CICERO, ILLINOIS

'Cicero' is an incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 85,616 at the 2000 census. A 2003 Census estimate showed the population dipped to 83,029. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman orator.
Originally, Cicero Township occupied six times its current territory. Weak political leadership and town services resulted in cities such as Oak Park and Berwyn voting to split off from Cicero, and other portions such as Austin were annexed into the city of Chicago [1].
Al Capone built his criminal empire in Chicago before moving to Cicero to escape the reach of Chicago police. The town features in ''The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui'', a play by Bertolt Brecht which compares the Chicago gangsters and the rise to power of Adolf Hitler.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a heavy influx of Hispanic (mostly Mexican and Central American) residents to Cicero. Once considered mainly a Czech or Bohemian town on 22nd Street (now Cermak Road), most of the European-style restaurants and shops have been replaced by Spanish-titled businesses. Cicero most recently is seeing a new influx of residents, mostly Puerto Rican and Polish. Cicero also has seen a revival in its commercial sector, with many brand-new minimalls and large retail stores. New condominiums are also being built in Cicero, ranging in price from $150,000 to $300,000.
Cicero has long had a reputation of government scandal. Most recently, Town President Betty Loren-Maltese was sent to federal prison for misappropriating funds. She was well-liked by retired, long-term Cicero residents, but was continually challenged by younger Hispanic opponents before her indictment.
Cicero was taken up and abandoned several times as site for a civil rights march in the mid-1960s. The American Friends Service Committee, the Rev. Martin Luther King, and many affiliated organizations, including churches, were conducting marches against housing and school ''de facto segregation'' and inequality in Chicago and several suburbs, but the leaders feared too violent a response in Chicago Lawn and Cicero. Eventually, a substantial march (met by catcalls, flying bottles and bricks) was conducted in Chicago Lawn, but only a splinter group marched in Cicero.

Contents

Geography

Landmarks

Demographics

Government

Education

Notable people from or associated with Cicero

References

External links

Geography

Cicero is located at (41.845232, -87.759933).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 15.2 km² (5.8 mi²), all land.
Cicero used to run from Harlem Avenue to Western Avenue and Pershing Road to North Avenue; however, much of this area was annexed by Chicago.

Landmarks

★ St. Mary of Czestochowa, a Neogothic church built in the so-called 'Polish Cathedral' style along with the sculpture of Christ the King by famed sculptor Professor Czesław Dźwigaj, who also cast the monumental bronze doors at St. Hyacinth's Basilica in Chicago. The church's other claim to fame is as the site of Al Capone's sister Mafalda's wedding in 1930.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 85,616 people, 23,115 households, and 18,099 families residing in the town. The population density was 5,650.7/km² (14,645.2/mi²). There were 24,640 housing units at an average density of 1,626.2/km² (4,214.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 48.27% White American (19.60% non-Hispanic white), 1.12% African American, 0.89% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander American, 44.71% from other races, and 4.01% from two or more races. 77.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, with 68.4% of Mexican descent.^[1]
The top five non-Hispanic ancentries reported in Cicero as of the 2000 census were Polish (4.7%), Irish (3.7%), German (3.7%), Italian (3.0%) and Czech (2.3%).^[2]
There were 23,115 households out of which 50.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.70 and the average family size was 4.18.
The age distribution was 34.6% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 105.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,044, and the median income for a family was $47,883. Males had a median income of $27,424 versus $21,398 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,489. About 13.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Most of Cicero is in Illinois' 4th congressional district; the area south of the railroad at approximately 33rd Street is in the 3rd district.

Education

Cicero is served by the Cicero Elementary School District and J. Sterling Morton East High School of the J. Sterling Morton High School District 201.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago operates three PK-8 schools in Cicero:

★ St. Frances of Rome School

★ St. Mary of Czestochowa School

★ Our Lady of Charity School
From 1927 until 1972, Cicero was also the home of Timothy Christian School. This caused a great deal of racial unrest in the city in the 1960s.

Notable people from or associated with Cicero

★ Al Capone (mobster)

★ Ernest Hemingway (writer, his neighborhood separated from Cicero and became Oak Park in 1902)

★ Joe Mantegna (actor)

★ William Blackstone (renowned Christian/Zionist who lived in Cicero for a period)

★ Betty Loren-Maltese (infamous town mayor)

★ Edith Nash (renowned poet and childhood friend of Ernest Hemingway)

★ Mike Murphy (AM 670 sports talk personality)

★ Milt Bocek (Former White Sox OF 1933-1934. Lived in Cicero for over 80 years)

★ Tom Brocato (mobster, associate of Phil Chapman, left in 1976 for british columbia)

References

1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics, Cicero, Illinois. U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed 2007-04-13.
2. Profile of Selected Social Characteristics, Cicero, Illinois. U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed 2007-04-10.

External links

★ Official Site, Town of Cicero

★ Town of Cicero Chamber of Commerce

★ Website of landmark church of St. Mary of Czestochowa

★ A collection of newspaper articles about Cicero's recent political troubles

★ Sportsman's Park of Cicero

★ This American Life Episode about Cicero. Recorded 3/16/01

★ Official Site of the Citizens Group, People of Cicero