Vol. 3 Issue 21
Explore the Chicago Police Torture Archive + Reparations Ordinance Anniversary
The Chicago Police Torture Archive is a human rights documentation of former Commander Jon Burge’s violence against more than 100 Black men, from the 1970s-1990s.
Explore the archive to learn more about each of the men pictured above (Curtis Milsap, Darrell Cannon, L.C. Riley, Gregory Banks, Marvin Reeves, Stanley Howard, Anthony Holmes, and Ronald Kitchen) and others.
April 28, 2023
May 6th marks eight years since Chicago City Council voted unanimously to pass the Reparations Ordinance for Chicago Police torture survivors. The ordinance is the first of it's kind, giving survivors access to restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-repetition.
The Chicago Police Torture Archive is as human rights documentation of former Commander Jon Burge's violence against more than 100 Black men from the 1970s-1990s. The journalistic centerpiece of this site are the profiles of police torture survivors, most of whom were represented by the People's Law Office of Chicago.
The fight against this vast institutional harm is not over. Several torture survivors are still in prison and seeking release. The City of Chicago has not honored all the terms of the reparations ordinance, including the construction of a permanent memorial. Police abuse continues, as evidenced in part by citizen complaints of abuse documented by the Citizens Police Data Project, and significant settlements in civil suite alleging police misconduct. Chicago Police accused of torture attempt to discredit and dismantle the Torture Inquiry Commission. The effort to ensure this history is taught in Chicago Public Schools is ongoing.
The era of torture did not start with Burge's "midnight crew." It did not end with the midnight crew. In fact, it was not an era of all. The legacy of torture persists to this day.
After decades of willful ignorance by public actors, we urge you to know this history, to accompany these survivors as they attest to their trauma, and to help build a society that no longer tolerates such cruelty.
Learn more about the terms of the reparations ordinance still to be honored by the city, including a public memorial for torture survivors.
The Chicago Torture Justice Center, established as a result of the reparations ordinance, will celebrate one year in its Woodlawn location this May. Visit their website to learn more about how to support the center and their work, including the Survivor Repair Fund.
Explore the Archive→
On Sunday, April 30th at 1:00pm, our podcast team will host a conversation on the making of You Didn’t See Nothin. Join Yohance, host of You Didn’t See Nothin, and other producers of the podcast as they play clips from the podcast, share how it was made, and answer questions on both You Didn’t See Nothin and podcasting more generally.
Attendees will get the most out of the session if they’ve listened to at least the first episode of the podcast. All episodes of You Didn’t See Nothin are now available for listeners and has been described by one critic as “one of the best podcasts I’ve ever heard.”
This event will be held at Experimental Station in the main room and is sponsored by the Digital Storytelling Initiative at the Logan Center for the Arts.
Learn more and register on our website→
World Press Freedom Day Webinar
On Wednesday, May 3rd at 7:00pm, Jamie Kalven will be speaking virtually as part of an online panel discussion: “Press, Freedom, Journalists, and Whistleblowers.” Jamie will be joined by Kevin Gosztola and Leonard Goodman in a conversation moderated by Michael Klonsky.
The United Nations has designated Wednesday, May 3rd as World Press Freedom Day. This presents an opportunity to focus attention on the current perilous state of press freedom and freedom of expression in the U.S. as exemplified by the continued persecution of Julian Assange, and also by the recent indictment of members of the Uhuru Movement for their political activity and speech.
This event is presented by Chicago Area Peace Action, Assange Defense-Chicago, and Code Pink.
Learn more and register here →
You Didn't See Nothin in the News
Listen to Yohance on City Cast Chicago discussing the anniversary of Lenard Clark’s attack and its continued connections to his life and the social and political landscapes of Chicago→
Yohance joins Vocalo morning host Bekoe and producer Ariel Meija to discuss the podcast and the ethics of investigative journalism→
Vulture Lists You Didn’t See Nothin as one of the Top Podcasts of 2023→
Yohance joined the hosts of All Things Considered to discuss community, the exploitation of power, and the importance of narrative change→
Lightfoot Administration Refuses Mother's Request for Full Watchdog Probe of Son's Death
Shapearl Wells has been consistent in her requests for the release of the full report from the Office of the Inspector General on the 2016 death of her son, Courtney Copeland.
In a final act before her resignation, the City's top lawyer, Corporation Counsel Celia Meza denied Wells' request. "It is an absurd denial that lacks human generosity," Jamie Kalven told WTTW reporter Heather Cherone.
Previously, Jamie and Alison Flowers wrote about the limited transparency of the Lightfoot administration in releasing OIG reports like this one. Our FOIA request for the full report was denied, leaving Shapearl and others without the answers and transparency they deserve.
Shapearl Wells is the host of the Somebody Podcast. The series documents her quest for justice on behalf of her son Courtney. Throughout, she guides listeners to explore questions of police accountability and public trust.
