Meeting the Challenges (1950-2000) - A Brief History of Oak Park


	MEETING THE CHALLENGES
	Historical Overview: Beginnings \| Growth \| Excellence

OAK PARK continued to grow as the vacant land was built upon with homes, churches, businesses and schools. Oak Park became widely know as the World's Largest Village. As a mature community, Oak Park struggled to remain vibrant. As part of its efforts, Oak Park embraced its rich heritage and noted legacy of Wright, Hemingway, and others. But post-war America was not to be so simple.

Percy Lavon Julian was born on April 11, 1899 1899 in Montgomery, Alabama. He received the A.B. degree from DePauw University in 1920 (where the Percy L. Julian Science and Mathematics Center in named in his honor) and the Ph.D. degree from University of Vienna in 1931. Percy Julian's life in research often made use of soybean products and led to discoveries in the manufacture of drugs, hormones, vitamins, amino acids, paint and paper. Percy Julian's research yielded over 100 patents. The DePauw citation says it best:
"Revered Scholar, Teacher, Research Chemist, Mentor, Business and Civic Leader, and Humanitarian"
When the Julian family first moved to Oak Park in 1951, their East Avenue home was fire-bombed twice. A community group rose up in defense of the Julians' rights as the first blacks to live in Oak Park. The community also offered support to the family, which stayed in Oak Park. Julian became a long-time resident of Oak Park, and a symbol for integration in Oak Park. Percy Julian died on April 19, 1975. Hawthorne school was renamed to honor Percy Julian in 1985.

Oak Park through out its years has taken positive steps to manage change while keeping stability. The Open Housing Ordinance of 1968 was a statement in support of integrated housing and in 1973 the Village Trustees created a policy statement, "Maintaining Diversity in Oak Park" which stated in part, "The people of Oak Park have chosen this community, not so much as a place to live, but as a way of life. A key ingredient is the diversity of these same people a broad representation of various occupations, professions, ages and income levels. Such diversity is Oak Park's strength." In 1976, the village was designated an "All American City" and is today still a model city for dealing with the manifest complications of life in a "small town" in the middle of a metropolitan region of more than 3 million people.