Emmett Till

Emmett Louis Till was a 14-year old from Chicago, when he was lynched, disfigured, and brutally murdered in Mississippi while visiting relatives in 1955. His murderers, who were white, were quickly acquitted. These events drew public outrage and put racism and acts of violence against black people on the world stage when gruesome photos of Emmett’s body were published in Jet Magazine. His mother, Maime, insisted that the visitation for his funeral be held with an open casket. It was held in Chicago at Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, and was attended by thousands of visitors and the press.

“Let the people see what they did to my boy.”

Maime and Emmett are both buried in Burr Oaks Cemetery, southwest of Chicago. Their house at 6427 S. Lawrence Street was dedicated as a landmark in 2020, and is now the Emmett Till and Maime Till-Mobley House Museum. They were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022. His mother, Maime Till-Mobley, had an honorary sign dedicated in Chicago in 2023.

Alum
James McCosh Elementary School

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Honorary Emmett Till WAY

 

Approved: 2013 * (most recent)

Neighborhood: Avalon Park

b. July 25, 1941 in Chicago
d. August 28, 1955. Age 14. in Mississippi

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Source

https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Historic_Preservation/Publications/Emmett_Till_and_Mamie_Till-Mobley_House_report.pdf

https://www.luc.edu/features/stories/academics/thestoryofemmetttill/#:~:text=When%20Mamie%20Till%20Bradley%20saw,%2C'%20she%20famously%20said.%E2%80%9D

https://www.blacksingreen.org/till-house-museum

https://abcnews.go.com/US/emmett-till-mamie-till-mobley-awarded-congressional-gold/story?id=95711344

“Till” Movie Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7INlp2fkZto

Winnie Ryan

Winnie Maureen Ryan and her sister, Lucy Claire, had an extremely rare form of mitochondrial disease which led to her progressive decline and death at the age of 6. It is estimated that fewer than 20 people worldwide had this particular gene mutation (FDXR).

The “Rally4Ryan Sisters” campaign raised funds and awareness for their care.

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Honorary Winnie Ryan WAY

South Christiana Avenue between West 105th Street and West 105th Place

 

Approved: May 2024

Ward: 19
Alderman: Matthew O’Shea
Neighborhood: Mt. Greenwood

b. March 13, 1917
d. February 29, 2024. Age 6

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Source

20248938

https://www.asimplestreaming.com/wmryan/

https://www.oneforthekids.org/family/the-ryan-family/

https://rally4ryansisters.com/

http://www.umdf.org/

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1263551340924118

Leah Herrera

Leah Herrera was 8-years old when she succumbed to Anaplastic Astrocytoma, a rare form of cancer which produced brain tumors.

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Honorary Leah Herrera WAY

South Lamon from West 49th Street to West 50th Street

 

Approved: December 2023

Ward: 22
Alderman: Michael Rodriguez
Neighborhood: Stickney

b. October 2, 2012
d. August 31, 2021. Age 8

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Source

20235974

https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/il/chicago/leah-k-herrera-13272644

https://www.gofundme.com/f/b5kz6-leah-strong

Mateo Zastro

Mateo Zastro was 3-years old when his mother’s car was caught in gunfire from a nearby road rage incident. He was the only one of the passengers, including his mother and 3 siblings, who were hit.

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Honorary Mateo Zastro WAY

South Kildare Avenue between 6800 and 6900

 

Approved: July 2023

Ward: 23
Alderman: Silvana Tabares
Neighborhood: West Lawn

d. September 30, 2022. Age 3

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Source

20231203S

https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2024/04/01/chicago-police-3-year-old-boy-killed-mateo-zastro-grief-unsolved-slaying-city-hall-west-lawn-crime

https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/9/30/23381543/3-year-old-boy-shot-killed-west-lawn-drive-by-marquette-kenneth-mateo-zastro-chicago

Nicholas Miceli

Nicholas Miceli was only two years old when he died from Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) cancer. Gold ribbons adorned the streets of the Southwest side neighborhood of the Miceli family.

His mother, Khrissy Miceli is an English and Language Arts teach at Clissold Elementary School. Her students helped raise money to “Help Nick Kick Cancer!”

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Honorary Nicholas Miceli WAY

West 107th Place between South Lawndale Avenue and South Millard Avenue

 

Approved: April 2023

Ward: 19
Alderman: Matthew O’Shea
Neighborhood: West Beverly

d. May 3, 2019. Age 2

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Source

20231262

https://www.beverlyreview.net/news/top_story/article_b56ccf8a-8167-11e9-baac-5be6745721e1.html

https://www.stbaldricks.org/kids/mypage/9429

https://www.beverlyreview.net/news/top_story/article_bc0202e4-556a-11e9-b1fd-673a9d40a982.html

Mollystrong

Molly Morris was an 8-year old girl who died from kidney cancer in 2023. Her life and struggle were captured on social media with #MollyStrong and with orange ribbons around her Norwood Park neighborhood.

Alum
St. Monica Academy

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Honorary Mollystrong WAY

West Berwyn Avenue between North Newland Avenue to North Nordica Avenue

 

Approved: April 2023

Ward: 41
Alderman: Anthony Napolitano
Neighborhood: Norwood Park

d. 2023. Age 8

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Source

20231320

https://youtu.be/EtQgaiA4kMQ?si=B1VBe0cb2m-lD90z

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/8-year-old-girl-at-center-of-mollystrong-movement-dies-of-cancer-family-announces-in-emotional-post/3067812/

Janari Ricks Way

Janari Ricks was a 9-year old child who was the unintended victim of a shooting. The gunman fired into a group of adults and children in the Cabrini rowhouses.

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Honorary Janari Ricks Way

Southwest corner of North Cleveland and West Division Streets

 

Approved: October 2020

Ward: 27
Alderman: Burnett
Neighborhood: Cabrini Green

d. July 31, 2020

Near
Cabrini Rowhouses

Anthony J. Pappalas Avenue

Anthony Pappalas was a seven year old who died from a rare form of brain cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).

When the sign was dedicated the neighborhood was decorated in ribbons of Orange (Anthony’s favorite color) and Grey (the color for brain cancer).

The Defeat DIPG Network Chicago branch is called “Anthony’s Avengers.”

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Honorary Anthony J. Pappalas Avenue

10800 South Trumbull Avenue

 

Approved: 2018

Ward: 19
Alderman: O’Shea
Neighborhood: Mt Greenwood

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Source

Lena Marie Nunez Anaya Way

Lena was a 10 year old girl who was watching television with her brother in their grandmother’s apartment when a stray bullet came through the window and killed her. She was the innocent victim of gang violence a block away. A vigil was held by the community the next day.

The releasing of the white balloons pic.twitter.com/FzbEFoeZKI

— Mina Bloom (@mina_bloom_) June 30, 2020

Police have made an arrest in the shooting death of 10-year-old Lena Nunez, who was visiting her grandmother in Logan Square in late June when shew as shot i...

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Honorary Lena Marie Nunez Anaya Way

West Dickens Avenue, from North Drake Avenue to North St. Louis Avenue

 

Ward: 35
Alderman: Ramirez-Rosa
Neighborhood: Logan Square

b. September 7, 2009
d. June 28, 2020. Age 10. Chicago

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Source

Block Club

Twitter

WBEZ