Unity Hall: A Landmark of Black Metropolis

Unity Hall stands at 3140 S. Indiana Ave. in Chicago's Douglas community, a significant landmark in the city's Black Metropolis-Bronzeville Historic District. Built in 1887, the red brick building was originally designed by architect L.B. Dixon as the Lakeside Club, a Jewish social club. The building features Queen Anne architecture with terra cotta decorations and sheet metal edging. In 1917, the building's role shifted dramatically when Oscar Stanton De Priest, Chicago's first African-American alderman, established the People's Movement Club and made Unity Hall its headquarters. This organization became a powerful force in Black Chicago politics, and De Priest went on to become the first African-American U.S. Representative from a northern state in 1928. After the People's Movement Club, William L. Dawson, a prominent Democratic political leader, used it as his headquarters. From the 1950s onward, Unity Hall was primarily used by churches. Despite its historical significance, the building is currently vacant and was placed on Preservation Chicago's list of most endangered historic properties. Unity Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1986, and was designated a Chicago Landmark on September 9, 1998. Although there were plans to convert the building into student housing, its current status is uncertain.