Read more
Cicero is well known for its mob history in the Roaring Twenties, and its evolution into a town representing the American Dream.Mention the town of Cicero just about anywhere in the world, and you may receive two responses: first, a mimed tommy-gun pointed at you, reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties when Al Capone ran the town; second, a comment about Cicero's racial intolerance. Although the old Capone hangouts are mostly gone, and the town's racial makeup ischanging, those old stereotypes linger. Cicero: The First Suburb West tells the story of thisvibrant community and its links to the past--including its connections to Western Electric and the tragic Eastland disaster. The Hispanic families that are making their homes in Cicero today mirror the Slavic immigrants who settled here a century ago. Their goal was, and is, to provide safe and affordable housing for their families, and pursue the American Dream.
About the author
Betty Carlson Kay was born and raised on 22nd Place in Cicero, as was her father before her. She has taught first grade for 30 years, mostly in Springfield, Illinois. She is the author of the series Americans of Character, and her book Illinois from A to Z was recently published by the University of Illinois Press. She is also the author of another Images of America title, Jacksonville, Illinois, published by Arcadia in 1999. Cicero: The First Suburb West will show you this town's past, but if you look carefully, you will see the present--and the future.
