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The fifth convention of the American Retail Coal Association was held at the the Sherman Hotel in Chicago in June of 1939. The ARCA was a group of local, state, and regional coal associations located in 27 states across the U.S. and represented coal merchants who marketed the majority of retail coal each year.  During the 1939 convention, Lee Attridge of Flint, Michigan was elected as the association’s President.

In the first half of the 20th century, the retail coal industry, which included all coal that was used for residential and commercial use, made up approximately 20% of the coal market. The Chicago-based association was also part of the American Retail Federation, which was made up of more than 800,000 retail outlets across the country.

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The 44th Ward Fair was an outdoor celebration event held in Chicago from the early 1970s until 1985. The 44th Ward constitutes the area of downtown Chicago including the Boystown and Wrigleyville neighborhoods. The first fair likely took place in 1972 as a way for Alderman Richard Simpson to raise money for projects and services in his ward. Events included ethnic food, concerts, carnival games, and more. For the 1979 fair, members of the Chicago Hustle, a women’s professional basketball team, were showcased in a free throw competition. 

The fair holds significance in local gay rights history. The initial 1972 fair welcomed an exhibit by the ward’s gay organizations. The following year, however, the clergy of the host church refused to rent the space out to fair organizers unless contract language expressly forbade exhibitions in direct contradiction to church policy. In response, a group of more than 30 protested the exclusion of the gay organizations. Local author, historian, and actor Studs Terkel happened to walk by the protest and asked its purpose. Once he learned why they were excluded, Terkel stormed the stage and gave a fiery speech denouncing the exclusion of gay people.

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Casimir Pulaski Day is a holiday that is observed in various cities throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and New York. Pulaski Days celebrate Polish culture through the remembrance of heroic nobleman, soldier, and military commander Kazimierz Michał Władysław Wiktor Pułaski (1745 – 1779), also known as Casimir Pulaski.  

After failing to lead an uprising against Russian domination in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Casimir Pulaski traveled to North America in 1777 to fight in the American Revolutionary war. While fighting for the Americans as a general in the continental army, Pulaski distinguished himself as a war hero, most notably by saving the life of George Washington. Pulaski has been deemed "the father of the American calvary" for his significant contributions to U.S. military history. In November 2006, President Barack Obama signed a joint resolution of the United States House and Senate officially making Pulaski an honorary U.S. citizen. Casimir Pulaski is one of only eight people to be awarded honorary U.S. citizenship. 

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The Chicago Daily News was an afternoon newspaper published between 1875 and 1978. It was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty to serve as a competitor to the Chicago Tribune. Initially, Chicago Daily News experienced low sales and was considered unsuccessful. To get it off the ground, Stone urged local merchants to sell his paper for 99 cents—rather than a dollar—to boost its circulation. His strategy worked, leading to greater sales for the remainder of the nineteenth century.

The newspaper was in its heyday from the 1930s to the 1950s. What contributed to its heightened popularity was its distinctive style of writing, which was likened to a “daily novel” by editor Henry Justin Smith. The concise paragraphs of the Chicago Daily News were short enough to be read by busy people who were on the go. The paper dissolved when the rights to the Chicago Daily News trademark were sold to Australian millionaire Rupert Murdoch in 1984.

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Riverview Park was an amusement park located on the north side of Chicago and it was open from 1904 to 1967. It started out as Schuetzen Park, which was a shooting range park created by Wilhelm A. Schmidt. In 1903, Schmidt's son encouraged him to build rides on the property to attract more people. The amusement park eventually had over 120 rides including Ferris wheels, carousels, and wooden roller coasters. Admission to the park was cheap and people paid separately for each ride. The Schmidt family sold the park in October of 1967 because of increasing crime in the area and the rising costs to maintain the park. 

Maifest is a German festival that celebrates the beginning of spring. It is traditionally celebrated with the decorated maypole which shows off the crafts and history of the local culture. Maifest is currently celebrated in Lincoln Square every year in Chicago.

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On September 26, 1980, men and women in Chicago participated in a “Take Back the Night” rally at the Daley Center. The purpose was to protest sexual violence and violence against women, specifically on college campuses, because it was believed many universities had inefficient protocols in place to deal with reports of sexual assault.

“Take Back the Night” became part of a global effort to combat sexual violence starting in 1978. In 2001, a number of women who started the movement banded together and created the Take Back the Night Foundation. This is a nonprofit organization that aims to be a hub of information sharing, resources, and support for women who have been the victims of sexual violence.

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In March of 1938, the Chicago District Squash Racquets Association (CDSRA) held its eighth annual tournament at Lake Shore Athletic Club. Squash racquets, or squash, at it is now commonly known, is still a popular sport in Chicago. Each year, the city holds the Windy City Open, in which men and women compete for a place at the Professional Squash Association’s World Tour.

Sources:

Windy City Open. (n.d.) Windy City Open. Retrieved from http://windycityopen.com/.

Name Chicago Team for Squash Title Tourney. (1938 February). Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.newspapers.com/image/372688752/?terms=chicago%2Bdistrict%2Bsquash%2Bracquets%2Bassociatio

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In March of 1937, the Chicago District Squash Racquets Association (CDSRA) held its seventh annual tournament, a week-long event held at the Lake Shore Athletic Club in Chicago. 1937 saw the largest number of top-ranking players to date compete in the tournament, a number of which were sent to compete in a national tournament. This was also the first year the CDSRA hosted a Veteran’s Championship, for which all participants had to be over the age of forty.

Squash racquets, or squash, at it is now commonly known, is still a popular sport in Chicago. Each year, the city holds the Windy City Open, in which men and women compete for a place at the Professional Squash Association’s World Tour. 

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The 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, known as the Century of Progress International Exposition marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Chicago, and its symbol was the “swirly planet”.

Fifty years later in 1983, the American Political Items Collectors (APIC) held their 11th convention at the Sheraton O’Hare Hotel. Programs included button preservation, a discussion of mail order auctions, and collecting women’s campaign items. APIC was founded in 1945 to study and collect political memorabilia.