>> SEGREGATED HOUSING IN CHICAGO WASN'T AN ACCIDENT.

IT WAS A SYSTEM THROUGH FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS.

ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE, AN ANIMATION, THE NEW FOUR-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES, SHAME OF CHICAGO.

SHAME OF THE NATION EXPLORES HOW THAT SYSTEM WAS CREATED, HOW IT HURT BLACK CHICAGOANS AND HOW ITS LEGACY STILL LIVES ON TODAY.

ITS FIRST EPISODE, THE COLOR TAX PREMIERES TOMORROW NIGHT AT 9 ON W T TW.

HERE'S A LOOK.

>> LIKE MANY AMERICANS, SALLY IN BOLD AND ASPIRED TO A HOME IN THE SUBURBS BETTER NEIGHBORHOOD INSIDE THE CITY.

BUT IN THE 1950'S, THOSE OPTIONS WERE OPEN TO BLACK FAMILIES.

SO HE MADE A DOWN PAYMENT ON A HOUSE IN WHAT WAS CALLED CHICAGO'S BLACK FOR 2 YEARS.

THEY MET THEIR MONTHLY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS ON TIME.

ONE DAY HE RECEIVED AN EVICTION NOTICE FOR BEING LATE.

ONE TIME.

ONE.

>> THAT WAS WHEN THEY WENT TO SEE MY FATHER.

>> SO MUCH MORE OF THAT STORY THERE.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE JOE WALTON, VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS AT EVERGREEN REAL ESTATE GROUP AND VIA ZOOM, SHAME OF CHICAGO.

SHAME OF THE NATION LEAD PRODUCER CREATOR AND DIRECTOR BRUCE ORENSTEIN ALONG WITH THE SERIES PRODUCER CHRIS JENKINS.

THANKS TO ALL 3 OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

BRUCE, WANT TO START WITH YOU CREATED SHAME OF CHICAGO.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TELL THE STORY?

>> WELL, IT KIND OF COMES OUT OF MY LIFE'S WORK AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.

AND THAT IS A FILMMAKER FILMS FOR DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO.

I WORKED IN LOW-INCOME LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO INADEQUATE HOUSING, TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE PROBLEMS THAT FOR THE CHALLENGES THAT WE CONCENTRATED POVERTY IN THE CITY WITH HIGH CRIME RATE ALL COME FROM A HISTORY OF HOUSING SEGREGATION.

SO I WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TELL THE AND IT'S SOMETHING YOU KNOW, THAT COMES FROM MANY YEARS MY WORK IN THE OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE THROUGH LINE IN THAT FIRST EPISODE IS THE IDEA OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AND GENERATIONAL WEALTH BEING OBTAINED THROUGH A HOME OWNERSHIP.

BUT OF COURSE, SO MANY BLACKS WERE.

>> DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY DELIBERATELY BARRED FROM OBTAINING THAT DREAM.

BRUCE, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE METHODS THAT WERE USED AT THE TIME TO PREVENT BLACKS FROM FROM BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE AND OWN HOME.

WELL, BECAUSE OF REDLINING POLICIES THAT MANY PEOPLE HEARD THE TERM RED LINE BECAUSE OF THOSE POLICIES, BLACKS COULDN'T OBTAIN >> CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGES, THEY BE ABLE TO BUY A HOME ON A MORTGAGE THAT A WHITE WAS ABLE TO BUY A HOME OR AND SO THEY TURNED TO CONTRACT SELLERS.

IT WAS KIND OF LIKE RENT A HOME.

THE CONTRACT SELLER DROP A CONTRACT THAT WOULD SAY ONLY THIS MONTH, AMOUNT OF MONEY AND PER MONTH.

AND SO ON.

AND THEY NEVER GOT ANY EQUITY.

WOULD NEVER BUILD ANY EQUITY IN THE PROPERTY AND THEY COULD ONLY OWNED THE HOME ONCE THEY PAY THAT CONTRACT OFF.

SO THAT MEANS IF YOU LIVE IN A HOME FOR 10 YEARS, LET'S SAY YOU WANTED THE MOVIE UPGRADE WHATEVER YOUR REASON YOU WOULD NOT HAVE ANY EQUITY IN THEIR PROPERTY.

WE CUSTODY AT THE COOKS ENTER THAT SHOW THAT UPWARDS OF 4 BILLION DOLLARS TO STRAIN FROM THE POCKETS OF BLACK FAMILIES WHO ARE UNDER CONTRACT.

85% OF THE BLACK FAMILIES IN CHICAGO WHO ARE SEEKING HOMES DURING THE 1950'S AND 60'S.

WE'RE BUYING A CONTRACT.

THAT WAS.

FOR SOME OF THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SURPRISE AS WE JUST HEARD IN THE CLIP ABOUT THE BOLTON'S WHO >> WERE EVICTED WHEN THEY MISSED ONE CHRIS.

AND THEN I WANT TO GET JEWEL WALTON IN ON THIS.

BUT, CHRIS, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE TACTICS THAT USED TO THE EFFORTS BEING USED TO PREVENT THEM FROM PURCHASING HOMES.

>> WELL, ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE THINGS ABOUT THIS STORY IS RESISTANCE AND THAT BLACKS TOOK ON PUSHED BACK AGAINST SO MUCH OF THE CONTRACT SEWING THAT WAS GOING IN PARTICULAR IN CHICAGO.

THE CONTRACT BUYERS WHICH, YOU KNOW, YOUR VIEWERS WILL SEE TOMORROW IS JUST INCREDIBLE STORY OF ACTIVISM OF LEADERSHIP.

WHAT WORKING CLASS, BUT FOLKS TO PUSH BACK AGAINST SO THESE CONTRACTS, SELLERS BY GOAT GOING DIRECTLY TO THEM TO TRY TO HAVE THEIR LOANS, A RENEGOTIATED.

AND AS OF YOUR VIEWERS WILL FIND, SOME ARE DOING SOME REALLY INCREDIBLY BRAVE I WANT TO GIVE AWAY EVERYTHING.

GREAT THINGS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY PUT PRESSURE.

THESE THESE CONTRACTS SELLERS TO RENEGOTIATE PUSH BACK.

AND GET A FAIR DEAL, WHICH THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO.

FOR WORDS OF 15 TO 20 YEARS.

AND WHAT IS REALLY INCREDIBLE ABOUT NOT ONLY THE STORY THAT PROVES TELLS THROUGH THE CODEX WE'LL BE SEEING MORE OF THE ENTIRE SERIES IS THIS BLACK RESISTANCE IN CHICAGO.

BUT I DEFINITELY CAN USE.

>> AND BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, DEFINITELY WANT TO GET BACK TO BREEZE ON WHAT WHAT ELSE WE'RE GOING TO IN THE REST OF THE SERIES.

WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE IT AWAY.

WANT PEOPLE TO WATCH IT BUT WALTON, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT HEAR SOME OF THESE STORIES AND THINK, OH, THIS HAPPENED 60 YEARS AGO.

SHIRLEY, THINGS HAVE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER.

OF COURSE, YOU HAVE A BACKGROUND IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC HOUSE AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT BLACK FAMILIES HAVE TODAY WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING A HOME IN BUILDING BUILDING THAT GENERATIONAL WEALTH, I THINK AND FOR THE MOST PART, THE ISSUE HAS BEEN BEING ABLE TO HAVE A SIZABLE DOWN PAYMENT AND RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO HOME OWNERSHIP.

>> PARTICULARLY AS VICE PRESIDENT.

PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH EVERY REAL ESTATE TO WORK ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND WITH THE AFFORDABILITY COVENANTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS, IT JUST TO GIVE SOME RELIEF TO BE ABLE TO COVER ADDITIONAL EXPENSES THAT CAN BE TOWARDS HOME OWNERSHIP.

THAT CAN BE TOWARDS PAYING FOR DAYCARE EXPENSES, WHICH FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES.

IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE BEYOND A HOUSING PAYMENT.

AND THEN ALSO YOU KNOW, COVER STUDENT DEBT HAS A BIG CHALLENGE FOR NUMBER OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND EVEN GOING INTO MIDDLE AGE, EVEN.

BUT IT'S MORE THE SOME OF AND THEN WE HAVE A HISTORY OF PREDATORY LENDING THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS HAPPENING JUST VERY RECENTLY THE LAST 2025 YEARS.

SO THIS IS BEEN A CONTINUATION OF A NUMBER DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.

AND WE'VE KNOWN FROM HISTORY THAT IN MANY CASES THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS BLACK AMERICANS WILL ENJOY.

WANT TO GET A LITTLE INTO THAT HISTORY BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME BECAUSE YOU AT END MAY COME TO YOU IN A SECOND.

I PROMISE.

BUT YOU HAVE A UNIQUE AND FAMILIAL CONNECTION TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY.

>> BUT EXPERIENCED A MASSIVE LOSS OF WEALTH, TULSA'S BLACK WALL STREET THAT THAT WAS DESTROYED IN 1921.

DURING THE VIOLENCE WHITE MOBS.

TELL US BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT CONNECTION.

SURE.

SIGN THE 5TH GENERATION DESCENDANT OF JB STRAFFORD.

HE IS ONE OF KEY FOUNDERS OF BLACK WALL STREET LEARNING OF THE BLACK TOWNS THAT WERE DEVELOPING OUT WEST PRIOR TO OKLAHOMA BECOMING A STATE IN 19.

0, 7, HE AMASSED A, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT OF WEALTH THERE.

IN THAT TIMES.

HE WAS HAD MORE THAN 24 BUSINESSES AS WELL RENTAL HOMES.

FOR BLACK AMERICANS, AND HE ALSO HAD THE STRATFOR HOTEL, WHICH WAS 55 ROOMS AND WITH THE LARGEST BLACK HOTEL AT THE TIME IT OPENED IN 6/1/1918, AND IT ALMOST 3 YEARS TO THE DATE.

IT IN TULSA RACE MASSACRE.

BEGINNING ON MAY 31ST.

1921.

SO HIS HISTORY.

AND CONNECTION TO MY HISTORY AS WELL.

HE USED HIS EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE AS BUSINESSMAN TO BE A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS.

JUST BECAUSE HE WAS DEFENDING AT THE TIME, THE STORY OF THE YOUNG MAN WHO ASSAULT ITS ALLEGEDLY A WHITE WOMAN IN ELEVATOR, THAT WASN'T JB STRESS FOR FIRST TIME PUT HIMSELF A POTENTIAL LYNCHINGS.

IT'S YEAH, IT'S A VERY, VERY LONG AND IT IS IMPORTANT HISTORY THAT ONLY RECENTLY MANY FOLKS ARE ARE BEGINNING TO LEARN ABOUT.

WE'VE GOT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT.

BUT BRUCE, WHEN IT COME BACK TO YOU, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER STORIES THAT WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE THROUGH THE REST OF THE SERIES?

>> BEFORE ANSWER THAT, I'M GONNA JUST QUICKLY SAY THAT CONTRACTS TELLING STILL EXIST TODAY.

YOU KNOW, ALL THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH SIDE, WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO THROUGHOUT THE SUBURBS IT'S A STORY THAT TOMORROW NIGHT STORIES VERY RELEVANT FOR TODAY AS WELL.

THE REST OF THE SERIES IS GOING TO DIVE BACK INTO THE EARLY 19.

100'S.

HOW DID CHICAGO BECOME SEGREGATED IN THE FIRST PLACE?

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

AND THEN ALL THAT CAME OUT OF THAT, THE WHOLE SCAFFOLDING SEGREGATION THAT PUT TOGETHER ALL METHODS, PRACTICES POLICIES.

AND SEEN SOME OF THAT AS WELL.

I KNOW.

WE ALSO.

>> YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT THE SUBURBS AND A LOT OF OTHER DIFFERENT EFFORTS AT AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS FOLKS CAN TUNE IN TO WATCH IT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LET ALL OF YOU GO THERE.

BREES ORENSTEIN, KRIS JENKINS IN JOELTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU.

AND AGAIN, YOU CAN WATCH THE FIRST EPISODE OF SHAME OF CHICAGO.

SHAME OF THE NATION TOMORROW AT 9 ON W T TW.

UP NEXT, HOW THE STORIES OF 5 FAMILIES HIGHLIGHT THE FRACTURING OF