Civic Federation records
Scope and Contents
The Civic Federation collection contains a wide range of documents that span from 1894 to the early 2000s. These materials includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, press releases, financial spreadsheets, photographs, publications, and other documents needed to conduct research and communicate their findings. The materials cover the organization’s internal operations and administration as well as their research areas of education, environment, health, government and taxes, public services, and transportation.
Due to the acidic and deteriorating condition of much of the paper the Civic Federation used from the 1950s through the 1970s to make copies of letters or to draft documents, photocopy reproductions were made and substituted. Additional photocopies were made of some of the earlier bulletins and letters that are fragile for use as reference copies. Many staples were removed due to rust or were removed during the photocopying of fragile papers. Originally stapled materials are wrapped with a colored sheet of acid-free paper.
Dates
- 1888-2001
- Majority of material found within 1940-1980
Creator
- Civic Federation (Chicago, Ill.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research use.
Biographical / Historical
The scene was set on November 12, 1893 when William T. Stead, editor of the London Review of Reviews and known as a crusader against vice in England, made two speeches in Chicago. In these speeches, Stead asked what need to be done to better the conditions in Chicago. Present at the second meeting was W. C. Pomeroy, President of the Waiters Union, who called for the appointment of a committee of twenty-one to serve as a civic federation. The select group of five included L. T. O’Brien, representing labor; Professor Edward N. Burris, representing education; T. W. Harvey, representing commerce; Dr. H. Thomas of the People’s Church, representing religion; and Jane Addams, representing women. The five proceeded to select over forty individuals with the goal of forming a concentration of non-political and non-sectarian leaders to advance municipal, philanthropic, industrial and moral interests in Chicago. This group would become known as the Civic Federation. By 1894, the group received its first charter and held its first meeting. Lyman J. Gage was elected the first president while Mrs. Potter Palmer was elected as the first vice-president. Early initiatives include gambling, prostitution, corruption, clean streets, sanitary food, and the New Chicago Charter, also known as “Home Rule” to consolidate the revenues and taxes currently deriving from multiple townships and government structures.
By 1910, the focus of the Civic Federation shifted its emphasis to the monitoring public funds and how taxpayer money was distributed for use amongst local government bodies for services and infrastructure. Their analysis of bonds, budgets, federal aid, tax revenues, and other funds throughout the Chicago area led to their advocacy for or against legislative and city initiatives as well as to further analysis into the areas funded such as education, health, parks, pensions, sanitation, transportation, or urban planning. Beginning in 1910, their research and advocacy efforts were published and distributed as bulletins. Since that time, the work of the Civic Federation has grown to encompass statements made before various boards, organizations, and government bodies; news releases; regular and specialized reports; and collaboration with various community leaders.
In 1932, the Civic Federation merged with the non-profit Chicago Bureau of Public Efficiency. This advantageous union brought skilled staff and additional membership to support the organization. Financed through a subscription-based membership of commercial business, professional firms, private citizens, and other groups, the Civic Federation operates through a combination of dedicated staff members and representatives from these contributing organizations who serve on various committees and the Board of Directors. Over the years, the Civic Federation has consistently examined the myriad sources of urban revenue and its distribution. The core areas of examination have remained over the years, but different committees and analysis shift in emphasis over the years to reflect the larger city and state initiatives and planning such as the creation of the Deep Tunnel project or the creation of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA).
Extent
88 Linear Feet (194 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The Civic Federation records are arranged into 8 Series: 1. Administrative; 2. Education; 3. Environment; 4. Health; 5. Transportation; 6. Chicago/Cook County Government; 7. Illinois/Federal Government; 8. Urban Planning. Each series contains additional subseries with contents organized alphabetically by subject.
1. Administrative
Subseries 001.001, History
Subseries 001.002, Committees
Subseries 001.003, Correspondence
Subseries 001.004, Finance
Subseries 001.005, Meetings and Conferences
Subseries 001.006, Office
Subseries 001.007, Photographs
Subseries 001.008, Publications
2. Education
Subseries 002.001, Board of Education
Subseries 002.002, Comparative
Subseries 002.003, Colleges
3. Environment
Subseries 003.001, Chicago Park District
Subseries 003.002, Forest Preserve District of Cook County, IL
Subseries 003.003, Metropolitan Sanitary District
Subseries 003.004, Pollution and Sanitation Management
4. Health
Subseries 004.001, Health and Hospitals Governing Commission of Cook
County (HHGC)
Subseries 004.002, Health and Medical Care
5. Transportation
Subseries 005.001, Airports
Subseries 005.002, Mass Transit
Subseries 005.003, Motor Vehicles
Subseries 005.004, Regional
6. Chicago/Cook County Government
Subseries 006.001, Administrative
Subseries 006.002, Employment
Subseries 006.003, Finance
Subseries 006.004, Taxes
7. Illinois/Federal Government
Subseries 007.001, Administrative
Subseries 007.002, Employment
Subseries 007.003, Finance
Subseries 007.004, Taxes
8. Urban Planning
Subseries 008.001, Buildings and Housing
Subseries 008.002, Planning and Economic Development
Subseries 008.003, Public Services
Physical Location
4/5/A-F
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Civic Federation, Accession 1995.17; 2012.13; 2015.074
Processing Information
MJB 1996; PD 1998; CB 2001; M. McCoy 2014-2015; D. Potts 2016-2017
- Board of Education of the City of Chicago
- Chicago (Ill.)--Politics and government--Archival resources Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Chicago (Ill.). Department of Streets and Sanitation
- Chicago (Ill.). Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Chicago Orchard (Douglas) Airport (Ill.)
- Chicago Transit Authority
- City Colleges of Chicago
- Civic Federation and Bureau of Public Efficiency (Chicago, Ill.)
- Coakley, Frank
- Cook County Health & Hospitals Governing Commission (Ill.)
- Cook County Hospital (Chicago, Ill.)
- Cook County School of Nursing
- Corruption--Prevention--Archival resources--Illinois Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Government spending policy--Citizen participation--Archival resources--Illinois Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Illinois. Department of Transportation
- Meigs Field
- Municipal government--Archival resources--Illinois--Chicago Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- O'Hare Field, Chicago International Airport (Ill.)
- Percy, Charles H., 1919-2011
- Public interest groups--Archival resources--Illinois--Chicago Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Taxation--Archival resources--Illinois--Chicago Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Taxpayer advocates--Archives--Illinois--Chicago Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Waste in government spending--Archival resources--Illinois Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
Creator
- Civic Federation (Chicago, Ill.) (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to Civic Federation records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- MJB 1996, PD 1998, CB 2001, M. McCoy 2014-2015, D. Potts 2016-2017
- Date
- 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the DePaul Special Collections and Archives Repository
John T. Richardson Library
2350 N. Kenmore Ave.
Room 314
Chicago Illinois 60614
773-325-7864
spca@depaul.libanswers.com