Glory, Darkness, Light: A History of the Union League Club of ChicagoWith roots in the Civil War, the Union League Club of Chicago grew up, prospered, and suffered alongside its city. Glory, Darkness, Light: A History of the Union Club of Chicago tells an honest story of how the Club and its members have built, boosted, and squabbled with their city for 125 years. The Union League Club of Chicago is unique among the country's 2,000 city clubs in its rich mix of civic, artistic, and charitable missions. In 1893, Club leaders saved and then presented the incomparable World's Columbian Exposition to 27 million awed visitors. Today the walls of its 23-story clubhouse are gilded with a noted art collection whose pieces overlook elegant dining rooms as well as offices for its four Boys & Girls clubs and two other charitable foundations. However, the Club history also has its darker chapters. Half the members of the Club board of directors in 2003--Jews, blacks, women--would have been neither eligible not acceptable for membership a half-century earlier. Based on their own records, the Club's resistance to these groups as members is recounted in sharp detail. Drawing on interviews, oral histories, and the Club's extensive archives, Glory, Darkness, Light: A History of the Union League Club of Chicago is both a grand city history and a revealing look at what goes on behind the brass plaque of a prominent city club. |
Contents
The Union Leagues Versus the Knights of the Golden Circle | 5 |
Owen Needs a Job Long John Seeks a Marching Club ลต | 13 |
Life in the Early Club | 20 |
Copyright | |
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admissions committee African American Aldrich archives art committee artists Arts Foundation Barnard Barreto became bill Boys and Girls Boys Club building camp Capone chair Charles Chicago Children's Choir Chicago Club city's Civic and Arts Club members Club of Chicago Club president Club's clubhouse Cole council Critchell Dankmar Adler Dawes declared dining room director election Everett Barlow floor Frank Aldrich Frank Lowden Fred Ford Funk gang George Girls Clubs Goldblatt's Grundman Harnack Higinbotham Hines hundred Illinois issue John kids ladies later lawyer leaders Lorimer Lowden major mayor meeting newspapers past presidents Peck political action committee Press public affairs committee reform Republican Roger Henn sanitary district Secret Six Stack and Batko Street Sun-Times thousand dollars Tribune trustees U.S. Senate ULCC Union League Boys Union League Club Victor Lawson vote Wentworth William women membership World's Columbian Exposition Yerkes York young