Portside

Takes the reader from the 1969 murders of Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton and Panther Mark Clark—and the historic, thirteen-years of litigation that followed—through the dogged pursuit of commander Jon Burge, leader of CPD torture squad.

Inequitable access to public goods and economic opportunities must be immediately remedied, while continued consciousness of racial justice is necessary to ensure future changes in the city do not disproportionately disadvantage black residents.

Early morning, December 4, 1969, fourteen police officers executed a search warrant on a Chicago flat rented by the Black Panther Party. Supposedly looking for illegal weapons, instead, they shot and killed two people, leaving four others wounded.

Despite the Janus decision and years of labor losses, the Chicago Teachers Union has figured out how to organize — and win. Strikes always require sacrifice, risk, and preparation.

I’ve studied how schools can boost student achievement for more than two decades and I’ve found that smaller classes are better for students. This is especially the case in the early grades and for students from low-income families.

Rank-and-file workers are finally taking back their unions, and strikes are spreading across the country as a result.

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is bringing a holistic approach to bargaining to benefit both their members and students. This means bringing common good demands such as affordable housing and sanctuary schools into the contract negotiations...

Reader Comments: Impeachment and Rule of Law; Sanders, Warren and Trolls; Biden and corruption; Chicago Teachers Strike; Turkey, Kurds, Syria; "Glass Floor"; Housing; Puerto Rico; Resource: Stopping Workplace Sexual Harassment; Announcements (lots)

A look back on how multiracial Chicago-style coalition building has influenced organizing to this day. The trajectory of fearless grassroots, youth-driven, intersectional organizing set in motion by the 1969 Rainbow Coalition still resonates today.