>>> HEY THERE AND THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES."

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT WE TALK TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT HOW CHICAGO'S BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS WERE AFFECTED BY THIS WEEK'S EXTREME HEAT.

>> WHAT ARE WE WATCHING HERE?

>> CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS RETURNED TO THE CLASSES THIS WEEK, HEAR FROM THE WORKERS GETTING THEM THERE SAFELY.

>>> HISTORY PAINTS CONFLICTING PORTRAITS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., A DEFINITIVE NEW BOOK SEEKS TO CLARIFY THE PICTURE IN THIS WEEK'S BLACK VOICES BOOK CLUB.

>>> THE FOUR-DAY CHICAGO JAZZ FESTIVAL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WHAT YOU CAN HEAR FROM CHICAGO-BASED VOCALIST TAMMY McCANN.

>>> AND A MURAL HONORING LONG TIME CONGRESSMAN DANNY DAVIS FOR HIS LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS TO SUPPORT CITIZENS RETURNING FROM PRISON, ALL THAT COMING UP.

>>> BUT OUR FIRST STORY TONIGHT THIS, WEEK'S EXTREME HEAT AND ITS IMPACT ON CHICAGO'S BLACK RESIDENTS RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> AT THE THIRD WE BELIEVE WHEN DIVERSE VOICES ARE HEARD AND EMPOWERED, COMMUNITIES ARE MADE STRONGER AND THE FUTURE HOLDS GREATER PROMISE FOR ALL.

WE'RE PROUD TO SUPPORT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES."

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

TOGETHER WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

>> "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIFTH THIRD BANK AND BY THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

>>> THIS WEEK'S RECORD BREAKING TEMPERATURES WERE A REMINDER THAT EVEN A CITY KNOWN FOR ITS PUNISHING WINTERS CAN STILL BE BLISTERINGLY HOT AND EVEN DEADLY AS WE SAW DURING THE HEATWAVE OF 1995 THAT KILLED MORE THAN 700 CHICAGOANS.

SINCE THEN THE CITY INCREASED ITS EFFORTS TO KEEP PEOPLE COOL IN DANGEROUS HEAT.

NOW CHICAGO IS ONE OF 18 CITIES PARTICIPATING IN THE 2023 HEAT WATCH PROGRAM WITH THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION IN WHICH COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS COLLECT TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY DATA TO ANALYZE FOR UNDERLYING REASONS AND POTENTIAL MITIGATION EFFORTS.

HERE WITH MORE ON THE IMPACT OF EXTREME LET'S IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY ARE PASTOR BOOKER VANCE, THE PARTNERSHIP TEAM LEAD AT ELEVATE, JUANETTE SIMS, CHAIR OF THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE NETWORK AND SHERYL JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE FOR COMMUNITY RECOVERY.

THANKS TO THE THREE OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

SHERYL JOHNSON, LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE.

WHERE DOES HEAT AND EXTREME HEAT FACTOR INTO YOUR ORGANIZATION'S MISSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S PART OF OUR MISSION TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT THE CORRELATION BETWEEN POOR AIR QUALITY, HEAT AND PEOPLE WITH HEALTH-RELATED PROBLEMS, IN PARTICULAR CARDIOVASCULAR AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES AND PARTICULARLY AROUND PEOPLE WITH DIABETES AND IT'S ALL RELATED TO HEALTH.

MY MOM WAS ABLE TO CONNECT POLLUTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH URBAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL, PARTICULARLY AROUND INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION.

SO IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT AND IT ONLY MAKES THINGS MORE EXTREME WHEN IT COMES TO HEAT, TO EXTREME HEAT WHEN THE WEATHER IS REALLY HOT AS WE'VE SEEN IN THESE PAST FEW DAYS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

PASTOR VANCE, HOW IS ELEVATE WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THE HEAT STUDY?

>> WELL, WE WERE PART OF A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN MANY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MY SISTER'S GROUP WHERE WE DID SURVEYS IN COMMUNITIES TAKING TEMPERATURES IN THE MORNING, AFTERNOON, AND EVENING AND THEN PUTTING THE DATA TOGETHER BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE PIECES THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT IS THE DATA DRIVEN KIND OF ANALYSIS THAT HELPS US PLAN APPROPRIATELY INTO THE FUTURE.

>> JUANETTE SIMS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OLDER ADULTS IN BLACK COMMUNITIES ARE FACING WHEN IT COMES TO HEAT?

>> OLDER ADULTS, THE ELDERLY, ARE MORE ISOLATED.

AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE 1995 HEATWAVE, ERIC KLEINBERG'S BOOK HIGHLIGHTED ISOLATION AS ONE OF THE KEY SOCIAL FACTORS, BUT IN MY OPINION IT'S WORSE TODAY THAN IT WAS IN 1995.

WE HAVE A SMALLER BLACK POPULATION THAN WE DID IN 1995.

WE HAVE LESS BLACK CLUBS, LESS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THAN WE DID EVEN BACK THEN AND ALSO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS REALLY INCREASED ISOLATION.

>> FEWER PEOPLE IN ISOLATION, NOT AS MANY PEOPLE AVAILABLE TO HELP OTHERS TO CHECK ON EACH OTHER.

>> YES.

>> SHERYL JOHNSON, YOU'VE OBSERVED IMPACTS OF LET'S ON OTHER FACETS OF LIFE LIKE FOOD SECURITY, SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, EVEN COMMUTING.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL, ACTUALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IF I COULD RELATE THIS BACK TO THE COVID AND JUST MENTION IS ONE OF THE THINGS THE PAST ADMINISTRATION CREATED WAS THE HEALTHY COMMUNITY EQUITY ZONES AND THAT RAPID RESPONSE ENABLED US TO GET OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES AND TALK TO PEOPLE AND DO EVENTS AND WAS ABLE TO VACCINATE 950 PEOPLE AND MY COMMUNITY WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE HARD HIT COMMUNITIES TO REACH OUT FOR VACCINATIONS.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT THAT PROVIDED RESOURCES AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT, WE CAN HELP INTERVENE IN SOME OF THE CRISIS THAT COMES INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE HEALTH, I MEAN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HEAT AND THE HEATWAVE PATTERN THAT WE HAVE HERE, WE NEED THE EMERGENCY -- WE NEED LIKE AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE STRATEGY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT PEOPLE, THEY WORK TOGETHER.

THEY COLLABORATE, BUT THEY LEAVE THE COMMUNITY OUT OF IT AND I JUST THINK THAT THE GREATEST NEED IS TO HEAR THE COLLABORATION NEEDS TO BE INCLUSIVE OF THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE DIABETIC AND IF THERE'S AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET, YOU KNOW, HELP IS THERE FOR THEM.

THEIR FOOD IS JEOPARDIZED.

THAT'S A DOUBLE SWORD BECAUSE THAT CAN NEGATIVELY HAVE AN IMPACT ON THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT AND IT PUTS THEM AT A RISK.

AND LIVING IN AN INDUSTRIALIZED KNOWN POLLUTED COMMUNITIES, THAT JUST TAKES IT TO A WHOLE NEW DIFFERENT LEVEL.

>> PASTOR VANCE, HOW ARE YOU ADVISING PEOPLE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM HEAT LIKE WE HAD THIS PAST WEEK?

>> WE ADVISE FOLKS TO SHELTER SAFELY, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE LAUGHING EARLIER ABOUT THE WATER.

WE'VE BEEN DISTRIBUTING WATER.

WE MAKE SURE FOLKS HAVE ADEQUATE WATER, BUT ALSO COOLING CENTERS HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO GO AND MAKING SURE THAT INFORMATION IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND THE CITY HAS REALLY STEPPED UP, BUT DO WE NEED TO DO MORE?

YES.

DO WE NEED TO BE MORE ENGAGED?

>> YES DO WE NEED TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE INFORMATION?

YES BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.

WHAT'S DONE HAS BEEN GREAT, BUT IT'S NOT ADEQUATE AND SUFFICIENT FOR THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING.

>> DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE AWARE AND EDUCATED ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THE HEAT CAN BE AND ARE THERE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS YOU HAVE TO FEET HOW TO RESPOND NO KIND OF HEAT?

>> I DON'T THINK CHICAGOANS ARE REALLY AWARE ABOUT THE DANGERS OF HEAT, KNOW THE SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION, HEATSTROKE AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A MASS PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION AROUND THAT IN WE WANT TO SAVE LIVES.

>> SHERYL JOHNSON, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE IN THE CITY TO HELP MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF HEAT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY?

>> WOULD LIKE MORE COMMUNITY OUTREACH LIKE FOR AN EXAMPLE, WHEN THE MEDIA TALKED ABOUT COOLING PLACES THE OTHER DAY, THEY ONLY LISTED ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN COOLING PLACES WITHIN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, BUT THERE ARE OTHER COOLING PLACES FOR AN EXAMPLE.

YOU GOT THE LIBRARIES.

YOU GOT THE PARK DISTRICT, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT CONVEYING THAT INFORMATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT HOME, THE COMMUNITY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THOSE REALLY EXIST IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE ONLY VISUALIZING WHAT THOSE COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLICIZED ON THE MEDIA, BUT SOME OF THE SHORT TERM THINGS WE NEED TO GET, WE NEED TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR HOW TO ENGAGE IN OUR COMMUNITY JUST LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE AC EASY PROGRAM.

THAT WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

THEY PROVIDED THE TECHNICAL RESOURCES.

THEY PROVIDED THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND THE RESOURCES FOR US TO GET OUT AND BE ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I THINK THE HEATWAVE PROJECT THAT THEY ALREADY -- THAT PASTOR VANCE JUST MENTIONED, THAT WAS AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT HAD 75 VOLUNTEERS INVOLVED IN THREE SHIFTS THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT MEASURING WHAT THE TEMPERATURE, WHAT THE HUMIDITY WAS LIKE AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.

WE TEND TO NOT HAVE THOSE TYPE OF CONVERSATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS THAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND LIKE I LIVE IN AN ISOLATED AREA, YOU KNOW.

NOTHING IS DRIVEN REALLY FAST ANYTHING INFORMATION COMING TO COMMUNITIES IN MY DISTRICT.

>> SOUNDS LIKE ALL OF YOU ARE SAYING, THEN -- >> WE NEED MORE EXPOSURE WHAT IS AVAILABLE, WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY AND ALSO TO JUST LIKE WITH THE PANDEMIC -- >> I'M SORRY TO JUMP IN, SHERYL JOHNSON, SOUNDS LIKE OBVIOUSLY MORE WORK AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ASKING THE CITY TO PRESENT MORE AS WELL TO HELP SUPPORT YOU IN THIS.

WE'RE ACTUALLY ALL OUT OF TIME.

MY THANKS TO YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> THOUSANDS OF CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE BACK IN CLASS THIS WEEK AS THEIR SUMMER VACATION CAME TO AN END.

WE VISITED WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE TASKED WITH GETTING THEM THERE SAFELY.

>> HEY, GOOD MORNING.

HOW YOU ALL DOING?

>> Reporter: FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS, CHIQUITA BIRCH HAS BEEN A SAFE PASSAGE WORKER AT WOODSON MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BRONZEVILLE.

>> WHEN YOU CAN PLAY A PART IN SOMEONE'S LIFE MAKING IT SAFE FOR THEM, THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.

>> Reporter: BIRCH IS ONE OF HUNDREDS OF SAFE PASSAGE WORKERS SERVING AS EYES AND EARS FOR CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY.

>> WE'RE LIKE THE SECOND SET OF PARENTS THAT'S HERE UNTIL THEY GET OUT OF SCHOOL BEFORE AND AFTER CARE.

SO WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ANY CARS, NOT WANDERING OFF THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.

>> Reporter: AT WOODSON NORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL EIGHT SAFE PASSAGE EMPLOYEES LINE UP AROUND THE SCHOOL WITH BRIGHT SMILES AND OPEN ARMS, A WELCOMING TOUCH THAT PARENT CORY DILLARD APPRECIATES.

>> BEING ABLE TO TRUST THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AFTER HIM IS THE BEST THING EVER.

THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE TIMES WHERE I HAVE TO DROP HIM OFF AND THEY'RE LIKE WE GOT HIM AND MAKE SURE HE GETS IN OKAY.

>> Reporter: THE PROGRAM STARTED IN 2009, NOW SERVING 188 PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

CITY OFFICIALS SAY SAFE PASSAGE WORKERS ARE THE FIRST LINE OF PROTECTION IN SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING COMMUNITIES.

>> WE HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED THE SHOOTINGS, BUT YOU CAN HEAR THEM AND IT MAY BE A COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY.

SO WE HAVE A CALL TO 911 THAT MEANS HEY, IT'S A SHOOTING SOMEWHERE.

BE AWARE.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> Reporter: THE MOTHER OF SEVEN SAYS BUILDING COMMUNITY IS WHAT DRIVES HER PASSION FOR KEEPING STUDENTS SAFE.

>> IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE AND WE HEAR IT ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU'LL BE OUT HERE AND YOU'LL SEE IT AND YOU'LL JUST BE LIKE MAN, I'M GLAD I WAS HERE.

WHAT IF WE WASN'T HERE?

A LOT OF THINGS COULD TAKE PLACE.

>> Reporter: FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES," I'M JOANNA HERNANDEZ.

>> THERE ARE NEARLY 1,200 SAFE PASSAGE EMPLOYEES WORKING AT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY.

PARENTS AND GUARDIANS CAN MONITOR THE SAFE PASSAGE ROUTES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

>>> UP NEXT, A NEW BOOK REMEMBERS DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. NOT ONLY AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, BUT AS A HUMAN.

STAY WITH US.

>>> WE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL JUSTICE ROLLS DOWN LIKE WATERS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE A MIGHTY STREAM.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

DELIVERED THOSE WORDS DURING HIS ICONIC "I HAVE A DREAM" SPEECH AT THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON WHICH HAPPENED 60 YEARS AGO ON AUGUST 28th.

IN THE 55 YEARS SINCE HIS DEATH, KING IS OFTEN QUOTED AND REVERED, AN ICON HIMSELF, BUT IN HIS NEW BOOK "KING, A LIFE," AUTHOR JONATHAN IKE DRAWS KING AS A MAN, NOT A SAINT, NOT A SYMBOL, DELIVERING FAR MORE NUANCE THAT HISTORY HAS DONE.

HIS BOOK IS THE LATEST INSTALLMENT THE IN OUR BLACK BOOK CLUB SERIES AND THE AUTHOR JOINS US NOW.

WELCOME BACK TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

>> THANKS.

>> OBVIOUSLY NO SMALL AMOUNT OF WORDS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., BUT YOUR BOOK IS DIFFERENT.

>> I WANTED TO WRITE A MORE INTIMATE PORTRAIT BUT ALSO ONE THAT RESTORED HIS TRUE RADICAL NATURE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND SINCE HIS DEATH, WE'VE TURNED HIM INTO A NATIONAL HOLIDAY AND MONUMENT, BUT IN THE PROCESS WE'VE WATERED DOWN HIS MESSAGE AND WE'VE FORGOTTEN HE WAS HUMAN, THAT HE STRUGGLED, HAD DOUBTS, THAT HE SUFFERED, THAT HE EXPERIENCED MOMENTS OF UNCERTAINTY AND I WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK THAT MADE HIM FEEL MORE RELATABLE.

>> THE BOOK INCLUDES DETAILS FROM AN UNPUBLISHED MEMOIR WRITTEN BY HIS FATHER, OBVIOUSLY HUGELY INFLUENTIAL IN HIS LIFE.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THE KIND OF FATHER THAT DADDY KING, AS HE WAS CALLED, THE KIND OF FATHER HE WAS AND HOW THAT WOULD INFLUENCE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AS AN ADULT?

>> DADDY KING WAS A TOUGH GUY.

HE WALKED OFF THE FARM.

HE WAS BORN INTO A SHARE CROPPING FAMILY IN STOCKBRIDGE, GEORGIA, AT THE AGE OF 12 OR 13 WALKED OFF THE FARM WITH HIS SHOES TIED TOGETHER AND SLUNG OVER HIS SHOULDER SO HE WOULDN'T WALK THEM OUT WALKING BAREFOOT TOWARDS ATLANTA WHERE HE BASICALLY REINVENTED HIMSELF AND NOT ONLY TAUGHT HIMSELF TO READ, BUT BECAME A PASTOR AND TOOK OVER EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH AND MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. TO BE WHO HE WAS, LITERALLY RENAMED HIM.

THEY WERE BOTH NAMED MICHAEL KING.

HE CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE HIS SON CAN DREAM OF ACCOMPLISHING THE KINDS OF CHANGES THAT A PREVIOUS GENERATION COULD ONLY DREAM ABOUT.

>> WE KIND OF SEE THROUGHOUT THE BOOK THERE WERE TIMES WHEN YOU WONDER IF ML, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., WAS MAKING A DECISION BASED ON THE NEED TO IMPRESS HIS FATHER OR WERE THEY KIND OF COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER AT SOME POINT IN SOME WAYS.

I LEARNED A LOT.

HE PLAGIARIZED IN HIS EARLY WRITINGS.

HE HAD A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH A WHITE WOMAN BEFORE HE MET CORETTA SCOTT KING WHICH BLOWS A LOT OF PEOPLE AWAY, RIGHT?

BECAUSE AS LONG AS WE'VE KNOWN HIM, THEY'VE BEEN THE UNIT.

HE WAS CHARISMATIC BUT RESISTANT TO ELEVATING THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE MOVEMENT, HAD SOME EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS AND MAYBE SEVERAL RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE MARRIAGE AS WELL.

HOW DID YOU SORT OF NAVIGATE THE DIFFERENT IMAGES OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.?

>> YOU SUMMED IT UP VERY WELL, A LOT GOING ON THERE AND IT'S HARD.

HE LIVED ONLY 39 YEARS, BUT HE PACKED IN SO MUCH.

HE WAS A VERY COMPLICATED MAN.

HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO REALLY DIDN'T LIKE CONFLICT.

HE'S OUR GREATEST PROTEST LEADER AND HE DOESN'T LIKE CONFLICT AND I THINK SOME OF THAT COMES FROM HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER, BUT YOU SEE IT WITH CORETTA, TOO, BECAUSE CORETTA WAS AN ACTIVIST BEFORE THEY EVEN MET.

CORETTA HAD MORE CREDENTIALS AS AN ACTIVIST THAN DID HE WHEN THEY MET, YET HE WAS RESISTANT TO LET HER GET INVOLVED IN THE MOVEMENT.

HE WANTED HER TO STAY HOME AND RAISE THE KIDS.

I TRY TO LEAN INTO ALL THAT COMPLEXITY AND NOT TRY TO SIMPLIFY THE MAN, LET THE READER DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT HIS WEAKNESSES AND FLAWS AND HOW THAT FIGURES INTO HIS GREATNESS BECAUSE IT'S ALL TIED TOGETHER.

>> YOU ALSO, SPEAKING OF CORETTA, IT'S THE FIRST BIOGRAPHY TO TUESDAY THE AUDIOTAPES OF CORETTA SCOTT KING FROM HER RECOUNTING THEIR FIRST DATE TO PREPARING FOR DR. KING'S FUNERAL.

THAT SAID, I WANTED MORE CORETTA.

MAYBE I SHOULD GO READ HER BOOK, TOO BUT WHAT KIND OF INFLUENCE WAS SHE IN HIS LIFE?

>> I LOVE CORETTA.

I THINK THE REASON KING WAS ATTRACTED TO HER BECAUSE SHE'S SO STRONG AND OUTSPOKEN IN ACTIVISM.

WHEN KING WINS THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, CORETTA SAYS, "WE HAVE A GREATER RESPONSIBILITY NOW," NOT YOU," WE HAVE A GREATER RESPONSIBILITY TO TALK ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS, INCOME INEQUALITY AND POVERTY, WAR," AND IT'S CORETTA REALLY SOMETIMES LEADING THE WAY.

I THINK THAT SHE DESERVES A LOT MORE CREDIT THAN SHE OFTEN GETS.

>> YOU WRITE ABOUT HIS TIME, OF COURSE, PROTESTING IN SLUMS AND SEGREGATED HOUSING IN CHICAGO AND HIS WORK WITH LOCAL LEADERS, ORGANIZING WITH THE CHICAGO HISTORIAN SAMUEL BLACK WHO WAS AT FIRST DOUBTFUL OF HIM IN POLITICS.

HERE WAS A CLIP OF HIM SPEAKING ON HIS TIME HERE.

>> I'VE BEEN IN MANY DEMONSTRATIONS ACROSS THE SOUTH, BUT I CAN SAY THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN EVEN IN MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA MOBS AS HOSTILE AND AS HATE FILLED AS I'M SEEING IN CHICAGO.

>> CALLING CHICAGO THE MOB THAT HE SAW THAT DAY IN MARQUETTE PARK IN CHICAGO, MORE HATE FILLED THAN HE HAD SEEN ACROSS THE JIM CROW SOUTH.

WHAT DID HE LEARN FROM HIS TIME IN CHICAGO?

>> HE WAS TOLD BY MANY OF HIS CLOSEST ASSOCIATES NOT TO COME HERE, THEY THOUGHT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS GETTING INTO AND THAT NORTHERN RACISM WAS MORE PERNICIOUS IN MANY WAYS BECAUSE IT WAS BETTER HIDDEN THAN THE RACISM HE ENCOUNTERED IN THE SOUTH.

I THINK WHEN KING LEFT HERE, HE WAS DEEPLY FRUSTRATED BUT DETERMINED HE WOULD NOT GIVE UP.

HE FELT LIKE MAYOR DALY WAS NOT DEALING SQUARE WITH HIM AND AGREED TO MEET A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT DEMANDS AND AS SOON AS KING LEFT TOWN, THOSE DEMANDS WERE IGNORED AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE LIVE WITH TODAY, THE LEGACY OF THAT FAILURE TO EMBRACE KING'S REFORMS.

>> HOW DID HIS VISIT TO CHICAGO AND STAYING IN NORTH LAWNDALE LATER REFLECT A SHIFTING MOVEMENT?

>> KING HELPED GET PASSAGE OF THE VOTING RIGHTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, BUT HE WAS NOT SATISFIED.

HE SAID NORTHERN SEGREGATION, NORTHERN RACISM WAS JUST AS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED AND WHEN HE CAME HERE, HE LOST A LOT OF HIS SUPPORT.

A LOT OF THE WHITE NORTHERN LIBERALS WHO SENT MONEY, SENT CHECKS TO SUPPORT HIS WORK SUDDENLY LOST INTEREST AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHEN HE SPOKE OUT ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR.

WE FORGET IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS OF HIS LIFE, KING WAS FADING IN TERMS OF HIS POP POPULARITY AND PEOPLE DID NOT REALLY BELIEVE IN HIM.

IN THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON, 70% OF AMERICANS WERE AGAINST IT.

>> AND, IN FACT, JFK TOLD HIM HE'D BE MAKING A MISTAKE.

>> KENNEDY WAS AFRAID RIOTS WOULD BREAK OUT AND IT WOULD DAMAGE HIS SUPPORT IN THE SOUTH, THAT HE WOULD LOSE SUPPORT FOR ANY POTENTIAL CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION, BUT KING OVER AND OVER TOLD PEOPLE IN POWER HE WOULD NOT WAIT, THAT YOU CAN'T KEEP ASKING PEOPLE TO WAIT WHEN YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DEALING WITH THEM SQUARELY TO BEGIN WITH.

>> WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THERE BOOK?

>> I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER KING WAS A MAN, HAD MOMENTS OF DOUBT AND HE BECOMES GREATER AS A HERO WHEN YOU THINK OF HIM THAT WAY AND IT ALSO MEANS WE CAN ASPIRE TO EMULATE HIM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO FIGHT OR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.

>> IMPRESSIVE WORK, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JONATHAN IKE'S BOOK IS CALLED "KING A LIFE."

YOU CAN READ AN EXCERPT ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> UP NEXT, A PREVIEW OF THIS YEAR'S CHICAGO JAZZ FESTIVAL.

>>> STAY WITH US.

>>> LABOR DAY WEEKEND WILL ONCE AGAIN BE FILLED WITH THE SOUNDS OF JAZZ AT THE CHICAGO JAZZ FESTIVAL.

A FOUR-DAY SHOWCASE OF ALL FORMS OF JAZZ WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS.

CHICAGO-BASED VOCALIST TAMMY McCANN OPENS THE EVENING SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd, WITH SONGS FROM HER NEW ALBUM "DO I MOVE YOU."

HERE SHE TELLS US WHAT TO LISTEN FOR.

>> I HAVE BEEN TRAVELING A BIT WITH THE RECORD AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE HOME AND SHOW CHICAGO AUDIENCES WHAT I'M DOING, WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEN ALSO ALL OF THE MUSICIANS THAT WERE ON THE RECORD ARE ALSO BASED IN CHICAGO AS WELL.

THIS PARTICULAR RECORD IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO CALL MY MARINADE.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THE MUSIC THAT INFLUENCES ME FROM JAZZ TO BLUES TO GOSPEL AND I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING I'D LIKE FOR THOSE AUDIENCES TO GET A CHANCE TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC THAT I DO, THAT I CREATE.

I THINK THAT IT IS REALLY CONNECTED TO FAMILY AND CONNECTED TO BRINGING US OUT OF THIS EMOTIONAL SEQUESTER THAT WE'VE BEEN IN WITH COVID.

SO IT'S DO I MOVE YOU?

I WANT TO MOVE PEOPLE AND MAKE THEM FEEL AGAIN AND I THINK THAT ALL THE MUSIC THAT'S IN THIS RECORD AND GOING TO BE IN THIS PERFORMANCE IS SOMETHING THAT WILL RESONATE.

>> THE CHICAGO JAZZ FESTIVAL WILL JAZZ UP THE CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER AND JAY PRITZKER PAVILION FROM AUGUST 31st THROUGH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd.

>>> THE NONPROFIT SAFER FOUNDATION PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO CITIZENS RETURNING FROM INCARCERATION LIKE JOB PLACEMENT, TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING.

MUCH OF ITS WORK IS MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE SECOND CHANCE ACT WHICH WAS CHAMPIONED BY U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DANNY K. DAVIS.

LAST WEEK SAFER FOUNDATION UNVEILED A MURAL HONORING DAVIS FOR WHAT THE SECOND CHANCE ACT HAS DONE TO HELP CITIZENS SUCCESSFULLY REINTEGRATE INTO THEIR COMMUNITY.

>> STAY SAFER FOUNDATION CELEBRATED THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF OUR AGENCY LAST YEAR AND PART OF THE CELEBRATION WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONORED CONGRESSMAN DANNY DAVIS.

HE'S THE CONGRESSMAN FOR THE 7th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

THIS DISTRICT HAPPENS TO BE ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO.

ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE RELEASED FROM PRISON IN ILLINOIS COME BACK TO THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO THAN JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER COMMUNITY IN THE STATE.

WHAT'S SIGNIFICANT HERE IS THAT CONGRESSMAN DANNY K. DAVIS SPONSORED A BILL IN CONGRESS CALLED A SECOND CHANCE ACT.

THAT BILL WAS PASSED IN 2008 WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND THAT BILL HAS PROVIDED OVER $1 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR REENTRY PROGRAMS FOR SERVICES FOR PEOPLE IN PRISON, IN JAIL AND WHEN THEY COME OUT TO COMMUNITIES.

IT'S BEEN AN OPERATION FOR ALL THESE YEARS AND HELPING PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY RIGHT HERE IN CHICAGO.

SO THE SAFER FOUNDATION HAS BEEN A RECIPIENT MULTIPLE TIMES OF THIS SECOND CHANCE GRANT PROGRAM.

THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE HIM, TO THANK HIM ON BEHALF OF NOT JUST THE FOLKS IN CHICAGO, BUT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE WORK THAT HE DID.

THIS MURAL IS ABOUT INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND ABOUT BEAUTIFYING THE SPACE AND IT'S SYMBOLIC OF THE HOPE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE PORTRAIT ITSELF, YOU CAN SEE THAT HE'S KIND OF LOOKING UPWARDS TO THE SKY AND SOME PEOPLE ASKED THE QUESTION WELL, WHY ARE THE WHITES OF HIS EYES NOT WHITE, BUT THEY'RE BLUE?

BUT THE ARTIST SAID THAT'S A REFLECTION OF HIM LOOKING AT CLEAR SKIES, BLUE SKIES, THE FUTURE BEING BRIGHT AND PROMISING.

>> IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE EYES AND CHECK OUT THE MURAL, IT IS ON THE NORTH FACE OF THE SAFER FOUNDATION BUILDING.

>>> THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.COM/NEWS FOR THE LATEST AND JOIN US THIS MONDAY AUGUST 28th AT NOON FOR OUR NEXT VIRTUAL "CHICAGO TONIGHT VOICES" COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.

SHE'LL BE DISCUSSING WITH CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHAT BACK-TO-SCHOOL SAFETY FOR YOUTH LOOKS LIKE FOLLOWING THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF CLASSES.

TO RSVP VISIT WTTW.COM/EVENTS.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES," I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT!

>> CLOSED CAPTIONING IS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A. CLIFFORD AND CLIFFORD LAW OFFICES, A PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM PLEASED TO GIVE BACK TO THE