In Memoriam

1937 – 2021  John Johnson was the owner of a 1972 Chevy Bluebird school bus that he transformed into what became known as the Blues Bus that he parked at the Maxwell Street Market with bullhorns mounted and blues music blasting.  Painted blue with blues musicians’ names scripted on the windows, the Blues Bus became … Read More

1927 – 2023 Advisory Council Member New York-based Marvin Newman became known to the Maxwell Street Foundation (MSF) through his short film entitled, The Church on Maxwell Street, collaboratively produced with Yasuhiro Ishimoto while art students in Chicago. The film was part of Marvin’s senior project, “as a means of developing one’s perception about experiences … Read More

1923 – 2023 Advisory Council member and Honorary Board member Dr. Irving Cutler was born in the Maxwell Street area and became an accomplished urban geographer and scholar, having authored major history publications including the best-seller, The Jews of Chicago: From Shtetl to Suburb. He generously provided his expertise about Maxwell Street to Foundation members … Read More

1948 – 2024 Board member Dr. Michael Boruch, former Maxwell Street Foundation (MSF) board member who was a committed member of the MSF Market vending team at the “New” Market on Desplaines St., helped digitize parts of the MSF collection, and more. As a professor at DePaul University in Chicago, he introduced his Chicago Quarter … Read More