The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Shorefront

Legacy Center; 2010 Dewey Ave., 206
Evanston, Illinois 60201

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 847-864-7467

Repository URL: http://www.shorefrontlegacy.org/Shorefront/Home.html

Repository description (CRHP): Shorefront's recorded oral histories, podcasts, and publications document African American experiences in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, including participation in civil rights struggles.

Repository description (extant): The inception of Shorefront began in 1995 as a one-person grass-roots effort to research the over 150 years of historical contributions of the African American populations residing on the North Shore. Prior to this effort, no written documentation of depth had been produced, researched, or thoroughly archived.

In response to the lack of documentation, Shorefront was introduced to the public in 1999 in the form of an informal quarterly journal and several small exhibits. On June 6, 2002, Shorefront was legally recognized as a not-for-profit organization and installed its first 15 board of directors. Diverse in age, gender and racial make-up, the board reflects its primary target market - the African American community. The first board members consisted of those who have been involved/supportive in one way or another since 1996.

Since the establishment of Shorefront, it had evolved to become a well-respected organization dedicated to the preservation of the historic African American contributions within the Chicago suburban North Shore communities. Shorefront is the only active Illinois not-for-profit entity in the northern suburban communities that provides an outlet for the subject specific historical preservation such history. Shorefront's primary focus area covers seven suburbs spanning approximately 25 miles along the lakefront.

Shorefront is a membership-based organization that services its membership, its target market and the general community. On May 22, 2009, Shorefront had acquired new, expanded space to establish the Legacy Center, a museum and research center open to the public for research initiatives, exhibits and various public programs.

Repository type: Local History Organization

Collections:

[Shorefront oral history interviews]