>>> CHICAGOANS CAN LEARN ALL KINDS OF THINGS AT LOW OR NO COST ACROSS THE CITY AT LIBRARIES INCLUDING A BEGINNER FRIENDLY COURSE IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE TAUGHT BY A LIFELONG RESIDENT.

PRODUCERERICA GUNDERSON MET UP WITH JERRY OWEN.

HE SAID IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN THE BASICS OF SIGN LANGUAGE, HE WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU A HAND.

>> THAT'S HOW I INTRODUCE THE CLASS, I SAY HELLO.

>> Reporter: EVERY TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT THURGOOD MARSHALL LIBRARY, RETIREE JERRY SIGNS HELLO AT THE SIGN LANGUAGE CLASS.

>> I FEEL LIKE I'M AT BASIC LEVEL BUT I KNOW ENOUGH TO TEACH SOMEBODY AT ZERO.

BECAUSE I TRY TO LET THE STUDENTS HELP.

I DON'T JUST TALK TO THEM.

I TRY TO GET THEM TO JOIN IN, HELP OUT.

MAKE IT INTERESTING.

>> Reporter: HE FIRST BECAME FASCINATED WITH SIGN LANGUAGE BY SEEING IT ON TV.

BUT HE DIDN'T EXPECT TO EVER LEARN IT.

THAT CHANGED WHEN HE SAW A FLYER FOR A CLASS AT THE LIBRARY TAUGHT BY MISS BERNICE MCAFEE.

>> I WALK IN THE DOOR, DON'T KNOW IF I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

I'M IN SOME PLACE NEW.

CAN I DO THIS?

ALL THIS STUFF IS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD.

HERE IS THE THIS LITTLE OLD LADY.

90 YEARS OLD STANDING UP THERE TALKING.

HAD A LITTLE WIG ON.

SO I WALK IN.

AND SHE JUST TOLD SOME KIND OF LITTLE FUNNY JOKE.

AND SHE STARTS LAUGHING, HA, HA, HA, HA.

AND, HER TEETH ALMOST FELL OUT.

AND WHEN SHE GOT THROUGH LAUGHING AND SAID OH, PUT HER TEETH BACK IN.

SAID OH, THAT'S GOOD FOR MY HEALTH.

>> Reporter: HE ATTENDED HER CLASS FOR YEARS.

AND THEN SHE HANDED HIM THE TORCH IN 2020.

>> SO SHE SAYS, I'M NOT GOING TO BE COMING MUCH LONGER.

AND, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START DOING THE CLASS.

SHE DRAFTED ME.

I WAS DRAFTED.

SHE PASSED AWAY ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT.

AND HERE I AM, STILL HERE.

>> Reporter: BOWEN SAYS ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN A BASIC COURSE IS WELCOME TO JOIN HIM.

>> COME ONE TIME.

COME A FEW MONTHS.

JUST KEEP COMING.

I HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE COME IN THAT KNEW WAY MORE THAN I DID.

I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T COME BACK.

[ LAUGHTER ] OH, THAT'S GOOD FOR MY HEALTH.

THANK YOU!

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT BLACK VOICES, THIS IS ERICA GUNDERSON.