Celebrating Black History Month and the Resilience of Chicago’s West Side
Join us on February 6 - 7, 2026
When the West Side Burned
Location
Kehrein Center for the Arts
5628 W. Washington Blvd.
5628 W. Washington Blvd.
Date & Time
February 6, 2026, 10:30 AM, 10:30 AM - February 7, 2026, 9:00 PM
When the West Side Burned
Join us on February 6 & 7, 2026
The tragic assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in April 1968 triggered unrest across the country, but in Chicago, the rage and grief that erupted in the city’s Black community led to an unprecedented period of public mourning, looting, and destruction on the city’s West Side.
Examine King’s close ties to Chicago and the hope he brought to residents, how his murder brought long-simmering resentment over segregation and discrimination to a boiling point, and how this still-recovering neighborhood struggles to move forward.
Examine King’s close ties to Chicago and the hope he brought to residents, how his murder brought long-simmering resentment over segregation and discrimination to a boiling point, and how this still-recovering neighborhood struggles to move forward.
Location
Kehrein Center for the Arts
5628 W. Washington Blvd.
5628 W. Washington Blvd.
Date & Time
Feb. 6 | 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Feb. 7 | 4:00 - 9:00 PM
Feb. 7 | 4:00 - 9:00 PM
Food & Beverage
On Saturday, February 7, food and beverages will be available from local vendors in the lobby of the Kehrein Center for the Arts from 3 pm to 7 pm.
Location
Kehrein Center for the Arts
5628 W. Washington Blvd.
5628 W. Washington Blvd.
Parking and Transportation
CTA:
The Kehrein Center of the Arts (KCA) is located 3 blocks south of the Central stop on the Green Line. There are several bus stops within a block of the venue.
Parking Lots:
2 lots immediately North of the KCA, accessible via Parkside or Central (West side)
1 lot just North of Washington Blvd on the East side of Central
Street Parking:
Central Avenue
East side of the street, north of Washington
West side of the street, South of Washington Blvd
1 block north of Washington Blvd (NOT in the first block north of Washington Blvd.)
Washington Blvd.
Both sides, East and West of Central Avenue