♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

PARIS SCHUTZ IS ON ASSIGNMENT.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT FROM FILLING YOUR TRUNK WITH GROCERIES TO FILLING YOUR CAR WITH GAS, THE PRICE IS GOING UP.

A NEW REPORT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND IT'S NOT PRETTY.

WE SHARE THE HIGHLIGHTS AND GUIDELINES ON HOW YOU CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT.

WHAT GENOLOGISTS CAN LEARN FROM JUST RELEASED U.S. CENSUS RECORDS FROM 1950.

♪ >> AND A LOOK AT FIRE SHOT UP IN MY BONES NOW PLAYING AT LYRIC OPERA BUT FIRST TODAY'S TOP STORIES.

JUDGE KETANJI BROWN IS UP FOR SUPREME COURT.

HERE'S A QUICK LOOK IS THE WHAT BOTH PARTIES HAVE TO SAY.

>> HAVING CAREFULLY STUDIED HER RECORD I THINK ER HER AND I HAVE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THE ROLE OF JUDGES AND THE ROLE THAT THEY SHOULD PLAY IN OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF THOSE DISAGREEMENTS, I CAN'T SUPPORT HER NOMINATION.

>> SHE HAS COOKBOOKABLE QUALIFICATIONS.

WE DON'T AGREE MUCH ON THE SENATE BUT NOT ONE SENIORITY ON THIS COMMITTEE HAS QUESTIONED SHE IS NOT QUALIFIED.

>> KETANJI BROWN JACKSON WILL FACE THE FULL SENATE BEFORE THE CHAMBER GOES ON RECESS THIS FRIDAY.

IF CONFIRMED SHE WOULD MAKE HISTORY AS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN ON THE SUPREME COURT.

AND AN INCREASE IN CARJACKINGS AND OTHER CRIMES OFFICIALS HAVE ANNOUNCED HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN ADDRESS CRIME.

ONE IS A REBATE PROGRAM AND PATHWAYS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR CAMERAS, LIGHTS AND GPS TRACKERS.

ALSO A CAMERA WEBSITE TO SHOW THE FOOTAGE.

>> VIDEO HELP IDENTIFIES SUSPECTS.

IT HELPS OFFICERS KNOW WHAT OCCURRED AND WHEN IT OCCURRED WHEN THEY ARE NOT WITNESSES, AND VIDEO HELPS DETERMINE CHARGES.

THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH THE STATE'S ATTORNEYS OFFICE.

WE OFTEN RECEIVE GREAT COMMUNITY COOPERATION GATHERING VIDEO.

WHERE RESIDENTS SHARE VIDEO IT HELPS SOLVE OUR CASES QUICKLY.

>> AND ACCORDING TO THE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN CPD WILL NOT HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO CAMERA FOOTAGE UNLESS GIVEN PROPER CONSENT.

YOU CAN FIND THE FULL RUNDOWN OF THESE NEW PROGRAMS ON OUR WEBSITE.

A SPORTS BETTING LOUNGE IS ON THE WAY TO THE UNITED CENTER.

THIS AFTER CITY COUNCIL GAVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO SPORTS BETTING AT CHICAGO PRO ARENAS LATE LAST YEAR.

IT'S, OF COURSE, HOME TO THE CHICAGO BULLS AND BLACK HAWKS.

ONLINE GAMING COMPANY SANDED GROUP NAMED MCHUGH CONSTRUCTION FOR THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR FOR THE.

THE OTHER APPROVED VENUES WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE 15 NEW KIOSK UNDER THE NEW FACILITY.

IT'S EXPECTED TO BE FINISHED THIS AUGUST.

UP NEXT, THE PRICE OF FOOD AND GAS IS ON THE RISE BUT WHY CAN YOU EXPECT ANY HELP CONTROLLING THOSE COSTS?

STAY WITH US.

>> ANYONE WHO'S BEEN TO THE GROCERY STORE LATELY KNOWS THE COST OF FOOD, MEAT ESPECIALLY IS GOING UP.

LAST YEAR SHOPPERS PAID ROUGHLY 6% MORE FOR THEIR GROCERIES THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.

BEEF IS NOW SOME 20% MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT WAS LEADING TO MASSIVE PROFITS FOR SOME MANUFACTURERS.

THE WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE NOTE.

SO JOINING US NOW TO GIVE US OUR TAKE IS NIKHIL MEHTA A CORPORATE ARENA WITH SMITH AMGENSON WITH EXPERIENCE IN BUSINESS AND ANTITRUST AND CLAIRE KELLOWAY, FOOD PROGRAM MANAGER FOR FAIR FOOD AND FARMING SYSTEMS AT THE OPEN MARKETS INSTITUTE AN ANTIMONOPOLY THINK-TANK AND I SHOULD NOTE WE DID REACH OUT TO SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING THE FOOD AGENCY BUT NONE WERE ABLE TO JOIN US.

CLAIRE KELLOWAY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

BUT CLAIRE, LET'S START WITH YOU.

HOW MUCH HAS FOOD PRICES GONE UP ARE THEY ACROSS-THE-BOARD OR SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR?

>> YEAH, SO AS YOU MENTIONED THERE'S BEEN SOME GENERALIZED FOOD PRICES AT 6% ABOVE GENERAL INFLATION BUT IT REALLY IS IN THE MEAT, DAIRY, EGGS SECTOR THAT WE SEE THE LARGEST INCREASES, THE 20% DEEP PRICE INCREASE YOU MENTIONED.

PORK ALSO UP 6% COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO AND CHICKEN UP TO 6% THIS IS REALLY WHERE THE LARGEST PRICE INCREASES HAVE BEEN.

>> WHITE MEAT IN PARTICULAR HAS -- WHY MEET IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN SO EXPENSIVE.

>> YEAH, THE AGENCY FACES SOME GENERAL SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS.

WE SAW HOW FARMS WERE CLOSING UP DURING THE PANDEMIC AND LABOR COSTS AND SUPPLY CHAINS BEING DISRUPTED BY THE WEATHER BUT THIS IS ALSO A HIGHLY CONCENTRATED INDUSTRY.

THE TOP FOUR BEEF COMPANIES COOL ABOUT 85% OF THE INDUSTRY, THE TOP FOUR PORK COMPANIES TWO-THIRD AND THE TOP FOUR CHICKEN COMPANIES A BOUT 64% AND THIS GIVES ALL THESE COMPANIES A LOT OF MARKET POWER.

>> NIKHIL MEHTA OF COURSE AMERICA IS A CAPITALIST COUNTRY HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN VERY HEALTHY PRICES AND PRICE-GOUGING.

>> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE APPLIES GOUGING -- PRICE-GOUGING, PRICES BEING WATCHED IS BEING WATCHED BY A STATE-BY-STATE BASIS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATE LAWS THE STATE PRICE-GOUGING LAWS ARE LOOKING AT A FORMULA WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT, YOU KNOW, GENERAL HEALTHY SUPPLY AND DEMAND FIGURES AND THEN YOU WANT TO LOOK AT HOW FAR ABOVE AND BEYOND THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND -- NORMAL COST INCREASES THAT COME WITH SUPPLY DEMAND INCREASES.

A LOT OF STATES WILL USE A PERCENTAGE TEST SOMEWHERE 15 FROM 25% INCREASES BEYOND THE STANDARD MARKET PRICE.

SOME STATES USE AN EXCESSIVE OR UNCONSCIONABLE TEST SO IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT THAT.

EACH STATE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT AND IT'S HANDLED ON A STATE-BY-STATE BASIS BUT YOU REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT HOW FAR BEYOND THE NORMAL MARKET PRICE WHEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT SUPPLY AND DEMAND PRICE FACTORS.

>> I GUESS WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GOING ABOUT SPRY THAT IF A LOCAL OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EVEN SUSPECT GOUGING IS WHAT'S HAPPENING?

>> YEAH, SO TRADITIONALLY IT'S THE STATE GOVERNMENTS THAT DO THAT.

THERE'S STATE LAWS I WANT TO SAY IN 48, 49 STATES RIGHT NOW.

MOST OF THOSE STATE LAWS ARE TRIGGERED BY A STATE-DECLARED EMERGENCY WHICH THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE, FOR INSTANCE, WE THAT WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

WE SAW IT WITH MEDICAL SUPPLIES WHEN THERE WERE FACE MASKS, HAND SANITIZERS THINGS OF THAT NATURE BEING -- BEING HOARDED AND GOUGED BY STORES AND BY DIFFERENT -- DIFFERENT RESELLERS AND SO GOVERNORS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND TARGETED THOSE PRODUCTS TO PROTECT THEM SO YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT PRICE-GOUGING YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE 1 IS IT A PROTECTIVE PRODUCT UNDER THAT STATE LAW AND NO.

2 IS THE PRICE SO FAR ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE MARKET PRICE REALLY SHOULD BE OR WHAT A FAIR MARKET PRICE WOULD BE AFTER TAKING INTO CONSIDERATIONS FOR SUPPLY AND DEMAND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IT'S STATE-LAW BASIS THERE'S MORE AND MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GETTING INVOLVED.

I KNOW PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS DISCUSSED THIS BUT IT REALLY WOULD NEED TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME THROUGH AS A LEGISLATIVE PIECE.

>> AND CLAIRE, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE SEEING THESE RECORD PROFITS FOR FOOD PRODUCERS IS THAT NECESSARILY A CLEAR INDICATION OF PRICE-GOUGING?

>> IT DEFINITELY TELLS US SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IF THESE COMPANIES WERE JUST PASSING ON THEIR INCREASED COSTS OF PRODUCT WE WOULDN'T SEE THEIR PROFITS INCREASE BUT NOT ONLY ARE THEY NOT JUST MAINTAINING THEIR CURRENT PROFITS THEY'RE RISING AT RECORD LEVELS.

I MEAN, FOR THE TYSON FOODS SAW THEIR PROFITS NEARLY DOUBLE AND ON THE WHOLE CORPORATE PROFITS ARE ON A HIGH AND PROFITS ARE UP -- SEEING THE LARGEST RATES OF INCREASE SINCE 1976 SO THESE ARE JUST REALLY SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES AND INDICATE THAT THERE'S SOME AMOUNT OF PRICING POWER BEING ABUSED HERE.

>> AND, CLAIRE, OF COURSE, THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED THESE WELL-PUBLICIZED SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES THAT WE WERE SEEING, LABOR ISSUES, HOW MUCH HAVE THINGS LIKE THAT AND THEN, OF COURSE, NOW THERE'S A WAR IN EUROPE BUT HOW MUCH HAS THIS COMBINATION LED TO SENDING PRICES HIGHER?

>> YEAH, NO.

ABSOLUTELY THERE'S SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION THAT HAS CREATED SOME OF THE CONDITIONS THAT DO HAVE GENUINE SHORTAGES, DO GENUINELY INCREASE THESE COMPANY'S COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS BUT AGAIN YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT THEIR PROFITS TO INCREASE AS WELL IF IT WAS JUST REALLY PASSING ON THOSE INCREASED COSTS TO CONSUMERS.

IF ANYTHING, THE CURRENT SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION HAS CREATED A SITUATION WHERE THERE IS SOME AMOUNT OF SUPPLY NOT MEETING DEMAND AND WE ARE SEEING UNDERLYING MARKET STRUCTURES REALLY HIGH MARKET STRUCTURES IN PLACE TO ABUSE THAT IF COMPANIES FELT LIKE THEY COULD INCREASE THEIR PRICES AND HAVE COMPETITORS UNDERCUT THEM ON SALES, THEN THEY MIGHT NOT INCREASING PRICES SO MUCH BECAUSE ALL THESE COMPANIES ARE SORT OF MOVING IN TANDEM AND SEEING THAT THEY CAN ALL BENEFIT BY ALL RAISING THEIR PRICES TOGETHER AND MAXIMIZING THEIR PROFITS THAT'S DEFINITELY ABUSING THEIR PRICING POWER BUT YOU'RE RIGHT IT'S EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES AND THERE DEFINITELY IS SOME AMOUNT OF GENUINE SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION GOING ON TOO.

>> AND NIKHIL BEFORE I LET YOU BOTH GO PRESIDENT BIDEN ARE WE SEEING, ARE WE GOING TO SEE ANY ACTION OUT OF WASHINGTON OR THESE ISSUES?

>> YES, WE'RE SEEING SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS SEEKING TO CURB CORPORATE PROFITS WHAT HE SEES SEEN EXCESSIVE PROFITS IN A BILL WHERE HE'S LOOKING AT MEASURING THE PROFITS THAT WERE RECEIVED BY A LOT OF THESE MEAT COMPANIES DURING THE PANDEMIC AND TRYING TO MEASURE HOW MUCH IS EXCESSIVE -- HOW MUCH IS BEYOND, YOU KNOW, YOUR ORDINARY -- YOUR ORDINARY PROFIT DUE TO A SUPPLY CHAIN OR A SUPPLY AND DEMAND HEALTHY INCREASE AND HOW MUCH IS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEM JUMPING -- PILING ON HERE AND SO SENATOR SANDERS HAD INTRODUCED THAT WITH SOME OTHER LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BY TAMMY DUCKWORTH WHICH IS PENDING.

THAT HAS TO DO MORE WITH GAS PRICING BUT STILL ON THE GENERALLY TOPIC.

>> SO A LOT OBVIOUSLY FOR CONSUMERS TO COVER IN THE MEANTIME, TO PAY FOR IN THE MEANTIME.

WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE THANK YOU TO CLAIRE KELLOWAY AND NIKHIL MEHTA FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> A NEW CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT RELEASED BY THE UNITED NATIONS PANEL SAYS WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR TARGETS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

THE REPORT INCLUDES GUIDELINES TO PUT US BACK ON TRACK BUT WARN IF WE WANT TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT IT IS NOW OR NEVER.

WTTW NEWSLETTER PATTY WETLI JOINS US WITH MORE.

SO PATTY, WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE ON TODAY'S REPORT?

>> THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE ARE NOT ACTING FAST ENOUGH AND WE'RE NOT REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS NEARLY STEEPLY ENOUGH, IN FACT, WE'VE ADDED IN THE LAST YEAR -- WE NEED TO BE MOVING THE NEEDLE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION OR THIS 1.5 DEGREE CELSIUS SORT OF THRESHOLD THAT SCIENTISTS HAVE POINTED TO IS GOING TO QUICKLY BE OUT OF OUR GRASP.

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE FROM THIS REPORT.

>> AND THAT 1.5 DEGREES CELSIUS IS, OR COURSE, THE TEMPERATURE -- THE INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE THAT WE CAN'T ALLOW.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MITIGATIONS THAT THE REPORT RECOMMENDS WE PUT IN PLACE?

>> YEAH, THIS CROSSES ALL SECTORS STARTING REALLY WITH THE ENERGY SECTOR AND THEIR NEED TO SHIFT AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS AND MOVE TOWARD RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, YOU KNOW, WIND AND SOLAR BEING PRIME AMONG THEM BECAUSE UNLESS WE DECARBONIZE THE POWER GRID, THINGS LIKE MOVING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES REALLY DOESN'T GET US ANYWHERE.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ALSO LOOKED AT CONSUMER DEMAND, YOU KNOW, SORT OF HOW OUR DEMAND FOR THINGS IS DRIVING CLIMATE CHANGE AND LOOKING AT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SHIP LIKE AIR TRAVEL AND LIVING IN SMALLER HOUSES MAYBE NOT CRANKING OUR HEAT OR A/C UP SO HIGH IN THE WINTER AND SUMMER AND SORT OF ALL OF THESE THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY, NOT TOMORROW.

THAT'S WHAT THE SCIENTISTS ARE SAYING.

>> A LOT TO THINK ABOUT.

PATTY WETLI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, BRANDIS.

>> AND YOU CAN READ PATTY'S STORY ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN ALSO FIND A LINK TO THE FULL REPORT.

IT'S ALL AT NEWS.WTTW.COM/NEWS.

UP NEXT, WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM 1950 CENSUS RECORDS, STAY WITH US.

>> CERTAINLY WE CAN CELEBRATE BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WHAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH BECAUSE OF RACISM AND WHAT PEOPLE CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH.

>> I THINK THAT AMERICANS ARE FINALLY BEGINNING TO EMBRACE THAT WE ARE AFRICAN.

WE ARE INDIGENOUS, WE ARE EUROPEAN, WE ARE ASIAN, WE ARE EVERYTHING.

>> IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING TIME IF YOU'RE A GENOLISTS.

LAST WEEK THE U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES RELEASED U.S. CENSUS RECORDS FROM 1950 GRANTING PUBLIC ACCESS TO FILES THAT DOCUMENTED MORE THAN 150 MILLION PEOPLE, THE AREAS THEY LIVED, THE JOBS THEY HAD AND MUCH MORE.

THE ILLINOIS STATE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY SPRING JOURNAL DETAILS HOW THE CENSUS WAS CONDUCTED AND OFFER ADVICE TO FAMILY RESEARCHERS ON HOW TO USE THIS DATA AND JOINING US NOW WITH MORE IS RICHARD ANDERSON, THE EDITOR OF THE QUARTERLY, JOURNAL OF THE ILLINOIS STATE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY.

RICHARD, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

SO WHY ARE WE JUST NOW GETTING THIS INFORMATION MORE THAN 70 YEARS LATER?

>> BECAUSE IT'S FEDERAL LAW THE PERSONAL INFORMATION HAS TO BE SEALED FOR 72 YEARS.

I THINK THAT LAW GOES BACK TO 1920 AND SO EVERY 10 YEARS, 2 YEARS AFTER THE MOST RECENT CENSUS IS CONDUCTED WE GET THE RELEASE OF AN ARCHIVAL CENSUS SUCH AS IN THIS CASE THE 1950 CENSUS.

>> WE DID THIS 10 YEARS' AGO.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT ABOUT WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THE 1950 CENSUS.

>> WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

I MEAN, IT'S IMMEDIATELY AFTER WORLD WAR II.

THE POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY HAD GROWN FROM ABOUT 130 MILLION TO 151 MILLION, AS YOU SAID.

YOU'RE CATCHING THE BEGINNING OF THE BABY BOOM IN THE POST-WAR YEARS.

YOU MAY CATCH SOME VETERANS WHO WENT TO SCHOOL ON THE GI BILL STILL AT SCHOOL.

TECHNICAL TERMS THIS IS THE FIRST CENSUS THAT USED A COMPUTER, THE UNIVAC COMPUTER TO HELP IN COMPILING THE DATA AND IT WAS THE LAST CENSUS THAT WAS FULLY ENUMERATED BY ACTUAL PEOPLE KNOCKING ON DOORS.

>> WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION DOES THE 1950s CENSUS TELL US?

>> IT TELLS US THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND THAT PERSON AND THEIR RELATION TO THAT PERSON, AGES, IT WILL DESCRIBE THE GENERAL WORK THAT PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN AT THE SPECIFIC COMPANY THAT THEY WORK FOR.

WHAT IT DOESN'T SHOW -- AND THIS IS KIND OF A DISAPPOINTMENT IS THE HOUSING DATA THAT WAS AVAILABLE IN EARLIER CENSUSES.

IN THIS PARTICULAR CENSUS, THE HOUSING DATA WAS COMPILED BUT WASN'T COORDINATED WITH INDIVIDUALS AND THEN THAT INFORMATION WAS DESTROYED.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE 1930 CENSUS AND THE 1940 CENSUS, YOU'LL HAVE DESCRIPTIONS OF, SAY, IS THE HOME OWNED OR RENTED, IF RENTED, HOW MUCH IS THE RENT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SOME OF THAT IS IN THIS CENSUS BUT ONLY ON WHAT THEY CALL SAMPLE LINES SO EVERY FIFTH PERSON IS ON THE SAMPLE LINE SO YOU MIGHT GET LUCKY IF YOUR FAMILY MEMBER IS ON THE SAMPLE LINE.

>> AND TO THAT POINT IT SOUNDS LIKE -- THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING -- IF FOLKS WERE RESEARCHING ANCESTORS DURING THE GREAT MIGRATION WHICH PICKED UP AFTER 1950 BUT RACE WAS RECORDED DIFFERENTLY ON THE CENSUS AT THE TIME TELL US A LITTLE BIT HOW THAT WAS DIFFERENT.

>> SO, FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT RACE -- AT&T QUESTIONS ON EVERY CENSUS IS DIFFERENT AND RACE KIND OF IS ENUMERATED IN THE -- IN THE WAY PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT THINGS AT THE TIME.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE IN THE 1950 CENSUS ARE BLACK -- OR NEGRO, AND IN TERMS OF CATEGORIZING RACE, THE ENUMERATOR -- AND UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE VERY RIGID INSTRUCTIONS HOW THEY ARE TO CONDUCT THE CENSUS -- THE ENUMERATOR -- IF THEY ASK THE PERSON -- THE ADULT BEING INTERVIEWED ABOUT WHAT RACE THEY WERE, THEY WERE TO ASSUME THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE HOUSEHOLD WAS OF THE SAME RACE WHICH, OF COURSE, IF THERE ARE MIXED RACE PEOPLE YOU WON'T FIND THEM IN AN INSTANCE OR ANY OF THEM.

>> SO WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THIS CENSUS FROM LONG AGO.

WHY SHE HAD THIS CARE TO PEOPLE TODAY?

>> WELL, I THINK WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE WE CAME FROM AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS IS -- IT'S A SNAPSHOT OF THE WORLD AS IT WAS 72 YEARS' AGO.

NOW, A LOT OF FOLKS WILL GO INTO THE CENSUS AND IF THEY CAN FIND THEIR FAMILY, THAT'S WHERE THEY STOP BUT THERE ARE -- ONE OF THE FUN THINGS ABOUT THE CENSUS IS FINDING YOUR FAMILY AND THEN FINDING OUT WHO LIVES NEXT DOOR, WHERE -- WHAT WORK THEY'RE ENGAGED IN AND THEN YOU CAN LOOK AT THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

OVER THE WEEKEND, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LARGELY SETTLED BY SCANDINAVIANS IN THE 1920s SO -- BUT THEN IT BECAME -- AFTER WORLD WAR II, IT BECAME VERY HEAVILY JEWISH AND SO I JUST KIND OF WALKED AROUND THE ENUMERATION DISTRICT METAPHORICALLY LOOKING TO SEE WERE THERE ANY OF THE OLD SWEDES AND NORWEGIANS LEFT -- >> YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF HOW NEIGHBORHOODS CHANGED, OF COURSE, OVER TIME IT SOUNDS LIKE.

>> EXACTLY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THAT'S WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

RICHARD ANDERSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, BRANDIS.

>> AND THERE'S MORE "CHICAGO TONIGHT" JUST AHEAD BUT FIRST A LOOK AT THE WEATHER.

♪ >> LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO IS DEBUTING A POWERFUL STORY OF HURT AND HEALING.

IT'S BASED ON A MEMOIR BY LONG TIME "NEW YORK TIMES" COLUMNIST CHARLES M. BLOW, COMPOSED BY TERRENCE BLANCHARD.

THE STORY EXPLORES HOW BLOW CONTINUES HAVE TO HEAL FROM HIS CHILD ABUSE.

WE SAT DOWN WITH HOW THIS PRODUCTION WILL SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR MORE BLACK STORIES IN OPERA.

♪ >> YOU TRY TO WRITE MUSIC THAT'S HEALING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MUSIC'S DONE FOR ME.

>> THIS WAS ONE OF THE MANY GOALS AS HE WORKED TO HIM COME PIES FIRE SHOT UP IN MY HOME OVER THE COURSE OF 2 YEARS.

BASED ON THE MEMOIR BY CHARLES M. BLOW, FIRE SHOT UP FOR MY BONES SHOWED BLOW'S TRAUMATIC YEARS GROWING UP IN LOUISIANA.

HE SPENT HIS FORMATIVE YEARS GETTING MOLESTING BY A FAMILY MEMBER ALTERING TEATERING AGAINST REVENGE AND ACCEPTANCE.

>> WHEN YOU HEAR THIS STORY THEN YOU SEE WHERE HE IS NOW AND UNDERSTAND WHERE WHAT HE'S GONE THROUGH, THEN IT'S REALLY A TESTAMENT TO HIS STRENGTH.

>> IT WAS AFTER HIS DEBUT AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA PRIOR TO ITS LAUNCH DABUY THAT TERRENCE HEARD FROM BLOW ABOUT HOW HIS WORK HAD BEEN RECEIVED.

>> HE SAID I REALIZED THAT'S NOT ME ANYMORE.

THAT'S THE REASON FOR DOING THE OPERA.

HIM SAYING THAT PUTTING IT OUT THERE, HOPEFULLY, THAT SOME OTHER PERSON THAT'S STRUGGLING WHO HAS AN ISSUE CAN READ THAT AND KEEP WORKING AND HOPEFULLY I'LL HAVE MY CHARLES BLOW MOMENT.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE TOUCHING, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE AND YOU HOPE THAT IT HELPS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH THEIR ISSUES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT SPOKE TO THE POWER OF ART THAT SOMETIMES WE TAKE FOR GRANTED.

>> BUT FOR BLANCHARD THIS STORY ISN'T JUST ABOUT SHARING BLOW'S EXPERIENCE AS A BLACKMAN BUT ABOUT SHARING A BLACK EXPERIENCE IN AN OPERA.

♪ >> MAN, WHEN THE PILOT KIDS OPEN UP I THINK THE THIRD ACT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST FOR THE STEP SEQUENCE, THIS ONE THEY WALKED ON STAGE THEY GOT A STANDING OVATION.

THERE ARE A LOT OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOICES WHO ARE MAKING THEIR DEBUT BECAUSE OF THIS THING AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M PROUD OF, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT SHOULDN'T.

IT SHOULDN'T.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT SHOULDN'T TAKE MY PROJECT TO DO THAT.

>> WHETHER IT BE FROM THE AUDIENCE OR ON STAGE, BLANCHARD SAYS HE HOPES PEOPLE REALIZE HOW MUCH THE WORLD NEEDS MORE RELEVANT STORIES LIKE THIS ONE.

>> ONE PERSON CAME UP TO ME AFTERWARDS AND HE WAS TRYING TO SPEAK BUT HE WAS CRYING SO MUCH HE COULDN'T SPEAK AND HE JUST KEPT SAYING THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE THIS.

THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE THIS.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M ANGEL IDOWN.

♪ >> AND AS ANGEL THIS ORIGINALLY DEBUTED AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA NETWORK MAKING A FIRST OPERA TO BE PERFORMED AT THE MET.

YOU CAN SEE IT HERE AT THE LYRIC THEATER.

THE PRESENTATION PREMIERED ON WTTW LAST FRIDAY BUT YOU CAN STILL SEE IT ONLINE BY VISITING WTTW.COM/WATCH.

WE'RE ABOUT READY TO WRAP IT UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

♪ >> AND THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS MONDAY NIGHT.

DON'T FORGET TO STAY CONNECTED WITH US BY SIGNING UP FOR OUR DAILY BRIEFING AND YOU CAN GET "CHICAGO TONIGHT" STREAMED ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND OUR WEBSITE WTTW.COM/NEWS.

YOU CAN ALSO GET THE SHOW VIA PODCAST AND THE PBS VIDEO APP AND PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW LIVE AT 7:00.

FOR AUSTRALIA OF US ATITIS I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING AND STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.