Historic Bronzeville

Irvin C. Mollison Elementary School is located in Chicagos historic Bronzeville community.  It is a neighborhood located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois.  In the early 20th century, Bronzeville was known as the "Black Metropolis," one of the nation's most significant landmarks of African-American urban history.  At one time, Bronzeville was a vibrant with more over 500,000 Black Migrants from the South that included Black musicians, businessmen, politicians, entrepreneurs, and millionaires.  Bronzeville boasted one of the first black owned and operated bank and insurance companies. Many famous people were associated with the development of this area, including jazz and blues greats Louis Armstrong and Nat "King" Cole. Other noteworthy residents include, author Lorraine Hansberry, aviator Bessie Coleman, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, Congressman William Dawson, and local publishing magnate, the late John H. Johnson as well as our name sake, Justice Irvin C. Mollison.  Some of Bronzeville's luster diminished following World War II, which brought decades of economic disinvestment and social change. But by the mid 1990's, signs of revitalization and interest emerged.  Forty-Seventh Street was and remains the hub of the Bronzeville neighborhood and in recent years has started to regain some of the former glory of years gone by.
Additional Bronzeville ("The Black Belt Metropolis") Notables:
  • TDaniel Hale Williams~Pioneered open-heart surgery at Providence Hospital (51st King Dr.)
  • Home to the legendary Regal & Apollo Theaters
  • Bessie Coleman,~Aviation
  • Ida B. Wells~Activist
  • Home to Mahalia JacksonBinga Bank~1st Black-owned Financial Institute
  • Jesse Owens~Olympic Gold Medalist
  • Katherine Dunham~Choreographer
  • Home to the Chicago Urban League
  • Home to the Chicago Defender newspaper
  • Mahalia Jackson~Gospel singer
  • Qunicy Jones~Grammy winning music Producer/Composer
  • Sam Cooke-Musician; Singer/Songwriter
  • Dinah Washington~Singer/Pianist
  • Home to Fine Arts Gallery Guichard
  • Robert "Bob" Dale~Businessman
  • Authors~ Gwendolyn Brooks, Richard Wright & Shelagh Jackson
  • 1st home of Chicago's 1st Black Mayor~Harold Washington
  • The street name, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, originated in Bronzeville!