The Narratives of Robeson High School

One Year Later:
The Robeson Issue

It’s a look back at the south side Chicago high school that stood for many things to many people in the Englewood neighborhood for nearly 40 years.
In the May 2019 South Side Weekly issue, we dedicate the print publication to the one-year marking since the closing of Robeson High School.
Print issue cover, backpage collage by Ellen Hao and Lizzie Smith, courtesy of the 1978 Robeson High School yearbook of Liz Chambers.

Their school, their community.

Listen to the stories of students, parents, neighbors, and community leaders on the legacy of Paul Robeson High School.

Animated GIF-SSWRobeson.gif — It’s the beginning of the end.

Despite protests and crews of concern, CPS told South Side students their fates were sealed—four Englewood high school will be closed. How did we get here? 🔊

Explore the archive.

Listen to additional experiences and meet more faces of those that walked the halls of the 40-year-old south side institution.

Capture of the robesonarchive URL.png

Preservation of your community can start with you.

If you are connected to the Robeson network and have more stories, photos or other memorabilia to share, fill out our archive form —>

One of the many decorated bulletin boards that covered the many walls of Robeson High School before the building was closed and torn down. Photo: Olivia Obineme

This project was supported in part by the Illinois HUMANITIES Action Grant.