Wayne Miller’s photographs chronicle a Black Chicago from over 75 years ago: the South Side community that grew as thousands of African Americans, mostly from the South, settled in the city during the Great Migration of the World War II years. These black-and-white images provide a visual history of Chicago at the height of its industrial era, when stockyards, steel mills, and factories were booming. More importantly, they capture intimate moments from the daily lives of ordinary people.
Taken over the course of three years beginning in 1946, Miller’s photographs depict city scenes ranging from storefront church services and slaughterhouse workers to tavern gatherings at night and a couple making love. Beyond offering a glimpse into the hopes and hardships shared by this migrant community, the images reflect the vast variety of human experiences and emotions that unfolded at a unique time and place in the American landscape.
