Between 1972 and 1991, Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers tortured at least 112 African American men and youth. Victims were as young as 13 years old, and at least 26 officers were involved. CPD Detective Jon Burge, the leader of CPD’s Area 2 midnight shift on the South Side of Chicago, appears to have been primarily responsible for introducing the torture techniques, which included electric shock, suffocation, burns, many kinds of beatings, use of cattle prods, use of nooses, mock executions with guns, and genital pain. Burge likely learned the electric shock tactic during his service as a military police sergeant in a Prisoner of War camp during the Vietnam War. The practical goal of the torture was often to produce confessions from suspects that could be used to convict them or others of crimes under the purview of Area 2’s investigatory responsibilities, raising Area 2’s arrest and conviction rates and assisting Burge’s rapid rise through the CPD ranks. The torture was systemic and rooted in deeply held racist beliefs. In fact, Burge and his men referred to the apparently homemade electrical device that they used to shock men with as the “nigger box.” The torture became an “open secret” among both the CPD and the city’s political establishment.

Over the course of decades, torture survivors, their families and local organizers have fought for justice. The City of Chicago has acknowledged the torture, and the UN has called for redress. Yet scores of survivors still suffer from the ongoing impact of the trauma they endured – without compensation, assistance, or recourse.

On 10/26/13, an ordinance was introduced to recognize those who were tortured, and provide financial compensation and material support to survivors and their families. The Burge police torture reparations ordinance has the support of 28 alderpeople, but has languished in the Finance Committee for a year & a half, and Committee Chair Ed Burke has refused to call it for a hearing.

A coalition of organizations and individuals has revived the struggle to pass the reparations ordinance in the next couple of months. As part of our organizing effort, we invite more people to learn about Chicago’s horrific legacy of police torture. The reparations ordinance calls for the history of Chicago police torture to be taught in Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

To get a head start, we call on people across Chicago to “‘Teach Burge” & the history of Chicago police torture from March 9 to April 14, 2015. You can host community-based teach-ins and/or offer a session in your classroom. We have included various curriculum resources on this site to help you. We have also compiled an extensive list of resources (including articles, reports and videos).

Please let us know if/when you schedule your teach-in, workshop, or class. We want to post information on this site. Let us know if your session is open for the public to attend. You can reach us at justicememorials@gmail.com.

This site was created by Chicago Torture Justice Memorials and Project NIA.