Evanston Rules

It’s one of our favorite days of the year—join us Thursday, May 28, 2026 at The Evans at Canal Shores for the 5th Annual Doria Dee Johnson Golf Outing. This scholarship honors the legacy of Doria Dee Johnson, a powerful force for change and restorative justice, by supporting high school seniors as they begin their journeys at HBCUs. Funds raised through the outing help support scholarships for students. We hope you’ll join us for an extraordinary day of golf, community, and connection. It is always a great day—filled with wonderful people, exciting raffle prizes, and lunch by Taylor’s Tacos, all in support of a meaningful cause. To learn more about the impact of the scholarship, visit the link below and follow along as we share stories from past recipients. Can’t make it? You can still support the scholarship through sponsorship or a donation. For more information, please visit evanstonrules.com and select the golf tournament page. To learn more about the scholarship: /scholarship-golf-outing/entry

RIP Reverend Jesse Jackson October 8, 1941 - February 17, 2026 Repost from @nytimes • Rev. Jesse Jackson’s funeral, which capped two weeks of memorials, drew thousands of Chicagoans. His oratory and activism arguing for racial equality and opportunity made him one of the most powerful civil rights figures of his time. “We thank you that there was no fight too small or too big for him to take on,” said Rev. Michael Pfleger, a priest who has spent decades ministering to a mostly Black parish on the South Side, “to level the playing field of a country that has never played fair.” Jackson’s family chose House of Hope for his “public homegoing,” a ceremony of speeches and song to celebrate his life. Read more about the ceremony at the link in our bio. Photos by @jaymiey

Eight years ago today, on February 14th, we lost our dear friend Doria Dee Johnson. And even now, we find ourselves doing what we will always do: speaking her name. We grew up with Doria. Ron and his brother Doug went to nursery school with her, and Laurice met her at twelve. She was part of the fabric of Evanston—brilliant, grounded, and deeply committed to truth. Doria was the steward of her family’s history, carrying forward the name of her great-great-grandfather, Anthony P. Crawford. He was a landowner. He was prosperous. And he was lynched in Abbeville, South Carolina in 1916, for being Black. Doria made it her life’s work to ensure that his name, and the names of so many others, would not disappear. She spoke before the U.S. Senate in support of an apology for victims of lynching. She worked alongside Keith Beauchamp, Dan Duster, Bryan Stevenson, and others to recognize the places where racial terror stole lives. She was pursuing her PhD in history when she became ill, and she passed far too quickly. Too often, we do not adequately honor the work of people like Doria, especially Black women. There are not enough scholarships, not enough awards, not enough public remembrances that speak their names aloud. We wanted Doria’s memory to live, and for the work she devoted herself to never to stop. That is why in 2022 we created the Doria Dee Johnson Scholarship, supporting Evanston Township High School graduates attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Each year, we gather through our golf tournament—our major fundraising event—to provide scholarships that stay with students throughout all four years of college. We believe Doria would have loved being part of this. She is the heart of it. And we are grateful to join with her family and dear friends, eight years later, to continue speaking her name, and offering young people a little more freedom to dream. We also want to share that the Fifth Annual Doria Dee Johnson Golf Event will take place on Thursday, May 28th, at Canal Shores. More details to come soon. And because she was a huge fan of house music, we honor her by sharing one of her favorite songs here. #heyhey #dennisferrer

Let’s get together and chat with talented Black artists from Evanston, celebrating their incredible artistry at “That Art Thing We Do” Event. Join us for an exciting in-person event at 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL, USA! Immerse yourself in a captivating conversation with talented Black Evanston artists. Explore their artistic journeys, inspirations, and unique perspectives. Get ready to be inspired, enlightened, and amazed by their incredible creations. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with the thriving artistic community of Evanston. Mark your calendar and be part of this unforgettable experience! FREE community-sharing event. Enjoy a post-conversation reception with wine & small bites. Register at the link in our linktree! @evanston_arts_council @cityofevanston @northshore_black_artist_group @evanston_made @shorefrontlegacy @evanstonartcenter @art.encounter @evanstonrules #cityofevanston #fjtheatre #evanstonartscouncil #blackhistorymonth #thatartthingwedo

From 2022. From Ron Whitmore’s episode, “The Skin I’m In” Season 2 Happy birthday to Martin Luther King, Jr. ✊🏾 In 2022, we still have a dream that one day there will not be institutionalized racism, that one day there won’t be a gap in education, that one day wrongfully accused Black people won’t be incarcerated. We have a dream that one day Black people will not be murdered at the hands of police, that one day the constitution’s tenet that all men (and people) are created equal is true. We still have a dream that one day there will be no voter suppression and that the truth/ history is taught to everyone in America. Ask yourself, what is the reality for Black people in America? Now, ask yourself why? The fight for freedom, justice and equity continue. This photo is from Dr. King’s visit to Evanston in October 1962. It features Dr. Warren Spencer, “Doc”. Doc was the head of the Evanston NAACP from 1957-1963. Photo courtesy of the Spencer and Miller Family #evanstonrules #evanstonillinois #cometounderstand #podcastMLK MLKDay family friends mentor leader TheIDEALWard IDEAL Inclusion Diversity Equity Acceptance Love EVANSTrONg

Lesle Honoré @leslehonore - thank you for writing this piece. It touches us deeply and gave language to something we feel. Get your hands off Our King Get your white washing Emasculating Rewriting history Lie telling hands off Our King Get your hands off his legacy His words Our dream Get your hands off Our King Get your misquoting Your paraphrasing Hiding a knife behind your back hands off Our King Get your wire tapping Bait setting Operative training Bomb throwing White hood wearing Trump voting Ice supporting Black Vote suppressing trigger pulling gun loving ASSASSINATING Hands off OUR King He wasn’t a pacifist Cheek turning Boot licking Negro He was a Man Marching Blow taking Suit wearing Revolution Preaching Black Woman loving Black Children Raising KING ! Get His name out your mouth He is NOT rolling over in his grave When We scream F*UCK ICE When We flood the streets in protest When We blow whistles And take blows to protect our neighbors When We organize and fight against Your fascism Your unoriginal Jim Crow play books That likes Black and brown people Immigrants Women Allies Children Subjugated Enslaved Tortured Gassed Quiet Dead HE ISN’T ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE HE IS APPLAUDING SO GET YOUR HANDS OFF OUR KING #FistAndFire #KingHoliday #MLK #MLKDay #MLKDAY2026

Repost @leslehonore 10 years ago I curled up on my sofa Unable to move Trying hard to catch my breath Choking on my own tears The news kept pouring in And I couldn’t turn it off 20 babies were murdered Shielded by their teachers Stolen from their families Tiny souls Ripped apart It was an ordinary December day They were safe When you drop your first grader off at school You know they are safe You love their teacher You volunteer at school You are on the PTA You run the book fair You go on field trips You buy gifts for the staff That building is your children’s second home You tell them they are safe Safe at school Safe in their classroom Safe Because they are 6 year olds And what monster would slaughter 6 year olds Hiding behind their brave teacher What monster would unleash A machine gun On babies What monster would bring terror Into sanctuary I haven’t forgot you Tiny angels Innocent and loved I haven’t forgotten your families Fighting everyday to forget the horror And remember you I want to believe That love wins But everyday My black and brown babies Are slaughtered too Our blood runs in the streets Like red Christmas ribbons Wrapped on black asphalt trees I want to believe that love wins I’m looking for love to win I am hoping for love to win But hate is so well armed I remember you today Babies gone too soon Our lives are littered with Dates Memorializing Confetti bullet shells Falling like heavy snow I want love to win But guns make money And this country loves its money More than it loves Any of us The USA worships triggered idols Magazine clips round off the trinity guns bullets money Protected more than babies #DanielBarden6 #CatherineHubbard6 #ChaseKowalski7 #JesseLewis6 #JamesMattioli6 #GraceMcDonnell7 #EmilieParker6 #JackPinto6 #NoahPozner6 #CarolinePrevidi6 #JessicaRekos6 #AvielleRichman6 #BenjaminWheeler6 #AllisonWyatt6 #CharlotteBacon6 #OliviaEngel6 #JosephineGay7 #DylanHockley6 #MadeleineHsu6 #AnaMárquezGreene6 #RachelDAvino29 #DawnHochsprung47 #AnneMarieMurphy52 #LaurenRousseau30 #MarySherlach56 #VictoriaLeighSoto27 #SandyHook #LesléHonoréPoetry

Jazz for Joy | TODAY at 4:00 PM Love Your Neighbor—Warm Their Winter This afternoon, let music move us to kindness. Join us for Jazz for Joy as we come together with open hearts and warm coats to support our community. See you at 4 PM

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for... We’re announcing the participants for this year’s dynamic FriendRaiser panel, “From Isolation to Connection: Crossing Sectors and Sparking Change”. 🥁Drum roll, please 🥁 This year’s amazing panelists include: 🌟Ron Whitmore, Ed.D.; Retired CPS Principal 🌟Ronnie Mosley; 21st Ward Alderman of the City of Chicago 🌟Michelle Anderson, PhD; Director of Training at Alder Community Health Chicago 🌟and our moderator, Farrah Walker, MS, LMFT, Founder of Enriched Living Counseling and President Elect of the Illinois Affiliation of Marriage and Family Therapists How lucky are we?! Each individual is an expert in their respective field and a titan here in our city, and we are honored to learn from them together. Can’t wait to see you there! Tickets at the link in our bio🔥 #ChicagoMentalHealthDay #chicago #WorldMentalHealthDay #therapy

Repost from @naacp • Rep. @nicolecollier95 deserves her flowers. She didn’t sign the permission slip. She didn’t fold. This is what protecting democracy looks like. And we need more of it.

Love this kid’s spirit. Happy Monday! You’ve got this. Repost black.people.talking who has never done it? #funny #viral #trending #talking #cool #kid #bike #bottle

David Hammons African American Flag 1990 African American Flag reimagines the United States flag, replacing its colors with the red, green, and black of the Pan-African Universal Negro Improvement Association, founded in 1914.