From L-R: Caleb Williams, Common and Angel Reese (Photo Credit: Jeremy Allen, Tacuma Roeback and Wikimedia Commons).
In Part Two of the Chicago Defender’s year in review, we look at the most culturally and socially relevant stories we’ve covered this year, from President-elect Trump’s appearance at the NABJ Convention in Chicago to our Black hometown heroes like Rev. Jesse Jackson and Common receiving their flowers. And speaking of receiving their flowers, the Defender’s 2024 Women of Excellence honorees were again in a class and stratosphere by themselves.
We’d also be remiss if we didn’t highlight the lowlights, namely the seasons of two prominent Chicago sports teams.
With that said, these were our most engaging and culturally significant stories of this past year.
Read Pt. 1 here.
- The Chicago Defender 2024 Women of Excellence Honorees: Desirée Rogers and other extraordinary Black women luminaries shined at the 17th Annual Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Awards in March.
- Rev. Jesse Jackson To Receive Lifetime Achievement Honor At 2024 Men Of Excellence Ceremony: We celebrated the legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson and other trailblazers at The Chicago Defender’s 2024 Men of Excellence.
- Barack and Michelle Obama Issue Call to Action for Kamala Harris: Barack and Michelle Obama electrified the nation with a passionate call to action—rallying support for Kamala Harris.
- Chicago Eatery Goes From Few Guests to Soaring Success After Keith Lee Visit: One of our favorite stories from last year was when a reporter visited a struggling Black-owned Chicago eatery that felt the “Keith Lee” effect.
- From the West Side to the World: The Inspirational Journey of Pastor John F. Hannah: One of our city’s most influential men of faith sat down with us and shared his phenomenal journey.
- The Justin Fields Trade And Why Black Chicago Bears Fans Are Not Okay: Black Bears fans were far from not okay on this one. This column from March broke down why.
- Women’s History Month Special: Meet 18 Black Women Changemakers in Chicago: A look at some dynamic and accomplished Black women in our area.
- Ring-of-Honor Ceremony Marred by Booing of Late GM Jerry Krause: How the Bulls’ first-ever Ring-of-Honor ceremony for their 1995-96 team went horribly wrong.
- Coalition Wants Reform Within CFD To Address Lack Of Black Firefighters: When it comes to its racial makeup, the Chicago Fire Department’s ranks don’t come close to reflecting the city’s Black population.
- Candace Parker Retires, Having Forged a Legacy of Unrivaled Success: A Chicagoland legend hangs up her jersey.
- Bears QB Caleb Williams: Criticism of Nails, Fashion Reflect Fan Homophobia: This column reveals why some fans were up in arms when the Bears selected Williams as their franchise quarterback.
- Chicago Sky Draft Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, Creating Fan Buzz: Williams getting drafted by the Bears generated considerable buzz, but the Sky getting Reese and Cardoso had fans ecstatic.
- Mayor Johnson On What He’s Done for Black Chicago After First Year, Part 1: Mayor Johnson reflected on his first year in office where he discussed tackling generations of disinvestment with a promise to build a safer, stronger Chicago for Black communities.
- Former CPS Student Che ‘Rhymefest’ Smith Talks Chicago School Board Run: Che ‘Rhymefest’ Smith talked with us about his life and candidacy.
- Hyde Park Summer Fest Canceled Due to Rising Security Costs: Hearing this news was devastating, as it was yet another significant Black Summer event that ended.
- UNCF’s AMI Gala Raises $700K, Celebrates Black Excellence: The venerable organization’s annual gala was, yet again, a hit.
- Bally’s Chicago Casino Celebrates 1 Millionth Visitor: It had the second most admissions of any casino in the state since its opening in September 2023.
- Real Men Cook: 35 Years of Celebrating Fathers And Uplifting Black Men: We checked in on this Chicago institution whose mission remains as viable as ever: to change the narrative around Black men and celebrate their contributions as fathers, mentors and community leaders.
- The Heartbreak of Injustice, Remembering Sonya Massey: This column explores why Massey’s death was a stark reminder of the ongoing and unforgivable injustice of innocent African Americans murdered by police.
- Trump’s NABJ Convention Interview Was the Disaster Everyone Expected: Might we add that it was the hot, unmitigated mess we expected it to be.
- Common’s Renaissance: A New Album and Upcoming Millennium Park Show: Almost 32 years since his debut album “Can I Borrow a Dollar?” when Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” was the No. 1 song in America, to now when Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has radio in a chokehold, Common is as relevant as ever, blessed enough to receive what few artists get to enjoy while they’re living—their flowers.
- Millennium Park Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Four-Day Festival: This was an undoubted highlight of the summer that spotlighted the park’s storied past while celebrating the city’s vibrant diversity and pioneering contributions to art and music.
- 2nd Annual Bubba’s Block Party: A Celebration of NASCAR and Community: Once again, this burgeoning event, meant to expose diverse audiences to NASCAR, was a hit this summer in Chicago.
- African Festival of the Arts Postponed Until 2025: Why this time-honored event got canceled this past year.
- Owner Jerry Reinsdorf Calls White Sox ‘Historic’ Season ‘Embarrassing’: The White Sox’s historically awful season was made worse when its own social media team started clowning them.
- Heartbreak in the Final Seconds: Commanders Stun Bears with Hail Mary Victory: Fans had high hopes for the 2024 Chicago Bears until an improbable, low-probability play led to their disastrous season.
- Scary Hours: Bears’ Thomas Brown and Black Coordinators Fight to Salvage Season: This column examined the predicament that many NFL coaches of color find themselves in, even the Bears’ talented predominantly Black coaching staff.
- Speaking of Pardons, Here’s Why Jesse Jackson Jr. Deserves One: As Joe Biden exits from the White House, a compelling case is made for the total and complete pardon of former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.
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