Rene Maxwell

A lifelong public housing resident, Rene Maxwell was born in Stateway Gardens on Chicago's south side, was raised in Altgeld Gardens, and spent the last years of his life in an apartment on Mohawk Street in Cabrini Green. Although he worked in steel mills during the 1970s, he quit to form a band called "The Elements of Time" with his siblings. At the onset of federal efforts to demolish public housing and "reform" welfare in 1996, Rene became the lead organizer for the Coalition to Protect Public Housing. He spoke against demolition at churches, synagogues, schools and press conferences and rallied residents at developments across the city. In June 2002, he organized tenants and local activists to form a "tent city" at the Ida B. Wells complex. Attendees still remember Rene's infectious speeches and music that accompanied the event late into the night. As one person describes:

"Anybody who knew Rene even a little knew that when he walked into a room, the fighting spirit of humanity came with him. He knew exactly whose side he was on, and he never stayed quiet about it. The struggle against injustice became his life's work, and he gave it every bit of energy he could muster, and then some."

When Rene died of a stroke on June 4th, 2003, he left a room full of the textual remnants of his life: poems, songs, speeches, newspaper articles, housing rally fliers, etc. Many fellow residents and activists dub the room "Rene's Museum."

Click here to read some of Rene's documents.

 

 

 

For a more indepth account of his life, please visit: http://economichumanrights.org/facepage/pages/renemaxwell.html

 

 

 

Related Links

The Plan for Transformation

CPPH History

CPPH Accomplishments

CPPH Member Organizations

Pictures

Wardell Yotaghan

Rene Maxwell