The Vice District

Chicago’s vice district, known as the Levee, was a segregated section of the city that housed brothels, dance halls, gambling, drugs, bars, and many other technically illegal activities. Wikipedia defines vice as “a practice or a behavior or habit considered immoral, depraved, or degrading in the associated society.” [1] This is exactly what was located in the Levee of Chicago, everything that the rest of the city knew existed but didn’t want to see on a daily basis. That same thought is what black/white segregation is about as well. White people knew blacks existed but for the most part did not want them on their buses, in their movie theaters, in their diners, or really anywhere that they had to see them and interact with them. 

During the Gilded Age and Progressive era I believe that vice created the most impact on American culture. In the case of vice in Chicago it was the starting point for a movement that would change laws for all Americans. Segregation, though it too had a part in the Levee, was not seen as an evil (except of course to those who it affected) for common society. Whereas vice in Chicago and the white slave idea, that of young girls being coerced or forced into prostitution, was brought right to the doorsteps of white America. 

It was Clifford Roe and his work on the Mona Marshall case that first began the crusade against white slavery. After that, “suddenly there were hundreds just like her, girls who turned victim as soon as they wandered past the sanctioned boundaries of their lives.” [2] Publications were being printed and the knowledge that young girls were being tricked or trapped into lives of prostitution spread throughout the city. People were outraged at the idea that not only are young white girls being targeted, but that they’re supposed captors were being protected by crooked politicians who favored the Levee district. Arrests were made but many of the arrested were soon back on the job in a high turn around rate. Something had to be done, and “on December 6 (1909), Congressman James R. Mann of Chicago introduced a bill titled the White Slave Traffic Act.” [3] Known as the Mann act, it prohibited the interstate transfer of females for immoral purposes. After some change in politics and more reformers pushing for change, the Levee district was closed for good by 1914. 

The white slave trade scared the Nation. They believed any minute someone was going to walk through their front door and steal their daughters away into a life of crime, sin, and lots of horrible things.  It wasn’t just Chicago however. All over America people took notice and locally put stops to vice districts in their own cities. “Atlanta, Georgia, announced that the city’s brothels would all close within five days owing to the efforts of a group called Men and Religion Forward,” [4] leaving one madam so distraught that she killed herself. Everywhere people were afraid to let their daughters out of the house. This reaction is largely because it was happening to white girls, and they were seen as helpless victims of horrible men. To further differentiate most of the men involved were believed to be immigrants, those of whom already were looked down upon in society.

I want to close by saying in retrospect to the entire history of American culture I feel segregation is much more important and culturally damaging, but to this specific time period the fight against vice was hugely popular and important as people believed it affected them more personally.

http://chicagocrimescenes.blogspot.com/

This person created a blog showcasing all the spots relevant to the time period, including the Everleigh club, Vic Shaw’s Brothel, Freiberg’s Dance Hall, and Colosimo’s Café. Also posting pictures of what those locations look like today.

 

Finally, a solid gold piano because I was very curious about the Everleigh sister’s absolute favorite thing.

[1] “Vice,” Wikipedia, accessed September 15, 2012, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice

[2] Karen Abbott, Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America’s Soul (New York: Random House, 2007), 129.

[3] ibid., 207.

[4] ibid., 277.