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

[MUSIC] GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, I AM BRANDIS FREEMAN.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT YOUR HOME IS YOUR CASTLE AND ALSO YOUR GREATEST SOURCE OF WEALTH.

RESEARCH SHOWS DISCRIMINATION AND APPRAISALS MEAN ANY BLACK HOMEOWNERS ARE BEING SHUT OUT OF HEATING THEIR HOMES FULL VALUE WITH LONG-TERM EFFECTS.

>>> REMEMBERING CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST TIMUEL BLACK WITH TWO PEOPLE HE MEANT TOWARD.

>> IT'S VERY FULL OF ENERGY.

I LOVE THE VIBE I GET FROM THE PIECE.

>> THE YOUNG MUSICIAN KAYLEE HOLLIDAY EXPLAINS WHY SHE EMBRACES THE SWEET SOUND OF THE CELLO.

>>> FIRST OFF TONIGHT RESEARCH SHOWS BLACK HOMEOWNERS ARE AT RISK OF LOSING OUT ON THE VALUE OF THEIR HOME DUE TO DISCRIMINATION IN APPRAISALS.

IN CHICAGO IN 2,015 STUDY FOUND HOMES IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD OR VALUE RETURNS HIGHER THAN THOSE IN BLACK AND LATINO NEIGHBORHOODS AFTER AMENITIES AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LACK HOMEOWNERS REPORT THEIR HOMES WERE APPRAISED AT A HIGHER VALUE ONLY AFTER OWNERS REMOVED ALL EVIDENCE OF BEING BLACK, FAMILY PHOTOS FOR INSTANCE.

NOW THERE IS A GROWING PUSH TO PASS FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO PROTECT LACK HOMEOWNERS FROM THAT DISCRIMINATION.

I'LL BE RUSH IS COSPONSORING A BILL THAT WOULD ESTABLISH A TASK WAS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

BUT I AM COSPONSORING HR 25 FOR THE EVALUATION FOR IMPROVEMENT ACT.

I WILL CREATE A RIGHT LIGHT ON THE INDUSTRY AND I WILL OFFER A RESULT IN MORE DIVERSITY AMONG APPRAISERS.

>> CONGRESSMAN BOBBY RUSH SOUNDING THE ALARM LOOKING TO CREATE MORE DIVERSITY IN APPRAISERS.

JOINING US NOW, LUTALO McGEE TASK FORCE WITH ILLINOIS REALTORS.

MARCUS KNIGHT, A RESIDENT REAL ESTATE TRAINING AND JUNIA HOWELL PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO.

THANK YOU TO THE THREE OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

JUNIA HOWELL, WE WILL START WITH YOU.

WE CITED YOUR RESEARCH IN THE DISPARITIES OF EVALUATION FOR HOMES IN CHICAGO.

WHAT DOES YOUR RESEARCH SHOW BILLY INDICATE WHAT IS BEHIND THIS AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT COMMIT >> MY WORK IS A SERIES OF DIFFERENT PIECES THE LOOKS AT BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL TRENDS SHOWING HOW THE HISTORICAL LEGACY OF WHAT WE CALL REDLINING OR WHICH THE PROCESS OF WHICH WE LITERALLY WENT THROUGH, THE GOVERNMENT WENT THROUGH GRADED NEIGHBORHOODS AND GAVE THOSE THAT WERE WHITE AND MORE AFFLUENT HIGHER VALUE.

IT IS STILL PRESENT TODAY IN THE WAYS OF WHICH WE USE SALES COMPARISON APPROACHES WHICH PULL ON THESE HISTORICAL SALES AS WELL AS VARIOUS LEVELS OF BIAS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THESE DISSIMILAR ELEMENT AND THE APPRAISERS.

>> MARCUS NIGHT, YOU ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO THE PROFESSION.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO BECOME AN APPRAISER AND ALSO GIVE US IF YOU CAN A QUICK DESCRIPTION OF HOW APPRAISERS PERFORM HOME EVALUATIONS.

>> SURE.

I HAD AN INTEREST IN IT AND I HAD DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH NONPROFITS.

I WANTED TO HAVE A GREATER IMPACT.

SO, I LEARNED ABOUT THE FIELD THROUGH THE URBAN LEAGUE AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

I APPLIED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND I WAS ABLE TO TAKE CLASSES AND NOW I AM A TRAINEE.

IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, WE GO IN, WE DO AN INSPECTION AND WE GATHER KEY DETAILS ABOUT THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND, WE TAKE THOSE BACK AND WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND DO PRICE COMPARABLES AND WE DO A RECONCILIATION BEFORE THE FINAL VALUE IS IN.

>> MARCUS, REALLY QUICKLY, WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE DIVERSITY AMONG APPRAISERS?

>> AS I AM LEARNING, I AM NEW TO ALL OF THIS.

THE ISSUE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS YOU NEED LOCAL MARKET EXPERTS.

THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BLACK AND BROWN APPRAISERS.

IF YOU WERE ABLE TO GET MORE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE WHO WERE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA, YOU WILL LIKELY SEE THEM, YOU WILL FIND THERE IS MORE DUE DILIGENCE TO BE DONE TO FIND BETTER COMPS FOR SUBJECT PROPERTIES THEN JUST IN GENERAL A HIGHER EVALUATION OR A FAIR EVALUATION OF PROPERTIES.

>> AND, LUTALO McGEE, WHAT CAN REALTORS DO TO PLAY IN THE EQUALITY OF ROLES?

>> FIRST, WE AS REALTORS HAVE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE APPRAISAL PROCESS, HOW TO WORK WITH APPRAISERS, HOW TO COUNSEL OUR CLIENTS AND SEE IF AN APPRAISAL WAS DONE UNFAIRLY AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO OUR CLIENTS AND CHALLENGE THE APPRAISAL WHEN IT COMES UP.

>> JUNIA HOWELL, WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHEN HOMES ARE UNDERVALUED?

>> THERE ARE MULTIPLE LONG-TERM EFFECTS AND WE ARE SEEING THEM PRESENTLY.

THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE.

THIS IS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE THE BIRTH OF OUR CURRENT NATION.

DEFINITELY SINCE 1,934 IN THE NATIONAL HOUSING ACT PASSED AND WE REFORMED HOW WE DID HOUSING.

THOSE ARE RACIAL INEQUALITIES AND THOSE ARE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS THEY ARE PERVASIVE.

HOW WE VALUE PROPERTY AFFECTS HOW WE TAX, IT AFFECTS, AFFECTS ALL THESE COMPONENTS.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL BIASES ARE PART OF THE STORY, WE DESPERATELY NEED MORE DIVERSITY IN THE FIELD.

WE ALSO NEED TO BE WILLING TO RETHINK HOW THE LARGER STRUCTURE AND PROCESS THAT MARCUS MENTIONED IS BUILT.

BECAUSE THOSE DEEPER ISSUES ARE ALSO STRICT WITH THIS RACIAL INEQUALITY AND THIS PERPETUATION OF INEQUITY THAT WE CONTINUE FOR THE LAST CENTURY.

>> AND, JUNIA HOWELL YOU'VE CREATED A TASK WORSE, WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE TASK FORCE?

>> PIGGYBACKING OFF MY ORIGINAL ANSWER, WE ARE HERE TO EMPOWER OUR CLIENTS BOTH BUYERS AND SELLERS.

OUR SECOND MISSION OR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR REALTORS AND OUR MEMBERS UNDERSTAND HOW THE APPRAISAL PROCESS SHOULD GO AND ARE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS SUCCESSFULLY AND ULTIMATELY WE HOPE TO INFLUENCE CHANGES WITH THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND POLICY FOR APPRAISALS AND HOW THEY ARE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE UNBIASED AND FAIR FOR ALL PARTIES.

>> CONGRESSMAN RUSH GOING BACK TO HIM AGAIN, HE SAID HE WAS EVEN A VICTIM OF APPRAISAL BIAS AND HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

>> NOT ONLY WAS THE APPRAISER BIAS BECAUSE HE WAS A WHITE MAN COMING INTO A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD AND I COULD SEE THE ANXIETY ON HIS FACE WHEN I SAW HIM.

HE WANTED TO HURRY UP AND GET OUT OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND SO, ALTHOUGH SUGGESTIVE INFLUENCES LED HIM TO UNDER APPRAISE MY HOUSE.

SO, I AM A FACE OF RACISM IN THE APPRAISAL INDUSTRY.

AND THE LACK OF DIVERSITY IN THE APPRAISAL INDUSTRY HAS ROBBED ME AND COUNTLESS OTHERS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

AND IN TERMS OF HOME VALUE.

>> CONGRESSMAN BOBBY RUSH THERE SAYING AN APPRAISER IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD WANTED TO HURRY UP AND GET OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT LED HIM TO UNDERVALUE HIS HOME.

ACCORDING TO THE APPRAISAL INSTITUTE LESS THAN TWO PERCENT OF PROFESSIONAL APPRAISERS NATIONWIDE ARE BLACK.

MARCUS, BACK TO YOU, DOES THIS LACK OF DIVERSITY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM?

>> YES.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, JUST LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW APPRAISERS DRAW FROM COMPARABLES AND THIS IS COMING FROM THE HISTORIC RAIL ROUTING, WE HAVE LOCAL REALTORS IN THE AREA.

IF MY PROPERTY WAS A RISK, YOU CAN HAVE PRICES THAT DIFFER BY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE MARKET THEN YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.

AND IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO HAVING PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA BECAUSE THEY HAVE A STRONGER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS IN THE AREA AND WHAT IS IN DEMAND.

>> AND, JUNIA HOWELL, IT'S ONE THING TO DIVERSIFY THE APPRAISAL POOL BUT WHAT ABOUT TRAINING ASSISTING APPRAISERS TO NOT BE BIAS?

>> WE DEFINITELY NEED TRAINING FROM GOING TO RE-EMPHASIZE, WE NEED TO BE MORE CREATIVE THAN THE AND WE NEED TO PUSH FOR A NEW MESSAGE, TOO.

IF WE ARE CONSTANTLY PULLING FROM THE SAME MESSAGE THAT READ THE NOTION THAT YOUR PROPERTY SHOULD BE VALUED ON WHO YOU LIVE AROUND, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROCESS THIS AS RACIAL ECONOMICS.

NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO TRAIN APPRAISALS TO NOT BE BIAS, WE NEED TO TRAIN THEM ON A NEW METHOD THAT IS LESS RACIST AND PUSHING AGAINST THE HISTORICAL PATTERNS THAT WE KEEP PLAYING OUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

>> A LOT TO THINK ABOUT A LOT OF WORK AHEAD AND THAT'S WHERE WE WILLTO LEARN T. MY THANKS TO JUNIA HOWELL, MARCUS KNIGHT AND LUTALO McGEE FOR JOINING US.

>>> NEXT, REMEMBERING CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND HISTORIAN TIMUEL BLACK.

>>.

[MUSIC] TONIGHT WE TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER CHICAGO HISTORIAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST TIMUEL BLACK.

HE DIED WEDNESDAY AT 102 YEARS OLD AFTER SPENDING A WEEK IN HOSPICE IN HIS CELL SITE HOME.

AS A LIFELONG CHICAGO AND HE NOT ONLY DOCUMENTED THE CITY'S HISTORY, HE LIVED IT.

>> IF YOU FOR YOUR MIND AND BELIEVE YOU ARE AS GOOD AS ANYBODY ELSE THEN YOU CAN WORK TO BREAK THE BARRIERS OF RACISM.>> TIMUEL BLACK IS KNOWN IN CHICAGO AS HISTORIAN, EDUCATOR AND ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.

HIS FAMILY MIGRATED TO CHICAGO FROM ALABAMA IN 1,919 WHEN HE WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD.

HE GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE IN WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE BLACK FELT WHERE HE WITNESSED AND EXPERIENCED RACISM AT A YOUNG AGE.

>> DON'T SPIT ON THE SIDEWALK.

DON'T TALK TOO LOUD.

>> BLACK ATTENDED UNIVERSITY IN HIGH SCHOOL PAY HE WENT ON TO COLLEGE AT ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY AND EARNED A MASTERS DEGREE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BEFORE COMING A TEACHER.

BLACK OFTEN JOINED US ON CHICAGO TONIGHT EATING INTO HEATED DISCUSSIONS WITH MOSTLY WHITE PANELISTS WHILE SPEAKING AT FOUR BLACK CHICAGOANS.

>> WOULD YOU SAY HE'S A RACIST?

>> OH YES.

>> AS 102 YEARS OF LIFE, HE SAW PIVOTAL MOMENTS IN HISTORY FROM THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR TO THE NATION ELECTING ITS FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.

BLACK BECAME A KEY PLAYER IN THE POLITICAL SCENE AND ACHING BLACK HISTORY.

WORKED ALONGSIDE DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

WHEN HE CAME TO CHICAGO AND HELPED ELECT THE CITY'S FIRST BLACK MAYOR, HAROLD WASHINGTON.

HE REFLECTED ON HIS SOCIAL ACTIVISM WITHIN INTERVIEW WITH ME ON HIS 100 BIRTHDAY.

>> THE ATTITUDE WHICH WAS INSPIRED BY MY MOTHER AND FATHER THAT A CHANGE IS GOING TO COME.

THE DOOR IS GOING TO OPEN.

BE PREPARED TO WALK IN.

>> IS AN EDUCATOR AND HISTORIAN BLACK HAS BEEN TELLING STORIES HIS ENTIRE LIFE.

BECOMING A PART OF HISTORY HIMSELF.

>> MY FEELING THAT IN THOSE 100 YEARS, THOUGH MANY NEGATIVE THINGS WERE PART OF MY LIFE, THERE WERE MORE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES.

AT THIS POINT, A SENSE OF FULFILLMENT.

I FEEL SATISFIED THAT I HAVE LIVED A HAPPY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE FOR MYSELF AND FOR OTHERS.

>> AGAIN, TIMUEL BLACK PASSED AWAY ON WEDNESDAY AT 102 YEARS OLD.

I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW BLACK TO MARK HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY BUT NEVER GOT TO KNOW HIM QUITE AS WELL AS SO ANY OTHER CHICAGO JOURNALIST, THIS DORIANS AND WRITERS THAT HE WORKED WITH.

JOINING IS NOW ANALYST LAURA WASHINGTON AND SHERMANN "DILLA" THOMAS THE URBAN HISTORIAN SHARING CHICAGO HISTORY ON TIKTOK.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO THE BOTH OF YOU IN MY CONDOLENCES BECAUSE I KNOW HE MEANT A LOT TO YOU.DILLA LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE.

AS A HISTORIAN YOURSELF WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO HEARING THE NEWS?

>> DESPITE HIM LIVING TO BE 102 I WAS STILL VERY SAD.

I GUESS WE FIGURED THAT DAY WOULD COME AT SOME POINT BUT IT'S ALWAYS TOO SOON.

IT WAS DEFINITELY SAD.

I SAW IT ON THE INTERNET AND I FELT LIKE A LIBRARY BURNS THAT DAY.

NO MATTER HOW LONG WE TALK TO OTHERS OR HOW MANY BOOKS HE HAS WRITTEN OR HOW MANY PEOPLE HE MENTOR, WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET BACK THE INFORMATION IN HISTORY WE JUST LOST WITH HIS PASSING.

>> LAURA, YOU KNEW HIM WELL WERE YOU IN TOUCH WITH HIM RECENTLY OR NEAR THE END?

>> YES I HAD.AS SHERMAN SAID, YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HIM FOREVER AND YOU CAN'T HAVE ROYALTY AND A TREASURE LIKE THAT FOREVER.

I SAW HIM 10 DAYS OR SO BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY WHEN HE WAS IN HOSPICE I WENT FOR A VISIT.

I WAS WELCOMED INTO THEIR HOME AND HE WAS HIM, SITTING UPON HIS BED TELLING STORIES AND HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON OUT IN CHICAGO.

IN THE END HE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR CHICAGO AND HE ALWAYS WANTED TO SOAK IN AND SHARE THE HISTORY.

>> I READ NATALIE MOORE'S OBITUARY AND SHE KNEW HIM WELL.

TALK ABOUT THE MENTOR SHIP, THE HONORARY GRANDFATHER THAT SHE CALLED HIM THAT HE WAS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.

>> FIRST OF ALL, FOR HIS STUDENTS, HE TAUGHT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CAME THROUGH THE PUBLIC SYSTEM.

WHICH IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED BECAUSE IT IS A PUBLIC RUN INSTITUTION THAT IT HAD A POWERFUL IMPACT AND REACH INTO MANY COMMUNITIES IN CHICAGO.

HE REACHED AND TOUCHED ALL THOSE PEOPLE.

I KNOW AS A REPORTER AND I'M SURE NATALIE HAD A SAME EXPERIENCE BUT HE WAS AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME.

HE WAS ALWAYS THERE.

I REMEMBER HEARING A STORY BUT HIS WIFE SAID SHE HAD TO GET A SEPARATE PHONE LINE BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS GETTING CALLS, ALWAYS ON THE PHONE ALWAYS WILLING TO TALK.

HE WAS A RESOURCE.

IF I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON IN CHICAGO I WOULD ALWAYS CALL TIM.

>> AND, DILLA WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT TIMUEL HAD ON THE WORK THAT YOU DO?

HOW DID HE MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE YOU?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

WHEN I WENT TO HIS HOME AND ASKED FOR HIS PERMISSION TO HIS LEGACY, HE GOT INTO POLITICS AND I SAID NO, I'M JUST A HISTORIAN AND AGAIN I SAID I'M JUST A HISTORIAN AND HE SAID WRONG, YOU ARE AN ACTIVIST.

HISTORIANS TELL THEIR TRUTH IN A DAY AND AGE WHERE PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH.

TRUTH TELLING IS A FORM OF ACT OF HIS HIM AND SO, THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE THING THAT I HARP ON OR REMEMBER THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT CHICAGO IS FULLY REPRESENTED.

A LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT CHICAGO HISTORY, MANY THINGS IN THE CITY DON'T GET MENTIONED AND I THINK THAT WAS A BIG PART OF HIS WORK NOT NECESSARILY BEING A BLACK HISTORIAN BUT MAKING SURE THAT THE BLACK HISTORY OF CHICAGO ISN'T LEFT OUT OF THE PICTURE.

>> LAURA, WE THINK OF HIM AS A HISTORIAN WE JUST REFERENCE TO THIS AND NOT ONLY DID HE HAVE A HISTORY BUT HE ALSO LED AS AN ACTIVIST.

TALK ABOUT THAT WORK.

>> IN THE TOP POLITICAL ARENA HE CONNECTED WITH STARS.

YOU THINK ABOUT HAROLD WASHINGTON, BARACK OBAMA, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE STARTED EARLY IN THEIR CAREERS KNOWING TIM AND LEARNING FROM TIM AND HE ON THE OTHER HAND WAS THERE TO SUPPORT THEM AND SUPPORT THEIR ACTIVISM.

HE BELONGED TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING AND CONTINUE TO WORK IN ORGANIZATIONS LIKE RAINBOW PUSH.

ALICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HE WAS MEMBERS OF ORGANIZED AROUND.

THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IS THAT HE KEPT PEOPLE HONEST.HE DIDN'T JUST GO ALONG TO GET ALONG HE WASN'T JUST GOING TO SUPPORT A CAUSE BECAUSE IT WAS A BLACK CAUSE, HE HAD HIGH STANDARDS AND HELD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.

TO THE OBAMA'S AND DOWN, HE WOULD TELL THEM IF HE THOUGHT THEY WERE WRONG.

>> DILLA, YOU ARE A MODERN HISTORIAN BUT YOU TWEETED LAST WEEK WHEN WE KNEW HE WAS GOING INTO HOSPICE, DON'T WORRY OG, I'VE GOT IT FROM HERE.

I'M NOT GOING TO LET IT BROUGHT ME TO TEARS BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE WITH LEGACY?

>> IT BROUGHT ME TO TEARS TO TWEET AND I'M FIGHTING BACK TEARS NOW JUST THINKING THAT WE EVEN HAD SOMEONE OF THAT IMPORTANCE.

I WAS SAYING, IF ANYONE IS LISTENING, HE WAS THE FOREST GUMP OF OUR TIME.

IF ANYTHING HAPPENED IN THE 20 CENTURY HE EITHER HAD FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF IT BECAUSE HE GOT THE FIRST PERSON REPORTING AS A STORYTELLER BUT ALSO AS A LISTENER.

HE LIVED THROUGH IT.

HE'S A WORLD WAR II VETERAN INTO HIS POINT, HE KEPT CHICAGO HONEST HE KEPT THE STORYTELLERS HONEST AND THAT IS WHAT I INTEND TO DO.

I DO INTEND TO HIGHLIGHT HIS BEAUTY OF CHICAGO AND I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD AND IN HIS LEGACY AND HIS MEMORY WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING EQUITABLE WHERE WERE TELLING OUR STORIES AND THE RESOURCES THAT FOLLOW BECAUSE OF THE STORIES TOLD.

>> A REAL-LIFE FOREST GUMP IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTOR SHOULDN'T.

AND, LAURA, WHAT DO YOU THINK CHICAGO WILL REMEMBER ABOUT TIMUEL BLACK AND WHY HE WAS SO SPECIAL TO THE CITY?

>> HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS SO SPECIAL HE WAS A SCHOLAR, A POLITICAL ACTIVIST, A THINKER, HE DID IT ALL AND REACH FOR IT ALL YET HE WASN'T PART OF THE ELITE.

HE TALKED TO THE ELITE, HE KEPT THE ELITES HONEST AND AS SHERMAN SAID, HE ELEVATED OUR COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES THAT WERE SO LONG OVERLOOKED.

ONE OF HIS BOOKS WAS CALLED SACRED GROUND ANY REALLY TOLD THE STORY OF HOW IMPORTANT AND SACRED OUR COMMUNITIES ARE AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL KEEP SCHOLARS AND HISTORIANS AND ACTIVISTS LIKE SHERMAN AROUND AND ACTIVE FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.

>> MAY HE REST IN PEACE.

MY THANKS TO YOU SHERMANN "DILLA" THOMAS AND LAURA WASHINGTON FOR JOINING US.

WE ARE BACK WITH MORE CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> BACK IN FEBRUARY WE MET FOR TEENAGERS PARTICIPATING IN THE CHICAGO MUSICAL PATHWAYS INITIATIVE A PROGRAM THAT HELPS STUDENTS PURSUE CAREERS IN CLASSICAL MUSIC.

ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS, KAILIE HOLLIDAY BEGAN PLAYING THE CELLO AT AGE 7.

SHE SAID SHE LOVED NOT JUST THE SOUND OF CLASSICAL COMPOSITION THAT THE STORIES BEHIND THEM.

HERE, HOLLIDAY TALKS ABOUT PLAYING THE MOST HUGGABLE STRING INSTRUMENT AS SHE PLAYS BOX CELLO SUITE.

>> I LOVE HOW IT IS LIKE ANOTHER PERSON RIGHT NEXT TO YOU.

SO, I GIVE IT A HUG IF I WANT AND IT MOVES WITH ME.

I REALLY LIKE THAT.

[MUSIC] >> I LOVE THE VIBE I GET FROM THE PIECE.

IT IS VERY FULL OF ENERGY.

[MUSIC] >> I LOVE HIP-HOP, JAZZ, R&B, I HAD A PHASE WHERE I WOULD ONLY LISTEN TO STUFF FROM THE 30S.

[MUSIC] >> I JUST LOVE THAT YOU CAN PUT YOUR EMOTION INTO ALL OF THOSE AND OPPOSED TO, NO SHADE, BUT OPPOSED TO ELECTRIC MUSIC WHERE IT IS A DEVICE RATHER THAN A PERSON THAT YOU CAN SEE.

[MUSIC] >> WE WILL ENJOY IT CLASSICAL MINUTE WITH ANOTHER CMP I FELLOW IN AN UPCOMING CHICAGO TONIGHT LACK VOICES PROGRAM.

THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.com/NEWS FOR THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS INCLUDING DETAILS OVER THE BATTLE OF VACCINE MANDATES FROM THE MAYORS OFFICE AND CITY WORKERS.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT KNOW THAT YOU CAN ALSO CATCH BLACK WAS HIS AND LATINO VOICES ON SUNDAY BEGINNING AT 10 PM AND OF COURSE JOIN ME AND PARIS SCHUTZ NEXT WEEK AT 7:00 FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT.

WE LEAVE YOU TONIGHT WITH MORE FROM KAILIE HOLLIDAY AND THE CHICAGO MUSICAL PATHWAYS INITIATIVE FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES I AM BRANDIS FREEMAN.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

>> REAL-TIME CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY U.S. CAPTIONING COMPANY.