The Chicago metro area is made up of 77 defined community areas and numerous surrounding suburbs. Within these official boundaries are hundreds of ever-changing neighborhoods and communities that have made the city one-of-a-kind.

Since the city's founding, Chicagoans have formed connections with their neighbors based on cultural traditions, common experiences, and a shared vision of what the future could be. These communities shaped the spaces where they lived, worked, and played. On each page of this exhibit, you will find a glimpse into one of these communities and neighborhoods in one moment of its history. Each story is rooted in one neighborhood, but many of these communities united and impacted people across the city. 

The millions of voices and thousands of communities that have shaped Chicago’s past and present can’t be represented in any one exhibit. Here, we share with you only a few glimpses into CCC's collections and Chicago's past. We hope it inspires you to explore more and recognize how your own voice can shape your community's future. 

Want to see more collections and images related to your neighborhood? Search the CCC's gateway to Chicago resources, Explore Chicago Collections. You can also find resources examining the history of how Chicago's communities and neighborhoods formed in the subject guide, Chicago's Community Areas and Neighborhoods.

Community Spirit on Film