred S. Alschuler as the architect. From 1979 to 1981, the library was renovated. * North Austin Branch - Its opening was August 5, 1995. * West Chicago Avenue Branch - Its opening was June 2, 2006.


Media

Austin is served by three free weekly newspapers.
The West Suburban Journal
', founded in 2004, published by black-owned press Trottie Publishing Group, based in the West Cook County suburb of Westchester. L. Nicole Trottie, founder and publisher of ''West Suburban Journal'', is the first black woman in Illinois' 190-year history to found an accredited weekly newspaper. Trottie is also the first African-American woman ever elected to serve on the Illinois Press Association's executive board of directors in its 150-year newspaper-rich history. ''The Austin Voice'' has been published in Austin since 1988. The ''Austin Weekly News'', founded in 2005, is published by The Wednesday Journal, a publisher of free weekly newspapers based in Oak Park, Illinois. Both papers are published on Wednesdays and distributed in stores, office buildings, and recreational venues throughout the community. Austin is also served by ''Austin Talks'', an online publication maintained by journalism students at Chicago's Columbia College and underwritten in part by the Chicago Community Trust.


Healthcare

St. Anne's Hospital, located in the Austin community area, had a capacity for 437 patients. Its property had seven buildings on of land. - Compare address t
map of community area
In August 1988 the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' reported that it was "expected" to end operations. In September of that year, it closed. In 1997, it was announced to become apartments for elderly people who are financially disadvantaged.


Politics

Austin is a stronghold for the Democratic Party. In the
2016 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kiri ...
, Austin cast 37,492 votes for
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
and 1,280 votes for
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
. Despite this landslide victory, it was Clinton's 23rd-largest margin of victory by percentage points in the 76 community areas she won. In the
2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: ...
, Austin cast 44,734 votes for
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
and 965 votes for
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
. It was Obama's 24th-largest margin of victory by percentage points in the 76 community areas he won. At the local level, Austin is located in Chicago's 28th, 29th, and 37th wards represented by Democrats
Jason Ervin Jason C. Ervin (born May 7, 1974) is an American politician who serves on the Chicago City Council. He became the alderman for Chicago's 28th ward, located on the west side of Chicago, in 2010. Education and early career Ervin has a Bachelor of ...
, Chris Taliaferro, and
Emma Mitts Emma Mitts (born June 12, 1955) is alderman of the 37th ward on Chicago's West Side. The predominantly African-American ward includes portions of Austin, West Garfield Park and West Humboldt Park. She has represented the ward since 2000. Early ...
, respectively.


Notable residents

* William J.P. Banks, longtime Alderman from Chicago's 36th ward. He resided in Galewood while on the Chicago City Council. *
Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a folk song with lyrics written by English lawyer Frederic Weatherly in 1910, and set to the traditional Irish melody of " Londonderry Air" in 1913. History In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, England, the English lawyer and lyricist ...
, hip-hop artist with
Death Row Records Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. D ...
*
Da Brat Shawntae Harris-Dupart (née Harris; born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, she began her career in 1992 and signed with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings two years l ...
, rapper and actress *
Hannibal Buress Hannibal Amir Buress ( ; born February 4, 1983) is an American comedian, actor, producer, and writer. He started performing comedy in 2002 while attending Southern Illinois University. He starred on Adult Swim's '' The Eric Andre Show'' from 20 ...
, stand-up comedian, actor, and television writer * Peter M. Callan (1894–1965), member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1959-1965. During his time in the legislature, he resided at 5567 West Gladys Avenue. *
Ralph Capone Ralph James Capone ( ; born Raffaele James Capone, ; January 12, 1894 – November 22, 1974) was an Italian-American mobster and an older brother of Al Capone and Frank Capone. He got the nickname "Bottles" not from involvement in the Capone ...
, member of the Chicago Outfit and brother of
Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone ( ; ; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American organized crime, gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-foun ...
, lived in The Island before moving to Wisconsin. * Ike Carothers, Alderman from Chicago's 29th ward from 1999 until his resignation in 2010, lives in South Austin. *
Crucial Conflict Crucial Conflict is an American hip hop group from Chicago, composed of Wondosas "Kilo" Martin, Ralph "Wildstyle" Leverston, Corey "Coldhard" Johnson and Marrico "Never" King, best known for their marijuana-themed 1996 hit single "Hay (song), Ha ...
, a Chicago-based
hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
group, famous for their 1996 single "
Hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticate ...
", started at North Long Avenue and West Bloomingdale Avenue. * Danny K. Davis, member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois' 7th congressional district since 1999, resides in South Austin. *
Sam DeStefano Samuel "Mad Sam" DeStefano (September 13, 1909 − April 14, 1973) was an American mobster who was associated with the Chicago Outfit. He was one of the organization's most notorious loan sharks and Psychopathy, sociopathic killers. Chicago-bas ...
(1909−1973), member of the Chicago Outfit, resided on the 1600 block of Sayre in Galewood. * La Shawn K. Ford, member of the Illinois House of Representatives, resides in Austin. *
Bud Freeman Lawrence "Bud" Freeman (April 13, 1906 – March 15, 1991) was an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer, known mainly for playing tenor saxophone, but also the clarinet. Biography In 1922, Freeman and some friends from high sc ...
and the Austin High School Gang *
Sam Giancana Salvatore "Mooney" Giancana ( ; born Gilormo Giangana, ; May 24, 1908 – June 19, 1975) was an American mobster who was boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1957 to 1966. Giancana was born in Chicago to Italian immigrant parents. He joined the 42 ...
(1908–1975), member of the Chicago Outfit, lived in The Island before moving to the suburbs. * Deborah Graham was a member of the Chicago City Council from the 29th ward from 2010 to 2015. *
Andrew Greeley Andrew M. Greeley (February 5, 1928 – May 29, 2013) was an American Catholic priest, sociologist, journalist and novelist. He was a professor of sociology at the University of Arizona and the University of Chicago, and a research associate wi ...
(1928–2013), a Roman Catholic priest, sociologist, journalist, and popular novelist, was a childhood resident of the Austin community area. * John Marshall Hamilton (1847–1905), 18th governor of Illinois (1883–1885), resided at 4720 West Madison Avenue at the time of his death. * Edward Hanrahan (1921–2009), Cook County state's attorney from 1968 to 1972, was infamous for his role in the murder of
Fred Hampton Fredrick Allen Hampton Sr. (August 30, 1948 – December 4, 1969) was an American activist and revolutionary socialist. He came to prominence in his late teens and early 20s in Chicago as deputy chairman of the national Black Panther Party and c ...
. He resided in Galewood during his political career. *
Steve Harris Steve Harris may refer to: * Steve Harris (musician) (born 1956), founder member and bassist of the band Iron Maiden * Steve Harris (actor) (born 1965), American film and TV actor * Steve Harris (basketball) (1963–2016), American basketball playe ...
, actor (''
Diary of a Mad Black Woman ''Diary of a Mad Black Woman'' is a 2005 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Darren Grant and written by Tyler Perry. Inspired by the play of the same name, it marks Perry's feature film debut and is the first entry in the Madea ...
'', ''
The Practice ''The Practice'' is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley centering on partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC, from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004. It won an Emmy i ...
''). He attended Resurrection Elementary School in Austin. *
Wood Harris Sherwin David "Wood" Harris (born October 17, 1969) is an American actor. He first garnered attention for his role as Motaw in the Jeff Pollack film '' Above the Rim'' (1994), prior to portraying high school football player Julius Campbell in t ...
, actor (''
The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created and primarily written by the American author and former police reporter David Simon for the cable network HBO. The series premiered o ...
'', ''
Remember the Titans ''Remember the Titans'' is a 2000 American biographical sports drama film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. The screenplay by Gregory Allen Howard is loosely based on the true story of coach Herman Boone, portrayed b ...
'', ''Creed''), attended Resurrection Elementary School in Austin. *
Hugh Hefner Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of ''Playboy'' magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles. Hefner extended the ''Playboy ...
, founder and longtime editor-in-chief of ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
'', was raised in the Galewood neighborhood and attended Sayre Elementary School. *
Brandon Johnson Brandon Johnson (born March 27, 1976) is an American politician and educator who is currently serving as the 57th mayor of Chicago since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Johnson previously served on the C ...
(born 1976), is the current
mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the Chief executive officer, chief executive of city Government of Chicago, government in Chicago, Illinois, the List of United States cities by population, third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsib ...
. *
Roberta Karmel Roberta Sarah Karmel ( Segal; May 4, 1937 – March 23, 2024) was an American attorney and the Centennial Professor of Law, and Co-Director of the Center for the Study of International Business Law, at Brooklyn Law School. She was the first fema ...
(born 1937) was the first female
commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to incl ...
of the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its primary purpose is to enforce laws against market m ...
. * Camille Y. Lilly, member of the Illinois House of Representatives,e lives in Galewood. * Robert F. McPartlin (1926–1987) was a member of the
Illinois House of Representatives The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 representativ ...
from 1960 until his bribery indictment in 1976. During his time in the legislature, he resided at 5100 West Adams Street. *
Emma Mitts Emma Mitts (born June 12, 1955) is alderman of the 37th ward on Chicago's West Side. The predominantly African-American ward includes portions of Austin, West Garfield Park and West Humboldt Park. She has represented the ward since 2000. Early ...
, Alderman from the 37th ward. She lives in South Austin. * Thomas J. O'Brien, member of the United States House of Representatives from
Illinois's 6th congressional district Illinois's 6th congressional district covers parts of Cook and DuPage counties. It has been represented by Democrat Sean Casten since 2019. Composition By county Cities and CDPs with 10,000 or more people * Chicago – 2,665,039 * Or ...
, resided in South Austin while in Congress. * Pat Quinn, former Governor of Illinois. As of 2020, he lives in Galewood. * John Rice (1968–2015), Alderman from the 36th ward from 2009 to 2011. He resided in Galewood while on the Chicago City Council. * Philip J. Rock, President of the Illinois Senate from 1979 to 1993. He lived in the Midway Park neighborhood until he relocated to suburban Oak Park in 1977. *
Saba Saba may refer to: Places * Saba (island), an island of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean Sea * Sabá, a municipality in the department of Colón, Honduras * Șaba or Șaba-Târg, the Romanian name for Shabo, a village in Ukraine * Saba, ...
,
rapper Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing ...
and
record producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...
. He grew up in Austin. * Nick Sposato, Alderman from Chicago's 36th ward from 2011 to 2015. He lived in Galewood until moving to the 38th ward after redistricting moved Galewood to the 29th ward. *
Jim Tobin James Anthony Tobin (December 27, 1912 – May 19, 1969), known as "Abba Dabba", was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Bees/Braves and Detroit Tigers from 1937 to 1945. With the Bo ...
(1945–2021), economist and founder of anti-tax advocacy group Taxpayers United of America. * Robert Townsend *
Tom Tuohy Thomas Tuohy CBE (7 November 1917 – 12 March 2008) was deputy to the general manager at the Windscale nuclear facility when a major fire erupted on 10 October 1957. He was the leading participant in efforts to put out the fire which was emit ...
*
Lois Weisberg Lois Weisberg (May 6, 1925 – January 13, 2016) was the first Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of Chicago, from 1989 until January 2011. She was profiled by writer Malcolm Gladwell in a 1999 '' New Yorker'' essay, "Six Degrees of Loi ...
, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of Chicago noted by
Malcolm Gladwell Malcolm Timothy Gladwell (born 3 September 1963) is a Canadian journalist, author, and public speaker. He has been a staff writer for ''The New Yorker'' since 1996. He has published eight books. He is also the host of the podcast ''Revisionist ...
in ''
The Tipping Point ''The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference'' is the debut book by Malcolm Gladwell, first published by Little, Brown in 2000. Gladwell defines a tipping point as "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling po ...
'' for her expansive social network. She was born and raised in Austin. * Erick Williams, chef * Bobby Wilson, defensive tackle for the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
. He attended high school in Austin. * Frank Peter Witek (1921-1944),
U.S. Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
and awardee of the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
, resided at 1342 North Parkside Avenue. *
Violet Bidwill Wolfner Violet Fults Bidwill Wolfner (; January 10, 1900 – January 29, 1962) was the owner of the Chicago / St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) for over 14 years, from 1947 until her death in early 1962. She inherited the team in ...
(1900–1962), owner of the
Chicago Cardinals The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons. Roots ca ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
, with her husband, Walter Wolfner, resided at 5825 West Washington Boulevard in 1951. *
Abe Woodson Abraham Benjamin Woodson (February 15, 1934 – February 8, 2014) was an American professional American football, football cornerback and kick returner who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL), mainly with the San Francis ...
(1934–2014),
American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
cornerback and kick returner, played nine seasons in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
, mainly with the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
. He was raised and attended high school in Austin.


Notes


References


External links


Austin Weekly News, local newspaper

Directory of Community Organizations Serving Austin, Chicago
{{Authority control Community areas of Chicago West Side, Chicago Populated places established in 1865