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Our mission is to preserve, promote, and propel the right of all people to a place where they can live and prosper—a place to call home.

    Mary Baggett

    Content Warnings: None

    Audio Quality Notes: None

    At a Glance

    Public Housing Residency: Jane Addams Homes, Brooks Homes, ABLA Homes

    Themes: Demolition, Eviction, Mixed Income, Section 8

    Content Warnings: None

    Primary time periods: 2002–present (Brooks Homes)

    Primary locations: Chicago, IL

    Keywords: childhood, family, sports, boys and girls club, activities, cookouts, community, transformation, changes, tenant patrol, seniors, entrepreneurs, home businesses, fun day, candy houses, choke houses (lunch programs), Animal Court

    Descriptive Context

    Interview Summary

    Content Warnings: None

    In this Oral history Miss Baggett discusses being a resident of ABLA public housing. She describes the changes of the community as a result of gentrification and how market rate and mixed income housing differed from ABLA public housing.

    About the Narrator

    Narrator Full Name: Mary Baggett

    Narrator pronouns: Miss Blugie

    Refer to as: Miss Baggett

    Self-identified race and/or ethnicity: African American

    Biographical Context:

    Traditional Public Housing (section 9)(Jane Addams Homes) Chicago, IL 1970 – 2002. Currently, I live in Traditional Public Housing (Brooks Homes) Chicago, IL 2002- Present. I have been a resident of Brooks for 20+ years.

    Over the past 7 years, I became a community leader, an advocate for the residents of Brooks Homes, Roosevelt Square Reseats, and Loomis Courts residents. Being a community leader is a passion, when you can fight for and protect your residents to ensure that they have a decent and safe environment to live in. It give you hopes and dreams. My home is like a sanctuary. When you walk through the door, the sweet aroma hits you with peace and tranquility. Before you know it, I’m cozied away on my sofa while enjoying a cup of tea and watching my favorite shows. I’ve been gifted to be a community leader and role model for the residents of the community. My dream is to have a healthy and prosperous business, and to one day move into my dream home.

    Life Dates:
    • Birth: 1970-04-12
    About the Interview

    Interviewer: Shirley Alfaro

    Date of Interview: 2017-09-25

    Method of Interview: in-person

    Location of Interview: Chicago, IL

    Language: English

    Duration: 00:55:23

    Formats Available: .wav

    Audio Quality and other notes: None

    Post-Production by: jellystone robinson, Shakira Johnson

    Contextual Information Last Updated: None

    Time-Stamped Index

    No index available for this file.

    Access and Use Guidelines

    Access Level: public

    Rights Overview:

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    Please contact the NPHM Oral History Programs Manager if you’d like to download a copy of any of the interview materials (audio file, transcript, or finding aid contents).

    Citation Guidelines:

    When using an interview from the NPHM Oral History Archive, use the narrator’s full name the first time you reference them. Use the narrator’s “Refer to As” name in additional mentions of their name. 

     

    Please use the following formatting when citing the interview in academic settings:

    Bibliography Example

    Pegues, Janetta Sue. Interviewed by Francesco De Salvatore. National Public Housing Museum Oral History Archive, [insert URL/DOI], recorded June 18, 2018, accessed June 2, 2024: pp. 10-15.

    Bibliography Format

    [NarratorFullName in Last First Middle order]. Interviewed by [InterviewerFullName in First Middle Last Order]. National Public Housing Museum Oral History Archive, [insert URL], recorded [write out full date of interview], accessed [write out full date of most recent access]: pp. [pages of transcript cited]. 

    Footnote Example

    Janetta Sue Pegues, interviewed by Francesco De Salvatore, National Public Housing Museum Oral History Archive, [insert URL], recorded June 18, 2018, accessed June 2, 2024: pp. 10-15. 

    Footnote Form

    [NarratorFullName in First Middle Last Order], interviewed by [InterviewerFullName in First Middle Last Order] National Public Housing Museum Oral History Archive, [insert URL], recorded [write out full date of interview], accessed [write out full date of most recent access]: pp. [pages of transcript cited]. 

     

    Transcript and Supplemental Attachments
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