Four years ago, the City Council passed a historic reparations ordinance for survivors of torture perpetrated by former Chicago police commander Jon Burge and those working under his leadership. The ordinance was passed after years of organizing by survivors and advocates and included a package of measures to address the harm caused to the individuals who were tortured, to their communities, and to the city as a whole. The ordinance called for: $5.5 million in reparations to dozens of Burge’s victims; free City Colleges tuition for victims and their families; the creation of a south-side mental health and vocational training center to address the needs of survivors; the development of a mandatory Chicago Public Schools curriculum about the history of Burge’s deeds; and the creation of a memorial to honor survivors “and the struggle for justice on their behalf.”
At the conclusion of the exhibition a jury of survivors and their families, as well as artists, architects, community organizers, philanthropists, and educators, will deliberate to select the winning design. The next step will be finding a site and raising the several hundred thousand dollars needed for the creation of the monument.
