NBC Chicago and Ward Room bring you profiles on all 50 wards this election season. As candidates face off in the Feb. 24 election, they are also facing a new ward map, which takes effect when the winners assume office.
In this profile, learn all about the 6th ward, which covers parts of Chatham and Englewood.
Demographic
- Total Population: 52,341
- White: 0.43 percent
- Black: 97.54 percent
- Hispanic: 1.02 percent
- Asian: 0.06 percent (Source: WBEZ)
Current Alderman: Roderick Sawyer
Ward Committeemen: Roderick Sawyer (democratic committeeman), Darnell Macklin (republican committeeman) and Beverly Neely (Green Party committeeman)
Who Else is Running: Richard Wooten, Delton Pierce (removed), Dumars Franklin (withdrawn) and Brian Garner
Adjectives that Describe the Ward: Violent, community-oriented, lower to middle class
Chicago Politics
Economic Engine: Retail and restaurants
Where People Eat: Restaurants include Kusanya Cafe, several chicken restaurants (including Harold's Chicken Shack, KFC and Popeye's) and several soul food restaurants.
Where People Drink: Bars include City Life Cocktail Lounge and Lil's Cocktail Lounge. There are not many bars in this ward.
Where People Pray: Several Baptist churches (including Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church and St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church), Liberty Christian Center and Crerar Memorial Presbyterian Church
How the Ward Typically Votes: Freddrenna Lyle was alderman of the 6th ward for 13 years before Sawyer defeated her in 2011. Lyle won 53 percent of the vote in 2007, defeating Eugene Davis (29 percent), Karin Norington-Reaves (14 percent) and Thelma Andrews (4 percent). In 2011, Sawyer won 50.5 percent of the vote, defeating Lyle in a runoff.
Landmark: Chatham-Greater Grand Crossing Commercial District
Resident's Voice: Phil Sipka, the manager at Kusanya Cafe and an Englewood resident, says, "Ultimately, growing commercially and having more businesses will grow the community." Sipka said the city needs to help improve the infrastructure of the community to entice business to come the area because people won't come on their own.
Ward Expert: Worlee Glover, head of the blog Concerned Citizens of Chatham and former officer on the Chatham Avalon Park Community Council
