“Legally Stolen” Podcast Tells How Racist Housing Policies Have Damaged Black Chicago Communities

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ENGLEWOOD – An Englewood artist and activist tells a story of inequity on the South Side directly to his neighbors with a new podcast.

Tonika Johnson, in conjunction with the National Public Housing Museum, has launched the “Legally Stolen” podcast. The three-part audio series takes a deeper dive into Johnson’s latest project, “Inequity for Sale”. The virtual and physical exhibit explores how homes sold through land sales contracts in Englewood in the 1950s and 1960s continue to impact the community.

The first episode of “Legally Stolen” premiered on December 15th. It features Johnson alongside special guests. Two more episodes will be released in the coming weeks.

“I really wanted to flood people with various ways to access and understand the project and ultimately the discriminatory housing practice of land sales contracts,” Johnson said. “Sometimes people learn best by hearing or listening. “

Credit: Supplied

A 2018 Duke University study, “The Plunder of Black Wealth In Chicago,” found that 75-95% of homes sold to black families in Chicago in the 1950s and 1960s were sold under contracts. sale of land.

According to the study, speculators would buy a home and sell it on contract with an 84% mark-up on average, meaning black families paid a lot more without ever owning the home. Over 100 homes have been sold this way in Englewood.

Johnson used the data provided in the study as well as field interviews to create “selling inequity.”

Once the installation is complete, neighbors will be able to walk a stretch in Englewood to see 10 to 15 homes being sold under land sales contracts. “Landmarks” will be displayed in front of each house to inform viewers about the history of previous owners.

Each marker will also contain a QR code that will take the neighbors to the “Legally Stolen” podcast. The goal is to fully immerse neighbors in the stories and lives of families who moved to Chicago, only to be robbed, Johnson said.

“I want the project to help people understand that when you see a neighborhood riddled with abandoned houses or vacant lots, it has nothing to do with the residents,” Johnson said. “It has everything to do with systemic discrimination. It was important that this exhibit be immersive so that people who interact with this project can feel so informed and enlightened that they too can become an advocate.

You can listen to the first episode of “Legally Stolen” on any audio streaming platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Anchor, Breaker, and RadioPublic.

Credit: Colin Boyle / Block Club Chicago7250 S. Green Street in Englewood on November 9, 2021.

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