Marion Stamps

Marion Nzinga Stamps (May 28, 1945 – August 28, 1996) was an African-American community activist who fought for equal rights of public housing residents in the Cabrini-Green housing project in Chicago, Illinois. She is also credited as helping to elect Chicago's first African-American mayor Harold Washington by organizing a massive voter registration drive in 1983.

Biography

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Marion got involved with the Civil Rights movement under the guidance and direction of Medgar Evers, a former neighbor at the age of 13. Their goal was to help integrate the Jackson Public Library. Through this fight, she was able to gain insight and mentoring by the late Mahalia Jackson, a role model.

Marion moved to Chicago in 1963 and quickly got involved in civil rights movement that was taking place in the City.^[1] A new resident of Chicago, Marion moved to the Cabrini Green Housing projects, living in the 1230 North Burling building. Noticing that there were considerably subpar living conditions, Marion and a group of tenants founded the Chicago Housing Tenants Organization. Through CHTO, they fought the housing department, helping them to address major issues with the building. Her work then began to span against housing issues throughout the city of Chicago. In the 1980s, Marion's work and collaboration with other Housing rights organizations became nationwide and eventually she played a significant role in the first and only successful nationwide rent strike against HUD.

Her grassroots work coming from the South to a major city caught the eye of many fighting for Civil Rights in Chicago. She eventually teamed up with William Darden and the West Side Organization, helping to organize and galvanize many during Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s tenure in Chicago. A little more radical than most, she found her home as a member of the Black Panther Party working alongside Fred Hampton and Mark Clark. She became involved with the Black Panther Party and associated with its work on the north side of Chicago. She temporarily served as a volunteer for U.S. representative Cardiss Collins. Along with several other women, she helped establish and organize the Tranquility Marksman Memorial Organization TMMO evolved from CHTO and was named in honor of late activists Tranquility Phillips and Professor Edwin Marksman. Marksman, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago Jane Addams School of Social Work was brutally murdered on Thursday, November 11, 1981. It has been highly speculated that Marksman was murdered by crooked Chicago Police officers for the work that he and his students were doing on police brutality in Chicago involving recently convicted crooked cop Jon Burge. His murder remains unsolved.

Activism

As a Cabrini-Green resident, she began fighting for better living conditions; and many other issues Cabrini residents faced. . She helped organize a boycott of the ChicagoFest in 1982 and 1983.^[2] Known as an "In your face" activist, her actions angered mayors.

Marion was not shy in holding city politicians accountable for their actions. She was known to be aggressive in her fight to make sure that residents of housing developments had a voice through their violent-ridden and harsh living conditions in public housing. She helped to expose former mayor Jane Byrne during her media stunt of moving in Cabrini Green for 30 days when she and a group of residents caught the mayor leaving the development each night, having NEVER stayed for a 24 hour period. Byne abandoned ship after being exposed.

In 1983, She attempted to organize a rent-strike with other Chicago Housing Authority residents over complaints of poor maintenance which angered new-elected Mayor Washington. Marion and Harold had a very strong relationship and it remained until his death in 1987. In 1994, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley skipped a news conference on job creation; fearing facing her.

In 1993, Marion began work with many gang leaders throughout Chicago to help end the growing violence between territory and turf wars. In 1994, she and others were able to successfully navigate the FIRST and ONLY citywide Gang truce for Chicago. The peace was eventually disrupted by Chicago's attempt to dismantle gang leadership forcing factions of renegade gang members that still exist to this day, causing much of the violence Chicago has seen in recent years.

In months before her death, she changed her opposition on the decision to redevelop Cabrini. She worked tirelessly with tenants of Cabrini and housing to help them gain traction on getting the very best possible deal in the redevelopment process. She began a successful collaboration with tenants from six Cabrini buildings, 1150 North Sedgwick, 1160 North Sedgwick, 500,502 West Oak Street, 1159 and 1157 North Cleveland. She also fought to make sure that the residents would obtain Hope VI funding to assist in the transition from living in public housing.

Aldermanic Race/Death

In 1995, she ran in the 27th Ward aldermanic race but loss to current Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. It was one of most highly financed Aldermanic race in Chicago as many fought to keep her from gaining control over the nearly formed racially mixed 27th Ward. After her loss she had planned to move back to her hometown to assist with the care of her ailing father. Prior to her death, Stamps had been suffering from a Heart Condition that she was born with but eventually became a health issue. Stamps died in her sleep on Wednesday, August 28, 1996.

Marion was the mother of five daughters. All have engaged in a life of service to impoverished neighborhoods in the capacity of teachers, youth program directors, youth programming, and juvenile justice. Presently, her youngest daughter directs the Marion Nzinga Stamps Youth Center, renamed in her honor in 1997 upon her passing.

Legacy

There is a Marion Nzinga Stamps Youth Center located in the Old Town neighborhood on the near-north side Chicago.^[3]

References

Stamps, Justice M. Daughter.