Playlist Chicago Stories
Chicago Stories
Carlos Lozano Survived the Our Lady of the Angels Fire in 1958. His Daughter Worked on a New WTTW Documentary About It
Meredith FrancisCarlos Lozano was 10 years old when a fire broke out at Our Lady of the Angels school in 1958. Some 65 years later, his daughter, Bianca Lozano, worked as the associate producer for the upcoming WTTW Chicago Stories documentary about the fire. They share what the experience meant to their family and the difficulties of discussing a traumatic event.
A Q&A with the Producers of a New Documentary about the Reversal of the Chicago River
Julia MaishA new season of WTTW's Chicago Stories that airs this fall includes a documentary on the reversal of the Chicago River. We spoke to the producers of the film about what new things there are to learn, and why it's relevant.
Things to Watch and Read on Veterans Day
Daniel HautzingerNovember 11 is Veterans Day. WTTW and PBS have covered veterans, their lives, issues, and the wars they fought in extensively, but we have pulled together a small selection of those stories for you to watch and read today.
A Q&A with the Producer of 'Chicago Stories: The Birth of Gospel'
Daniel Hautzinger"The story of gospel music is actually a more universal story of American music and our country’s history," says the producer of a new Chicago Stories documentary about the genre's origins in Chicago.
A Q&A with the Producer of a New Jane Byrne 'Chicago Stories'
Meredith FrancisJane Byrne was the first woman to be elected Mayor of Chicago and the first woman to lead a mayor U.S. city. A new Chicago Stories documentary follow's Byrne's rise to power and tenure as mayor.
Exploring the Surprising Chicago Roots of Improv
Meredith FrancisImprov "was born out of a need to communicate with a new immigrant population, from a woman who loved theater," says the producer of our new upcoming documentary Inventing Improv: A Chicago Stories Special.
Ida B. Wells' Lessons for Today
Daniel HautzingerThe writer and producer of a new WTTW documentary about the groundbreaking civil rights activist, journalist, and suffragist discusses Wells' relevance today, at a moment when Wells is becoming more and more recognized for her work.
Revisiting the Great Chicago Fire 149 Years Later
Meredith FrancisThe Great Chicago Fire: A Chicago Stories Special reveals new details with recreations and animation that bring the fire to life. Executive producer Dan Protess and producer and writer Peter Marks talked about their approach to telling the old story in a new way.
Chicago-based Dancer Ruth Page's "Bewildering Array of Activities"
Daniel HautzingerAnna Pavlova, Irving Berlin, Serge Diaghilev, George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev: the choreographer and dancer Ruth Page worked with them all, plus brought Americana into ballet, built artistic institutions in her home base of Chicago, and choreographed over 100 ballets.
The Killing of Fred Hampton
Daniel Hautzinger50 years ago, the promising young Black Panther leader Fred Hampton was killed during a police raid. Hampton's organizing and the outcry after his death helped lead to the election of Harold Washington and Bobby Rush, who was a Panther at the time of the raid.
The Chicago Archaeologist Who Changed the Way We Study Civilization
Meredith FrancisIn 1919, James Henry Breasted founded the Oriental Instiute with what was at the time "a radical idea," that scholars should look toward the ancient Middle East to understand western civilization. Now, 100 years later, OI is celebrating its past by looking toward its future.
Looking Back At ‘The World’s Busiest Airport’
Meredith FrancisAs both of Chicago's airports look toward the future of air travel, here's a look at the ups and downs of Midway's past. When it was the world's busiest airport, Chicagoans would flock to watch airplanes take off and land in the airfield.
The Story of the Iconic Chicago Home
Daniel HautzingerChicago is renowned for its architecture, but a small-scale, domestic building unique to this city often goes unrecognized: the Chicago bungalow. The history of this style of house encompasses the story of Chicago's immigrants and infamous discrimination.
The Businessman Philanthropist You Haven't Heard of Who Shaped Chicago
Daniel HautzingerJulius Rosenwald used the fortune he amassed leading Sears to found the Museum of Science and Industry, establish schools for rural African Americans and YMCAs across the country, support newly arrived Jewish immigrants, and more.
Chicago's Deadliest Disaster
Daniel HautzingerOne hundred and three years ago, on July 24, 1915, more than 800 people lost their lives in Chicago's deadliest tragedy, when a top-heavy boat rolled onto its side in the Chicago River only twenty feet from the shore. Watch an archival Chicago Stories episode about the Eastland Disaster.
