Exploring History Amidst Modernity: The National Public Housing Museum's Base in Chicago
The National Public Housing Museum, located in Chicago's historic neighbourhood at 919 S. Ada Street, offers a unique and enlightening experience for visitors. Situated in the last remaining building of the Jane Addams Homes, the first public housing complexes constructed following the 1937 Housing Act, the museum preserves and shares the legacy of public housing in the United States.
Established in 2025, the museum features three recreated historic apartments from the Jane Addams Homes, exhibitions with artifacts, art installations, and public histories that highlight both the successes and struggles of public housing residents. The museum aims to rewrite the narrative of public housing by centring residents’ experiences and addressing complex histories of displacement and structural inequities.
The museum's exhibits delve into the social reform legacy of Jane Addams, co-founder of Hull House, a pioneering settlement house on Chicago’s Near West Side that provided social, educational, and artistic programs for recent immigrants. The Jane Addams Homes public housing project, later named in her honour, was part of a larger effort by the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) to provide affordable housing to low-income families, workers during World War II, and veterans, becoming the largest landlord in Chicago by 1960.
Unfortunately, the Chicago government destroyed over 25,000 public housing units in the 1990s. However, the museum serves as a testament to the resilience of public housing residents, their activism, and their continued fight for justice.
One such exhibit features the Turovitz household, a Jewish family that moved into the Jane Addams Homes in 1938. Another highlights the story of LaTonya Floyd, who received a record of the song "Keep on Loving You" in memory of her late brother George Floyd, whose murder became the catalyst for protests denouncing police brutality.
The museum also showcases Elizabeth Magie's The Landlord's Game, a board game designed to protest monopolies, serving as an example of creative resistance against capitalism. Buttons reading "abolish rent" and "public housing is a human right" are available at the Corner Store Co-op, a part of the museum that promotes economic equity by featuring products from small businesses and cooperatives owned by public housing residents.
The Corner Store Co-op also serves as an informal site for visitors to learn about the history and present-day advocacy of cooperatives, including the role of public housing residents in a solidarity economy ecosystem.
The Empowerment Hub and Cultural Workforce Development Program at the museum are named in honour of Jane Addams, a pioneering activist and co-founder of settlement houses for poor and immigrant families. These programmes address systemic and structural barriers to education, training, and entrepreneurship. The Empowerment Hub features posters by Drawnversation that urge visitors to demand the impossible and keep fighting for change.
The National Public Housing Museum works directly with public housing residents to give a voice to those who have historically been silenced by federal and state governments. Buttons reading "abolish rent" and "public housing is a human right" are available at the Corner Store Co-op, allowing people to take the message of housing justice with them.
In conclusion, the National Public Housing Museum offers a powerful and moving journey through history, activism, and the resilience of public housing residents. It serves as a testament to the importance of understanding the past to inform present-day activism and civil change.
- The National Public Housing Museum, in Chicago, showcases a variety of media, including photography and video, that highlight the experiences of public housing residents throughout history.
- The museum's exhibits feature art installations and news stories that delve into the struggles and successes of public housing residents, offering a spotlight on their activism and resilience.
- In addition to preserving historical artifacts, the museum's exhibitions also include contemporary features on lifestyle and home-and-garden topics, demonstrating the richness and diversity of public housing communities.
- The National Public Housing Museum serves as a platform for news and discussions about housing justice, using mediums such as art, history, and lifestyle to engage visitors in these important conversations.
