In this session, we’ll discuss the men and women who helped turn Chicago into the corrupt, crime-ridden city it became during the first half of the 20th century. We’ll begin with William J. Davis, the cost-cutting owner of a theatre where more than 600 people died in a single afternoon. From there, we’ll examine James Colosimo, the “grandfather” of the Chicago mob, and consider how “Big Jim” Thompson may have been the most corrupt mayor in the city’s history. We’ll also look at how Dean O’Banion, Al Capone, and John Dillinger rose to power and exerted their influence over organized crime. The class is taught by Brad Keyes, a collaborative instructor from Rock Valley College.
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