On this date in 1998, the Chicago Defender Building was dedicated as a Chicago Landmark.
Located at 3435 South Indiana Ave, the Chicago Defender was nationally known for its candid editorial policies on behalf of civil rights issues. Built in 1899 by architect Henry Newhouse, this former Jewish synagogue was home to the Chicago Defender newspaper from 1920 until 1960.
Founded by Robert S. Abbott in 1905, the "Great Migration" of the early-20th century was largely initiated by Defender editorials urging African Americans to leave the poverty of the South for new opportunities in the North.
It is one of nine structures in the Black Metropolis Bronzeville Historic District.
