Cicero, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Cicero is an incorporated town in Cook County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 83,891 at the 2010 census. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York
, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero
, the Roman
statesman and orator.
Originally, Cicero Township
occupied six times its current territory. Weak political leadership and town services resulted in cities such as Oak Park
and Berwyn
voting to split off from Cicero, and other portions such as Austin
were annexed into the city of Chicago
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/287.html.
Al Capone
built his criminal empire in Chicago before moving to Cicero to escape the reach of Chicago police.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a heavy influx of Hispanic
(mostly Mexican
and Central America
n) residents to Cicero. Once considered mainly a Czech
or Bohemian
town on 22nd Street (now Cermak Road
), most of the European-style restaurants and shops have been replaced by Spanish-titled businesses.Cicero also has seen a revival in its commercial sector, with many brand-new mini-malls and large retail stores. New condominiums are also being built in Cicero.
Cicero has long had a reputation of government scandal. Most recently, Town President Betty Loren-Maltese
was sent to federal prison
for misappropriating funds http://www.ipsn.org/indictments/loren-maltese_indictment/betty_loren-maltese_perps.htm. She was well liked by retired, long-term Cicero residents, but was continually challenged by younger Hispanic opponents before her indictment.
Cicero was taken up and abandoned several times as site for a civil rights
march in the mid-1960s. The American Friends Service Committee
, the Rev. Martin Luther King, and many affiliated organizations, including churches, were conducting marches against housing and school de facto segregation and inequality in Chicago and several suburbs, but the leaders feared too violent a response in Chicago Lawn
and Cicero. Eventually, a substantial march (met by catcalls, flying bottles and bricks) was conducted in Chicago Lawn, but only a splinter group, led by Rev. Jesse Jackson
, marched in Cicero.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/story/12_chicago.html
, the town has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), all land.
Cicero used to run from Harlem Avenue to Western Avenue and Pershing Road to North Avenue; however, much of this area was annexed by Chicago.
, located in Cicero and Stickney
, is a horse racing
track still in operation. Just north of it was Chicago Motor Speedway at Sportsman's Park, which was formerly Sportsman's Park Racetrack (for horse racing) for many years. This Sportsman's Park facility is now closed, acquired by the Town of Cicero and currently being demolished. A high-end shopping center (Fountain Square) is slated to be constructed on this site.
was 12,645.2 people per square mile (5,650.7/km²). There were 24,640 housing units at an average density of 4,214.9 per square mile (1,626.2/km²). The racial makeup
of the town was 48.27% White American
, 1.12% African American
, 0.89% Native American
, 0.97% Asian
, 0.04% Pacific Islander American
, 44.71% from other races, and 4.01% from two or more races. 86.44% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race, with 72.4% of Mexican
descent.
The top five non-Hispanic ancestries reported in Cicero as of the 2000 census were Polish
(4.7%), Irish
(3.7%), German
(3.7%), Italian
(3.0%) and Czech
(2.3%).
There were 23,115 households out of which 50.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples
living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.70 and the average family size was 4.18.
As of 2011 59% of residential units were owned properties, 41% were rentals. There were 2643 vacant homes. The average age of home properties was 55 years.
The age distribution was 34.6% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 105.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.9 males. Of the total population, 51.4% are male and 48.6% are female.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,044, and the median income for a family was $47,883. Males had a median income of $27,424 versus $21,398 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $12,489. About 13.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
This median income may be influenced by the fact that Cicero is a factory town. As of 1999, about a quarter of the city contained one of the greatest industrial concentrations in the world. There were more than 150 factories in 1.75 miles. Communications and electronic equipment, printing presses, steel castings, tool and die makers' supplies, forging and rubber goods.
; the area south of the railroad at approximately 33rd Street is in the 3rd district
.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Cicero Post Office at 2440 South Laramie Avenue.
of the J. Sterling Morton High School District 201
.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
operates three PK-8 schools in Cicero:
From 1927 until 1972, Cicero was also the home of Timothy Christian School
. This caused a great deal of racial unrest in the city in the 1960s.
In addition to grade schools, Cicero is also home to Morton College
.
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 83,891 at the 2010 census. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York
Cicero, New York
Cicero is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 27,982 at the 2000 census. The name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics, honoring Cicero, a Roman statesman....
, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, the Roman
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
statesman and orator.
Originally, Cicero Township
Cicero Township, Cook County, Illinois
Cicero Township is one of thirty townships in Cook County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 85,616.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Cicero Township covers an area of...
occupied six times its current territory. Weak political leadership and town services resulted in cities such as Oak Park
Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
and Berwyn
Berwyn, Illinois
Berwyn is a city in Cook County, Illinois, co-existent with Berwyn Township, which was formed in 1908 after breaking off from Cicero Township. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 54,016.-Demographics:...
voting to split off from Cicero, and other portions such as Austin
Austin, Chicago
Austin, located on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is the largest of the city's 77 officially defined community areas, followed by Lake View. Its eastern boundary is the Belt Railway located just east of Cicero Avenue. Its northernmost border is the Milwaukee District/West Line...
were annexed into the city of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/287.html.
Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
built his criminal empire in Chicago before moving to Cicero to escape the reach of Chicago police.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a heavy influx of Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
(mostly Mexican
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n) residents to Cicero. Once considered mainly a Czech
Czech American
Czech Americans are citizens of the United States who were born in, or who descended from, the territory of the historic Czech lands, , or succession states, now known as the Czech Republic...
or Bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
town on 22nd Street (now Cermak Road
Cermak Road
Cermak Road, formerly 22nd Street, is a major east-west artery on Chicago's south side and western suburbs. It is named for assassinated Chicago mayor Anton Cermak.-Points of interest:...
), most of the European-style restaurants and shops have been replaced by Spanish-titled businesses.Cicero also has seen a revival in its commercial sector, with many brand-new mini-malls and large retail stores. New condominiums are also being built in Cicero.
Cicero has long had a reputation of government scandal. Most recently, Town President Betty Loren-Maltese
Betty Loren-Maltese
Betty Loren-Maltese is the former town president of Cicero, Illinois. She received national attention for her role in an insurance scam which robbed the town of $12 million.-Biography:...
was sent to federal prison
Federal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
for misappropriating funds http://www.ipsn.org/indictments/loren-maltese_indictment/betty_loren-maltese_perps.htm. She was well liked by retired, long-term Cicero residents, but was continually challenged by younger Hispanic opponents before her indictment.
Cicero was taken up and abandoned several times as site for a civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
march in the mid-1960s. The American Friends Service Committee
American Friends Service Committee
The American Friends Service Committee is a Religious Society of Friends affiliated organization which works for peace and social justice in the United States and around the world...
, the Rev. Martin Luther King, and many affiliated organizations, including churches, were conducting marches against housing and school de facto segregation and inequality in Chicago and several suburbs, but the leaders feared too violent a response in Chicago Lawn
Chicago Lawn, Chicago
Chicago Lawn is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the southwest side of the city. Its community neighbors include Gage Park, West Englewood, Ashburn, and West Lawn. It is bounded by Bell Avenue on the east, Central Park Avenue on the west, 59th Street on the...
and Cicero. Eventually, a substantial march (met by catcalls, flying bottles and bricks) was conducted in Chicago Lawn, but only a splinter group, led by Rev. Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
, marched in Cicero.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/story/12_chicago.html
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), all land.
Cicero used to run from Harlem Avenue to Western Avenue and Pershing Road to North Avenue; however, much of this area was annexed by Chicago.
Landmarks
- St. Mary of CzestochowaSt. Mary of Czestochowa in CiceroSt. Mary of Częstochowa in Cicero - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago located in Cicero, Illinois.It is a prime example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral style' of churches in both its opulence and grand scale. A sculpture of Christ the King by famed sculptor Professor...
, a Neogothic church built in the so-called 'Polish Cathedral' stylePolish Cathedral styleThe Polish Cathedral architectural style is a North American genre of Catholic church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic regions as well as in parts of New England...
along with the sculpture of Christ the KingChrist the KingChrist the King is a title of Jesus based on several passages of Scripture. It is used by most Christians. The Roman Catholic Church, together with many Protestant denominations, including the Anglican Churches, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Methodists, celebrate the Feast of Christ the King on the...
by famed sculptor Professor Czesław Dźwigaj, who also cast the monumental bronzeBronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
doors at St. Hyacinth's BasilicaBasilica of St. HyacinthSt. Hyacinth Basilica, formally the Basilica of St. Hyacinth, - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, located in Chicago, Illinois....
in Chicago. The church's other claim to fame is as the site of Al Capone'sAl CaponeAlphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
sister Mafalda's wedding in 1930. - J. Sterling Morton High School, East Campus, also known as Morton East High School, was built in 1894. The original school was destroyed by fire in 1924, and the current building was constructed. Located at 2423 S. Austin Blvd, Morton East serves residents of Cicero, Il.
- Chodl Auditorium, located inside J. Sterling Morton High School, East Campus, was built in 1924 (completed 1927) to replace the 1200 seat auditorium which was destroyed by fire. The auditorium was originally a dual-purpose room, serving as a gymnasium for students, and was originally built for this purpose. In 1967 the school stopped using the auditorium as a gymnasium. Chodl Auditorium is among the largest non-commercial proscenium theatres in the ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
Metropolitan Area and is listed with the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. - Unity Junior High School, located behind the Pink Line's 54/Cermak station, Unity Junior High was opened in 2003 and is the largest middle school in the entire country. Divided into two campuses, the east and the west, Unity teaches 7th and 8th grade, with 4 floors on each side. Since it's the only junior high school in District 99, students from all District 99 elementary schools come here. From here, graduates go to the Morton Freshman Center.
- Hawthorne WorksHawthorne WorksThe Hawthorne Works, in Cicero, Illinois, was a large factory complex built by Western Electric starting in 1905 and operating until 1983. It had 45,000 employees at the height of its operations. Besides telephone equipment, the factory produced a wide variety of consumer products, including...
Tower, one of the original towers of the enormous Western Electric manufacturing plant that once stood east of Cicero Avenue, is still located behind the Hawthorne Works Shopping Center near the corner of Cermak Road (22nd Street) and Cicero Avenue.
Racetracks
On the south side of Cicero, there were two racetracks. Hawthorne Race CourseHawthorne Race Course
Hawthorne Race Course is a race track for horse racing in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois, near Chicago.The oldest continually-run family-owned racetrack in North America, in 2009 the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America...
, located in Cicero and Stickney
Stickney, Illinois
Stickney is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,148 at the 2000 census. It was well known in the 1920s and early 1930s as the home for several bordellos linked to mobster Al Capone's empire....
, is a horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track still in operation. Just north of it was Chicago Motor Speedway at Sportsman's Park, which was formerly Sportsman's Park Racetrack (for horse racing) for many years. This Sportsman's Park facility is now closed, acquired by the Town of Cicero and currently being demolished. A high-end shopping center (Fountain Square) is slated to be constructed on this site.
Demographics
2010 79,816 people, 23,115 households, and 18,099 families residing in the town. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 12,645.2 people per square mile (5,650.7/km²). There were 24,640 housing units at an average density of 4,214.9 per square mile (1,626.2/km²). The racial makeup
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of the town was 48.27% White American
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 1.12% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.89% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.97% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.04% Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 44.71% from other races, and 4.01% from two or more races. 86.44% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race, with 72.4% of Mexican
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
descent.
The top five non-Hispanic ancestries reported in Cicero as of the 2000 census were Polish
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
(4.7%), Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
(3.7%), German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
(3.7%), Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
(3.0%) and Czech
Czech American
Czech Americans are citizens of the United States who were born in, or who descended from, the territory of the historic Czech lands, , or succession states, now known as the Czech Republic...
(2.3%).
There were 23,115 households out of which 50.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.70 and the average family size was 4.18.
As of 2011 59% of residential units were owned properties, 41% were rentals. There were 2643 vacant homes. The average age of home properties was 55 years.
The age distribution was 34.6% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 105.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.9 males. Of the total population, 51.4% are male and 48.6% are female.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,044, and the median income for a family was $47,883. Males had a median income of $27,424 versus $21,398 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $12,489. About 13.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
This median income may be influenced by the fact that Cicero is a factory town. As of 1999, about a quarter of the city contained one of the greatest industrial concentrations in the world. There were more than 150 factories in 1.75 miles. Communications and electronic equipment, printing presses, steel castings, tool and die makers' supplies, forging and rubber goods.
Government
Most of Cicero is in Illinois' 4th congressional districtIllinois' 4th congressional district
The 4th Congressional District of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Luis Gutierrez since January 1993....
; the area south of the railroad at approximately 33rd Street is in the 3rd district
Illinois' 3rd congressional district
The 3rd Congressional District of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Dan Lipinski since January 2005. The district was previously represented by his father Bill Lipinski beginning in 1993....
.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Cicero Post Office at 2440 South Laramie Avenue.
Education
Cicero is served by Cicero Elementary School District 99, and comprises 17 schools making it one of the largest public school districts outside of Chicago. Elementary students, depending on residency attend the following schools: Burnham (K-5), Cicero East (4-6), Cicero West (K-3), Columbus East (4-6), Columbus West, Drexel (K-6), Goodwin (K-6), Liberty (K-3), Lincoln (K-6), McKinely (K-3), Roosevelt (3-6), Sherlock (K-3), Warren Park (K-3), Wilson (K-6), Woodbine (K-3), Unity East Junior High (switches from 7-8), and Unity West Junior High (switches from 7-8). High school in their freshman year enter the Freshman Center and then continue high school at Morton EastJ. Sterling Morton High School East
J. Sterling Morton High School East is a public secondary school located in Cicero, Illinois. Morton East is one of three schools in J. Sterling Morton High School District 201. Morton East is a sophomore through senior building, with future students attending the J. Sterling Morton Freshman...
of the J. Sterling Morton High School District 201
J. Sterling Morton High School District 201
J. Sterling Morton High School District 201 is a school district headquartered in Cicero, Illinois, United States. The district serves the city of Berwyn, the town of Cicero, and the villages of Forest View, Lyons, McCook, and Stickney...
.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
operates three PK-8 schools in Cicero:
- St. Frances of Rome School
- St. Mary of Czestochowa School (closed as of 2008)
- Our Lady of Charity School
From 1927 until 1972, Cicero was also the home of Timothy Christian School
Timothy Christian School
Timothy Christian School is a private, coeducational school in Elmhurst, Illinois. It was founded in Chicago as a school for the children of Dutch immigrants in the area...
. This caused a great deal of racial unrest in the city in the 1960s.
In addition to grade schools, Cicero is also home to Morton College
Morton College
Morton College is a community college located in Cicero, Illinois. It is the second oldest community college in the state. While the campus itself was constructed in 1975, the College was established in 1924. Currently, the college has an enrollment of approximately 5,000 students, about 25% of...
.
Gangland crime in Cicero
Cicero had a few homegrown street gangs such as 12 Street Players, Noble Knights, and Arch Dukes. However, these original gangs began to fade away as Hispanics moved in the town, some bringing with them gang members from the city of Chicago. Gang members from Chicago then created their own chapters of their gang within the town. During the 90's, Cicero's gang problem was huge, which then the town had about 17 to 20 gangs. Gang activity has decreased over the years along with the town's homicide rate which are mostly gang related.Known street gangs
- Latin Kings (HispanicHispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
/LatinoLatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
) - Satan Disciples
- Maniac Latin DisciplesManiac Latin DisciplesThe Maniac Latin Disciples are the second largest Latino street gang in Chicago and the largest Latino gang in the Folks alliance . Originally known as the Latin Scorpions, the gang was founded by Albert "Hitler" Hernandez and Roberto Ramos Rios, in the Humboldt Park community in approximately...
(HispanicHispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
/LatinoLatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
) - Gangster DisciplesGangster DisciplesThe Black Gangster Disciple Nation is a gang which was formed on the South-side of Chicago in the late 1960s, by David Barksdale, leader of the Black Disciples, and Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters. The two groups united to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation .The gang has made...
(African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
) - Latin Angels (HispanicHispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
/LatinoLatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
) - Insane Two Two Boys
- Noble Knights (European AmericanEuropean AmericanA European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
) - Gangster Two Six
- Sin City Boys
- Crazy Gangsters
- Ambrose
- La Raza
- Latin Counts
- Ashland Vikings
External links
- Official Site, Town of Cicero
- Town of Cicero Chamber of Commerce
- Website of landmark church of St. Mary of Czestochowa
- Sportsman's Park of Cicero
- This American Life Episode about Cicero. Recorded 3/16/01
- Official Site of the Citizens Group, People of Cicero
- Morton East High School. Only high school in Cicero, Il established in 1894.