Rule number one of advertising is “know your audience.” The sign on this church at Wilson and Sheridan spoke to the population of Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, which was heavily Black in the mid-1970s. It proudly proclaims, “We Serve Soul Food.” Despite the roughness of the neighborhood, churches were busy places. I think people sought them out for solace. They represent a way of insulating oneself from the world’s cruelties. They also offered social support services like food assistance which many residents needed in that era.
