Chicago Street Journal
In 1961 Dr. Webb Evans organized the United American Progress Association; the purpose was to get more Blacks to prepare and go into business and get more people to spend their money with Black owned businesses.
Today at 100 years old, the drive is to purchase commercial property in his name on a Black Wall Street District of West 79th Street. Dr. Evans stays busy trying to get people to invest their money in the Black community to build more businesses to create more jobs for Blacks. One may see him anytime in a protest march trying to make others give us jobs we are entitled to. He started marching with A. Phillip Randolph. He was with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington D.C. in 1963 and with him in other places. He has also marched with Lu Palmer, Rev. Jessie Jackson, Eddie Read and others. To continue his Legacy of promoting and supporting Black business in Chicago, UAPA is on the mission to purchase and dedicate a block of land in Evans honor, on the north side of 79th St. between Hermitage and Paulina
The Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey of 557 Illinois voters found Quinn’s approval rating to be abysmal for most candidates seeking reelection, with only 34 percent approving and 60 percent disapproving of the job he’s doing. However, those numbers are trending slightly upward from the where he was last year, when PPP found him at 25-64, making him the least popular governor in the country. On the Republican side, Bruce Rauner a billionaire who is prepared to spend tens of Calvin “Omar” millions of dollars in this Johnson, the election – with many of former 24th Ward the state’s Republicans Republican are flocking to his camp. Committeeman, Kirk Dillard doesn’t have those kinds of resources or those kinds of pals. led Quinn’s four challengers with 24 percent backing from likely GOP voters. State Senator Bill Brady was favored by 17 percent of voters, with 14 percent for state treasurer Dan Rutherford and 10 percent for state Senator Kirk Dillard. Thirty-six percent of Repub-
lican voters, however, were undecided on the race. In a head-to-head match-up, Rutherford was the only Republican ahead of the governor, leading Quinn 41 to 39. The Democrat led Rauner by a 41 to 38 percent margin and tied both Brady and Dillard. Calvin “Omar” Johnson, the former 24th Ward Republican Committeeman, is set to lead the charge for Republican gubernatorial candidate Senator Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale. Johnson and a group of concerned voters, comprised of ministers and community activists, arranged an early morning breakfast last month to discuss campaign issues with Dillard. Dillard served as the chief of staff to former governor Jim Edgar – and subsequently as an Illinois state senator. Bruce Rauner is Among those issues, says Johnson is “the horrendous effect the ailing Illinois economy is having on the Black middle class”. Johnson says he’s particularly interested in Dillard’s “Destination Economy” jobs proposal. Johnson says he’s also pushing to get more African American voters interested in the Illinois Republican Party. According to Johnson, “It’s important that Blacks understand the significance of the two party system and how
March 13-25—19, 2014
and name it the Web Evans Center for Economic Change.
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There is movement surrounding the poten(Continued on page 12)
the leveraging of their votes will benefit them and their communities.” While noting African American’s long Illinois history of voting for Democratic candidates, Johnson says he’s convinced that given the right Republican candidate with Tio Mario Hardiman candidate for governor and his runthe right message, ning mate for Lt. Governor Brunell Donald-Kyei African American’s are willing to vote Republican. Johnson bers are traditionally viewed as Democratic adds, “I believe Kirk Dillard is the right Re- voters, but that may not be the case in the publican candidate.” March primary. Dillard also received a big endorsement “The Illinois Governor’s race appears to be from the Illinois Education Association throw- a toss up,” Dean Debnam, President of Public ing its support behind the state senator. Policy Polling, said in a statement. “That’s The teacher's union and its 130,000 mem-
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