Your monthly message from Alderman Freddrenna M.

Lyle
Ff ffREDDRENNAFreddrenna M. Lyle

Volume X, Issue 2 February 2010

Our Condolences…
May They Rest in Peace “Souls of Black Folk”
Mrs. Delores Harris
Oratorical Contest
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of
Mrs. Delores Harris. Mrs. Harris is the wife of Kenneth
L. Harris, mother of Alderman Freddrenna Lyle, Katrinka
Harris-Spurlin and Michael Harris, Sr.: the Grandmother
of LaChelle Shegog, Michael Harris, Jr. and Annina
Harris and the Great-Grandmother of Kyndle Hudson.
Mrs. Harris, a resident of the Park Manor Community
for more that 60 years, was also a member of Salem
Lutheran Church where she raised her family. Mrs.
Harris was a natural fighter. She fought until the very end
and finally transitioned on February 8, 2010.
Mr. Gerome Summers, Sr.
Mr. Gerome Summers, Sr., loving husband to Vinona
Summers for 43 years, passed away on January 14, 2010.
Mr. Summers migrated to Chicago from Greenville, MS 6th Ward Alderman Freddrenna M. Lyle and Lyle for
and met his future wife (Vinona) shortly after his arrival. Kids invite students who attend school in the 6th Ward
He was a devoted family man and a dependable volunteer and/or live in the 6th Ward to participate in the Annual
at the 6th Ward Office for many years. “Souls of Black Folk” Oratorical Contest. Applications
Dr. Edsel Hudson will be accepted from students grades Kindergarten-
Dr. Edsel Hudson was a devoted friend and mentor 12th. Students are expected to recite an original poem, a
to Park Manor Elementary School. He volunteered at the short story or a published piece from memory. Prizes
school for many years. He worked tirelessly with the will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Winners. Each
administrators and teachers in the classrooms, and
participant will receive a certificate and Goody Bag.
worked with the alumni to create the Park Manor Aumni
Parents and families are welcome! Volunteers are
Association. His leadership and dedication to the school
needed.
and the Alumni Organization will not be forgotten. Dr.
Hudson was a retired physician and educator at the Saturday, February 27, 2010
University of Illinois. He passed away January 13, 2010. 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Harlan High School
TABLE OF CONTENTS 9652 S. Michigan Ave.
Pg. 1 Aldermanic Message
“Souls of Black Folk” Oratorical Contest Please contact Francine Smith for details at the
Pg. 2 Gwendolyn Brooks 6th Ward Service Office
Pg. 3 FYI and Save the Date
Pg. 4 Income Tax Assistance 406 E. 75th St., 60619 (773) 846-7006
Go Direct
Picture - Beloved Family Wellness Center PLEASE SUPPORT OUR YOUTH!
Picture - Harlan Community Academy
This is a FREE event.

Newsletter 1

Gwendolyn
Brooks
1917 - 2000
Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks was born on June 7, 1917,
in Topeka, Kansas to David Anderson Brooks and Keziah
Wims, their first child. Her mother was a former school
teacher who left teaching for marriage and motherhood, and
her father, the son of a runaway slave who fought in the
Civil War, had given up his ambition to become a doctor to
work as a janitor because he could not afford to attend
medical school. When Brooks was only six weeks old, her
family moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she grew up.
Her home life was stable and loving, although she
encountered racial prejudice in her neighborhood and in her
schools. She attended Hyde Park High School, the leading
white high school in the city, before transferring to all-
black Wendell Phillips. Brooks eventually attended an
integrated school, Englewood High School. In 1936, she
graduated from Wilson Junior College. These four schools
gave her a perspective on racial dynamics in the city that
continued to influence her work.
Her enthusiasm for reading and writing was encouraged
by her parents. Her father provided a desk and bookshelves,
and her mother took her, when she was in high school, to
meet Harlem Renaissance poets Langston Hughes and
James Weldon Johnson.
Brooks published her first poem in a children's magazine
at the age of thirteen. When Brooks was sixteen years old,
she had compiled a portfolio of around seventy-five
published poems. At 17, Brooks stuck to her roots and
began submitting her work to "Lights and Shadows", the
poetry column of the Chicago Defender, an African-
American newspaper. Although her poems range in style
from traditional ballads and sonnets to using blues rhythms
in free verse, her characters are often drawn from the poor
inner city. During this same period, she also attended
Wilson Junior College, from where she graduated in 1936.
After publishing more than seventy-five poems and failing
to obtain a position with the Chicago Defender, Brooks
began to work a series of typing jobs.
By 1941, Brooks was taking part in poetry workshops.
One particularly influential workshop was organized by
Inez Cunningham Stark. Stark was an affluent white
woman with a strong literary background, and the
workshop participants were all African-American. The
group dynamic of Stark's workshop proved especially
effective in energizing Brooks and her poetry began to be
taken seriously (The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks,
Elizabeth Alexander, Editor, 2005). In 1943 she received an
award for poetry from the Midwestern Writers'
Conference. Continued in column 2 pg. 2
Newsletter 2
Her first book of poetry, A Street in Bronzeville,
published in 1945 by Harper and Row, brought her
instant critical acclaim. She received her first
Guggenheim Fellowship and was one of the “Ten
Young Women of the Year” in Mademoiselle
magazine. In 1950, she published her second book of
poetry, Annie Allen, which won her Poetry magazine’s
Eunice Tietjens Prize and the Pulitzer Prize for poetry,
the first given to an African-American.
After John F. Kennedy invited her to read at a
Library of Congress poetry festival in 1962, she began
her career teaching creative writing. She taught at
Columbia College Chicago, Northeastern Illinois
University, Elmhurst College, Columbia University,
Clay College of New York, and the University of
Wisconsin–Madison. In 1967, she attended a writer’s
conference at Fisk University where, she said, she
rediscovered her blackness. This rediscovery is
reflected in her work In The Mecca, a book length
poem about a mother searching for her lost child in a
Chicago housing project. In The Mecca was nominated
for the National Book Award for poetry.
In addition to the National Book Award nomination
and the Pulitzer Prize, Brooks was made Poet Laureate
of Illinois in 1968. In 1985, Brooks became the
Library of Congress's Consultant in Poetry, a one year
position whose title changed the next year to Poet
Laureate. In 1988, she was inducted into the National
Women's Hall of Fame. In 1994, she was chosen as the
National Endowment for the Humanities' Jefferson
Lecturer, one of the highest honors for American
literature and the highest award in the humanities
given by the federal government. In 1995, she was
presented with the National Medal of Arts. Other
awards she received included the Frost Medal, the
Shelley Memorial Award, and an award from the
American Academy of Arts and Letters. Brooks was
awarded more than seventy-five honorary degrees
from colleges and universities worldwide. In 1995, she
was honored as the first Woman of the Year by the
Harvard Black Men's Forum. On May 1, 1996, Brooks
returned to her birthplace in Topeka, Kansas. She was
the keynote speaker for the Third Annual Kaw Valley
Girl Scout Council Women of Distinction Banquet and
String of Pearls Auction. A ceremony was held in
Brooks’ honor at a local park, located at 37th and
Topeka Boulevard.
Notes about her personal life: In 1938, Gwendolyn
Brooks married Henry Blakely and gave birth to two
children: Henry Blakely Jr., who was born in 1940,
and Nora Blakely, who was born in 1951. After a short
battle with cancer, Brooks died on December 3, 2000,
aged 83, at her Southside Chicago home. She is buried
at Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, Illinois.
 Watch the 6th Ward Scene
F. Y. I. F. Y. I. CAN-TV Channel 19
Thursday, February 4 & 18, 6:00 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE!!!

“Souls of Black Folk”
Black History Month Essay Competition...The Chicago Annual Oratorical Contest
Police-006th District & Target present an essay competition Saturday, February 27, 2010
in celebration of Black History Month. The competition is Noon – 4:00 p.m.
open to 7th and 8th grade students. Each entrant must Harlan Community Academy
submit a 500 word essay on the topic: “What can I do 9652 S. Michigan
today to build a better future for Blacks in America?” Chicago Flower & Garden Show
Completed essays must be submitted to the 006th District Sat., March 6 - Sun., March 14, 2010
CAPS office no later than February 16, 2010. Essays will Mon-Sat. 10 am – 8 pm Sun. 10 am-6 pm
be judged on originality and creativity, cultural knowledge Navy Pier 600 E. Grand Ave.
and research, structure and organization and grammar and
spelling. Winners will be announced Tuesday, February South Side Little League Parade
Saturday, May 1, 2010
23, 2010. Prizes will be awarded to 1st – 5th place winners. Stepping off at 10:00 a.m.
Call 006th District CAPS for more information Meyering Park, 7140 S. King Dr. to
312.745.3641. Nat King Cole Park, 301 E. 85th (King Dr.)
Shoveling your Sidewalk…It’s the neighborly thing to do The Arthur Stephens Walk
and it’s also the law. Chicago Municipal Code, sections 4- Saturday, May 1, 2010
4-310 and 10-18-180, specifies that both homes and Registration 7:30 a.m. Walk starts at 9:00 a.m.
businesses must clear snow from sidewalks next to their Chicago State University
9501 S. King Dr.
property. Be a good neighbor; help those who are
physically unable to clear their own sidewalks. Please help Community Appreciation Luncheon
make our community safe for everyone. Saturday, May 22, 2010
12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Harambee House
Breakfast for Parents…On Saturday, February 27th at 9:00 11901 S. Loomis Ave.
a.m., Harlan Career Academy High School, 9652 S.
Michigan Ave. will host a breakfast for parents. According Annual 6th Ward Bike Ride
to Reginald Evans, Harlan’s Principal, they are looking for Saturday, June 5, 2010, 9:00 a.m.
real men and women who believe education is the key to Meyering Park, 7140 S. King Dr. to
Tuley Park, 501 E. 90th Pl.
our children’s future. Any adult including grandparents, Return to Meyering Park for refreshments
parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends of the
community are invited to join the discussion
Fromonthe
ways to Alderman
6th Ward Annual 6th Ward Family Picnic & Marketplace
& Staff:
improve Harlan, the community and Francine,
Alderman Lyle, students.Vinona,
So, come to
Rosemary,
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Richard, Sherrod, Michael and Keith
the school Saturday at 8:45 a.m. The breakfast will begin 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
promptly at 9:00 a.m. Tuley Park – 501 E. 90th Pl. (King Dr.)
FREE food, entertainment & fun!
Young Eagles Program…The Tuskegee Airmen are 6th Ward Monthly Meeting
‘calling all kids’ to join them at the Gary/Chicago Airport Thursday, March 11, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
for a FREE plane ride. All you have to do is be 7 to 17 St. Paul M.B. Church 6954 S. Union Ave.
years old, get your parents permission and call the
Tuskegee Airmen/Experimental Aircraft Association Thursday, April 8, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
Young Eagles Hot Line in Chicago, 312.409.5621 or Gary New Covenant M.B. Church 740 E. 77th St.
at 888.235.9824. Every child will need to be accompanied
by a parent or guardian and will receive an official Young
Eagles flight certificate to commemorate their first flight.
Volunteer EAA or Tuskegee Airmen member pilots are Flowers for our
welcome. Call the Young Eagles Hotline NOW and you loved ones.
will automatically be scheduled for the next available rally.

Newsletter 3
 Income Tax Assistance

The City of Chicago helps eligible residents file for

the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
With the EITC, you could owe less tax and get cash back
from the Internal Revenue Service and the State of
Illinois. Even if you don't owe income tax, you can get
the credit and cash. In 2007 the City's assistance sites
returned $31 million in refunds for more than 23,000
families.
The average EITC refund for Chicagoans in 2007 is
$2,096. A family that earns up to $36,995 with one child
could get up to $2,917 back from the IRS. A family that
earns up to $41,646 with more than one child could get
up to $4,824 back. And individuals who are between 25
and 64 years old, earning up to $15,880, and who have Congressman Bobby L. Rush (1st Dist.) and
no children may get up to $438 back. Alderman Lyle, pictured above with numerous
Families earning less than $50,000 and individuals elected officials cut the ribbon at the new state of
earning less than $25,000 can get free tax preparation the art “Beloved Family Wellness Clinic”
assistance from professionally trained volunteers. The in Englewood at 6821 S. Halsted.
Tax Counseling Project and the Tax Assistance Program,
both Chicago-area non-profit programs, offer the
assistance at 29 sites in Chicago and 26 sites outside the
city. Residents should bring all current W2 and 1099
forms, Social Security cards for all members of the
household, a copy of your last recent tax return, and
photo identification.
To get free tax preparation assistance, and assistance
filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit, call 311 City
Services and ask about locations near you. Outside
Chicago, local residents can call 312-409-1555 or 312-
630-0273.

Go Direct
Direct deposit is safer, easier and more convenient
than getting a paper check in the mail. Yet despite the
advantages, many people who rely on Social Security,
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and VA
Compensation and Pension payments still get checks.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal
Reserve Banks are sponsoring Go Direct, a campaign to
motivate people who receive federal benefit checks to
use direct deposit. Direct deposit is simply the best way
for people to get their Social Security, SSI and VA
Compensation and Pension payments because it
eliminates the risk of stolen checks, reduces fraud and
gives them more control over their money. Plus, direct
deposit allows immediate access to funds from virtually
anywhere.
Mayor Richard M. Daley, Ron Huberman, CEO,
Chicago Board of Education, Ald. Lyle and Ald.
LaTasha Thomas join Reginald Evans, Principal of
Harlan Community Academy High School, for the
announcement of the new Information Technology
Program at Harlan.
See you next month!
Your monthly message from
Freddrenna M. Lyle, 6th Ward
Alderman and Committeeman
Service Office 406 East 75th Street, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 846-7006 (773) 846-9104 fax
Email Address: ward06@cityofchicago.org
Website Address: www.6thwardalderman.com

Newsletter 4