Black History Month traces its origins to landmark Wabash Avenue YMCA
CHICAGO (CBS) -- We begin our celebration of Black History Month at its birthplace in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Nearly a century ago, the origins of Black History Month began at the Wabash Avenue YMCA, led by the famed Carter G. Woodson.
CBS 2's Ryan Baker took us on a tour of this "living landmark." If its walls could talk, the historic Wabash Y would certainly have a lot to say.
"This is the birthplace of African History Month. It was actually started in the hallway across from here," said Patricia Abrams, executive director of the Renaissance Collaborative, which currently owns and operates the over century-old Wabash Avenue YMCA.
The Renaissance Collaborative is committed to keeping the legacy of the landmark Wabash Avenue YMCA alive in the Bronzeville community.
"I think the churches really wanted to save the landmark for the future generations, and yet most of the future generations have no idea that this building exists," Abrams said.
Once slated for demolition, the South Side treasure on 37th and Wabash was restored and re-opened in 2001. Back in the 1920's, during the Great Migration, the Wabash Avenue YMCA was one of the few places Black men coming north could live and find refuge from racism.
"Up until the point of this building being developed, there was no place for people of color to live. If you didn't have relatives here, there was no space for you," Abrams said.
"The negro stockyard workers, when they didn't receive their wages, they all piled up in here," said Kathy Pilcher, training manager at the Renaissance Collaborative.
The Y was also a hub of culture and creativity, cultivating the arts and athleticism.
"We had the Harlem Globetrotters here," Pilcher said.
It also served as a community resource for health care and education; a mission that the Renaissance Collaborative continues today.
"Job training, job readiness; we do a lot of prep work on interviews, customer service skills, just to get people back into the workplace," Pilcher said. "Everything that we offer is free."
"We're always looking for innovative ways of putting people to work. Even though we serve the homeless, we also serve the broader community as well," Abrams said.
The Renaissance Collaborative is conducting tours of the historic Wabash Avenue YMCA every Saturday during Black History Month. Future renovations are in the works, but because of the YMCA's landmark status, construction is limited in order to preserve the building's architectural integrity.
