Altgeld Gardens is a community in Southeast Chicago
that has been struggling with issues of environmental toxicants and
pollutants for decades. This poor, predominantly African-American
community has been referred to as the Toxic Donut because they are
surrounded by a large number of landfills, industrial sites and factories.
In the late 1970's People for Community Recovery (PCR) was established to help
bring justice to this community.
PCR was founded by Hazel Johnson
and is now run by her daughter Cheryl Johnson. While PCR has been
recognized nationally for their groundbreaking efforts in environmental
justice, the community is still suffering from PCB exposure and
extremely high levels of air pollution.
Residents of Altgeld Gardens, which is a public housing community, are
currently pursuing legal action against the Chicago Housing Authority for
failing to to take proper action in cleaning up the community after CHA
dumped transformers in the community that later led to PCB contamination.
PCR continues to fight to improve environmental health conditions in their
community. And, despite being seen as one of the earliest and most
influential environmental justice organizations in the country,
ironically, their community is still fighting for justice.
Learn more about PCR and Altgeld Gardens in an article in the
Chicago Reporter.
