Defender moving back to Bronzeville

After three years at its current location, 200 S. Michigan Ave., the Chicago Defender is moving back to its South Side roots by May 25.

Real Times Media Inc., the parent company of the Defender, finalized a deal in March to move the paper's headquarters to 4445 S. King Drive, adjacent to the Parkway Ballroom. The building is owned by prominent Chicago real-estate developer Elzie Higginbottom.

“We are very pleased to provide a new home to the Chicago Defender, a treasured Chicago institution. The Defender will produce tremendous energy for the community,” Higginbottom said.

Michael House, president of the Defender, said he knew on his first day the paper needed to relocate.

“We are going back where we belong. It’s the beginning of a new era of the Chicago Defender that reinforces our strong commitment to the African-American community and the communities of greater Chicago. We're committed to serving the community relevant news,” said House, who joined the paper in April 2008.

“We will be more accessible for our readers, advertisers and supporters. We are on the ground level, with good signage, allowing our readers to know where we are. They can just come on in and continue building a relationship with us,” House said of the new 8,500 square-foot headquarters.

The new location, formerly the Metropolitan Funeral Home, will mark the fifth home for the Defender, which was founded May 5, 1905 by Robert Abbott.

Abbott started the paper in his apartment on 48th Street and King Drive. The paper later moved to 34th Street and Indiana Avenue.

In 1956, Abbott’s successor and nephew, John Sengstacke, moved the paper to 2400 S. Michigan Ave. and began publishing daily.

The building was sold when Real Times – which also owns the Michigan Chronicle, the Detroit FrontPage, Tri-State Defender in Memphis and the New Pittsburgh Courier – acquired the Defender in 2003.

“We are the paper of the community. And as we move closer to our 104th anniversary, the move just felt like the right thing to do, and everything fell into place,” said Carol Bell, executive director of finance and business operations, adding the move is “more economically feasible.”

“Bronzeville couldn’t be a better community for us to go back to. It’s such a huge part of our legacy, and I look forward to the Defender being around for another 100 years. We are still for the people, and we belong to the people,” Bell said.

The Defender returned as the “World’s Greatest Weekly” on Feb. 13, 2008.

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