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MLK announces plans for Chicago Freedom Movement
Martin Luther King announced plans for the Chicago Freedom Movement, a campaign that marked the expansion of their civil rights activities from the South to northern cities. King believed that ‘‘the nonviolent movement philosophy was needed to help eradicate a vicious system which seeks to further colonize thousands of Negroes within a slum environment’’ King and family move into an apartment in Chicago to be closer to the movement -
MLK speaks at rally in Soldier Field
About 35,000 persons jammed Chicago's Soldier Field for Dr. King's first giant ‘freedom rally' since bringing his civil rights organizing tactics to the city. King called for a continued effort to end racial discrimination and poverty -
MLK organises marches across Chicago
By this stage, the Chicago Freedom Movement was staging regular rallies outside of Real Estate offices and marches into all-white neighborhoods on the city's southwest and northwest sides. These rallies were aimed at addressing the housing issues experienced by African-Americans -
MLK is attacked by white protestors
During a march through an all-white neighborhood, black demonstrators were met with racially fueled hostility. Bottles and bricks were thrown at them, and King was struck by a rock. Afterward he noted: ‘‘I have seen many demonstrations in the South but I have never seen anything so hostile and so hateful as I’ve seen here today’’ -
Negotiations for change began
The Mayor of Chicago was eager to find a way to end the demonstrations and violence. High-level negotiations between city leaders, movement activists, and representatives of the Chicago Real Estate Board began. -
Agreements for changes were made
A summit agreement was announced in which the Chicago Housing Authority promised to build public housing for African-Americans, and the Mortgage Bankers Association agreed to make mortgages available regardless of race. This ensured positive steps to open up housing opportunities in metropolitan Chicago to African-Americans. -
MLK admits the Chicago Government broke promises
King, in a 24 March 1967 press conference, said, ‘‘it appears that for all intents and purposes, the public agencies have [reneged] on the agreement ... it is a sham and a batch of false promises’’ -
Chicago Freedom Movement is over
After the open-housing marches and Summit agreements, attention turned to other issues, including the Vietnam War. Martin Luther King declared that no more demonstrations were necessary; the Chicago Freedom Movement was over.
