What is Prologue?
A documentary about Prologue Alternative High School, located in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.
Home » Communities » Black
-
-
Save Adult Education (original edit)
Protests and political action to prevent Illinois from drastically cutting the budget for adult education in the state.
-
![[Club LaRay Presents: The Anita Baker Show (February 2, 1987)]](https://mediaburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Screenshot-2023-07-26-at-3.51.13-PM-228x160.jpeg)
[Club LaRay Presents: The Anita Baker Show (February 2, 1987)]
Club LaRay presents a “Battle of the Stars” with host Anita Baker (impersonator) and co-host Tasha Thomas. This video documents the performances throughout the night by queen impersonators of popular soul and r&b singers and groups such as Gladys Knight, Grace Jones, and The [male] Emotions.
Club LaRay was a Black, gay club in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, IL. The club was owned by Ray “LaRay” Hill. The club was housed in a former theatre consisting of two bars, a dancefloor, and a staircase that went from the floor to the ceiling, dubbed the “Stairs to Nowhere”. -
Sons of Sappho 1995 Reunion
The Sons of Sappho (later known as the Sappho Socialites), founded by Yvonne Hudson and Ernestine Medley in 1965, was a group of black lesbians in the South Side of Chicago, dedicated to celebrating their identities and forming community. This video features footage from a 1995 reunion of the Sons of Sappho, including video of the event and interviews with its members.
-
St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Ball with the House of Avant Garde
This video contains footage from the runway of a voguing ball in the tradition of the Ballroom Scene, hosted by the House of Avant Garde, a Chicago-based space highlighting Black and queer performers.
-
For My People: The Life and Writing of Margaret Walker
Margaret Walker has been described by Nikki Giovanni as the “most famous person nobody knows.” Walker established one of the first Black Studies centers in the nation, was mentored by Langston Hughes and W.E.B. Du Bois, and her signature poem, “For My People,” set a tone and a level of commitment to which African-American writers have been responding ever since. Narrated by Ruby Dee, this biographical film combines conversations with Walker, readings from her poetry, and commentary from leading scholars to make a powerful argument for the centrality of her work to contemporary American literature.
-
Having a Ball! with the House of Avant Garde
The House of Avant Garde was a community of black LGBTQ+ individuals involved in Chicago’s ballroom scene. This video contains footage from two Balls hosted by the House: the Unity Ball in 1991 and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Ball in 1992, as well as commentary from members of the House of Avant Garde about the House itself and its importance in building community.
-
Keep County Open
A documentary about the efforts of staff and of community activists to keep Cook County Hospital from being shut down. Cook County Hospital workers rally on October 13, 1979 at Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago.