When N’Gai Merrill moved to Chicago 13 years ago, he was immediately struck by some key differences between his new home and the cities he had lived in on the East Coast. “Chicago seemed like a very strange place to me. The downtown streets were clean. People I didn't know were always saying ‘hello’ to me. And I also noticed how vibrant the city was during the summer.”
Throughout Chicago’s history, the city has represented opportunity to newcomers. African-Americans, in their migration to Chicago in waves over the past century and a half, have contributed to and shaped the character and culture of the city in profound ways. Southern blacks began relocating to Chicago after the fall of Reconstruction in the 1870s and continued to increase their population steadily over the next several decades. During World War II, a rise in manufacturing production drew waves of new arrivals from the South in search of better wages. Once in the city, these residents found enough familiar comforts as well as a burgeoning cultural community dubbed the “Chicago Black Renaissance,” which included poets, authors and musicians. Chicago’s world-famous blues scene grew out of the neighborhoods on the South Side in the 1950s and created one of the most enduring and influential styles of modern music.
When Merrill moved to Chicago, he was still able to detect the southern accents of some African-Americans, but he also noticed the diversity of the city. “There are so many ethnic groups in Chicago, I get a chance to experience the food, music and culture of many countries without the expensive airline ticket.” In this way, the city exemplifies the notion of a “melting pot.”
Indeed, Harold Washington, the city’s first African-American mayor, was able to triumph in the 1983 mayoral election by assembling a broad coalition of voters that included Latinos and liberal white residents. The impact of his victory can still be felt in the doors it opened for African-American politicians and businesspeople in the city.
Chicago also has a number of unique attributes that make it an ideal city for those looking to take advantage of opportunities not available elsewhere. Merrill, who owns an industrial distribution business, notes, “I doubt that I would be running my own business, especially this type of business, if I was not in Chicago. This city has a unique manufacturing base that allows small companies like mine to prosper and not get chewed up by the big boys. Because Chicago’s business community is relatively tight knit, I was able to meet a number of people such as lawyers and bankers that have been helpful in the development of my business.”
Today, Chicago boasts the second-largest African-American population in the United States, at 1.1 million. The group’s size and distribution throughout the city’s neighborhoods are a testament to the wide array of attractive housing available. Merrill said, “I believe that living in Chicago has helped me become a homeowner earlier than I would have in some other cities I considered living. And Chicago has such a diverse set of neighborhoods, I was able to find the right home and the right neighborhood for my family, without having to move to the suburbs.”
Being able to raise a family in Chicago has also allowed Merrill to enjoy the finer things about the city: “Going to the lake is almost like taking a vacation; you get a chance to get away from the world and just have fun and enjoy yourself. I also enjoy the Chicago skyline. I think that it is one of best skylines in the world. I know I am home when I can see the Chicago skyline from my plane window.”
As to the city’s prospects for hosting the Games in 2016, Merrill points out that “Chicago makes a good host city because it is a world-class city, and the diversity already present will allow all those visiting for the Games—for example, athletes and spectators—to feel at home while they are here.”