Historic West Woodlawn
~
Place of Pioneers
~
A Wonderful Walkable Village
~
Historic West Woodlawn ~ Place of Pioneers ~ A Wonderful Walkable Village ~
S. B. Fuller (June 4, 1905 – October 24, 1988) was an American entrepreneur. He was founder and president of the Fuller Products Company, publisher of the New York Age and Pittsburgh Courier, head of the South Side Chicago NAACP, president of the National Negro Business League, and a prominent black Republican.
S. B. Fuller's life was an illustration of business success and self-help. His company gave inspiration and training to countless aspiring entrepreneurs and future leaders, including John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing, George Ellis Johnson founder of Johnson Products, and Dr. T. R. M. Howard. Joe L. Dudley Senior of Greensboro, North Carolina had a similar business, the Dudley Products Company, which was a major distributor of Fuller products and also offered products of its own and kept the Fuller Products name alive after the end of S. B. Fuller's career. Read More
Sandra Bivens grew up in Morgan Park, later moved to Hyde Park, and became a core Woodlawn organizer alongside Maddie Butler, Deborah Charles, Pat Marsh, and Christina Perkins as “Women in Progress.”
In late 1980s–early 1990s Woodlawn, they formed block clubs, partnered with schools, launched the first Woodlawn Business Association, and helped bring Cole Taylor Bank to 63rd—advancing Black economic infrastructure.
YOU CAN ACCESS THE VIDEO BELOW.
Bivens secured homeownership via a five-year rent-to-own agreement facilitated by local business leader George Khyros—an example of community-based solutions and mutual aid. They organized a large anti-prostitution march on 63rd Street around 1989, collaborating with residents and police despite initial lack of aldermanic support—emphasizing “just do it” grassroots action.
Street-level relationship-building was central: engaging dealers and neighbors directly helped reclaim blocks, demonstrating that safety and change require visible, persistent presence. University of Chicago relations evolved from hard-fought resistance to more collaborative engagement; decades of organizing pressured the university to work with the community, with recent improvements credited to civic leaders and new administrations.
Read More