The History and Hopes of Altgeld Gardens - Incite at Columbia University

Incubated Project

The History and Hopes of Altgeld Gardens

Exterior of Altgeld Gardens Housing Center and Commercial center (known as 'Up-Top') in 1945. Photo via Chicago History Museum
  • Funding Program Assembling Voices
  • Timeframe 2023–2024
  • Location Chicago, Illinois
  • Assembling Voices Fellow Nathan Miller

Originally constructed for African American veterans returning home from WWII, Chicago's Altgeld Gardens is geographically situated in what's known as the "toxic doughnut" with an expressway to its east, a water treatment facility to its north, a landfill to its south, and buildings of industry to its west.

Assembling Voices Fellow Nathan Miller's The Whole in Our Parts: The History and Hopes of Altgeld Gardens uses documentary interviews, aerial photography, and portraiture to document the community of Altgeld Gardens, a historically black neighborhood on the far south side of Chicago from both macro and micro perspectives.

Participating narrator describes life in Chicago's far south side.

About Nathan Miler

  • 0
    Nathan Miller

    Nathan Miller is an artist and educator working and living in Chicago. Nathan is a proud foodie, recently took up city inline skating (and quickly discovered that it's not for the faint of heart), loves trusting God, and spends his down time searching for new music on Spotify and spending time with his lady.

More Projects

  • go to Abolish ACS Fashion Show
    Abolish ACS Fashion Show
    Hosting an event series to support political education, organizing, and mutual aid among those most impacted by the New York City Administration for Children’s Services. Part of Assembling Voices
  • go to Field Notes from a Preservation Station
    Field Notes from a Preservation Station
    Field Notes from a Preservation Station is a Chicago-based initiative that treats food preservation as a public health imperative. This project addresses two interconnected challenges: the loss of traditional food knowledge and ongoing food insecurity. Part of Assembling Voices
  • go to Silos
    Silos
    Farmers across the state now struggle with increased isolation and fewer resources. Silos is assembling a coalition to bridge the resource, network, and capacity gaps amongst farmer-led organizations and farmers in Mississippi. Part of Assembling Voices
  • go to We Be Imagining
    We Be Imagining
    Applying the Black radical tradition to the development of public interest technology. Funded by the Board of Trustees of the American Assembly