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City Cast Chicago

People, places, and scenes from Chicago's past.

You’re familiar with the age-old question: boxers or briefs? But do you know the city’s role in helping bring tighty-whities into the mainstream?

Since the late 1800s, 

 (later Cooper's) had been in the undergarment business. The Midwestern company had been known for its socks and hosiery when it started creating underwear at the turn of the century.

In 1934, a postcard of a man in a bikini style bathing suit from the French Riviera inspired marketing executive and apparel engineer Arthur Kneibler to design snug, legless underwear.

On Jan. 19, 1935, Marshall Field’s was the first store to sell the briefs. Despite a blizzard that day, all 600 pairs 

, according to CNN.

The company found global success and later changed its name to Jockey. But Chicago does have one more chapter in the company’s history: The city hosted an 

 Chi’s Brief Role in Underwear History

Chicago History

Rev. Jesse Jackson formed Operation PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity) on 

, Operation Breadbasket was the first iteration of the movement. As director, Jackson brought more economic opportunities to Black Chicagoans with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, or SCLC.


, pressuring big companies to hire more Black people and work more closely with Black communities.


, Jackson ran for president, inspired by Harold Washington’s historic mayoral election. He formed a multicultural political organization called the 

, a reference to the late Black Panther leader Fred Hampton’s more radical alliance of the same name.


, Jackson merged the two to create the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which remains committed to fighting for economic and racial justice today.

Want to learn more about Rev. Jackson? Tune into 

This Week in Chi History: Rainbow Push Coalition Formed

Eight years ago today, the city’s first woman mayor died.

 was taken under the wing of Mayor Richard J. Daley in the 1960s, the Tribune reported. By the time she ran for mayor in ‘79, Byrne had worked in various city roles and was involved in party politics.

But her campaign was seen as a rejection of the Democratic machine. Why? She was running against Mayor Michael Bilandic, 

Daley’s successor who had fired Byrne from City Hall

, according to WTTW.

Seen as an underdog, Byrne clinched the nomination partly because of citywide anger over Bilandic’s response to a snowstorm that winter.In her four years as mayor, Byrne memorably:

Faced strikes from teachers, CTA workers, and firefighters

Founded the Blues Fest and the Taste of Chicago, and officially recognized the city's Pride Parade

Replaced Black city officials with white political allies

Decided to live in the Cabrini-Green public housing project for a month

She lost her reelection bid to Harold Washington, the city’s first Black mayor, in 1983. One reason why? She had alienated Black, women, and liberal Chicagoans who had supported her in office. 

On Nov. 14, 2014, she died from complications of a stroke she had the previous year, her daughter Kathy said. She’s buried in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Evanston.

This Week in Chi History: Jane Byrne

Oct. 26, 2005: The Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros (who were still in the National League back then!) in the Chi team’s first World Series in 88 years.The South Siders swept the Astros in four games in a 

The Sox won every postseason away game that year, including the final one, snatching the championship at Houston’s Minute Maid Park.


Of course, we’re all excited when Chicago sports dominate (which didn’t really happen this year) but City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran, a life-long Sox fan, remembers that day very well:

"Growing up, everyone always talked about the Cubs' century-long World Series drought, but the 

 at 88 years. Then the postseason started, and they rolled teams, going 11-1 to tie for the best postseason record ever.

They swept the defending champion Red Sox, made quick work of the Angels, and then swept the Astros. If you listen close you can still hear the sound of Joe Crede's Game 1 homer, Paul Konerko's Game 2 Grand Slam, or Jermaine Dye's clutch Game 4 RBI to ultimately win the game and series. We haven't gotten back since, but it's one of the most dominant postseason runs any of us will ever witness."

This Week in Chi History: Sox Championship

Any other Illini surprised to learn the college once had a 

? 

On Oct. 21, 1946, the university opened a city location for all the World War II veterans taking advantage of the GI Bill.

The two-year commuter campus, called the “

," wasn’t exactly comfortable for students who complained of the distracting noises and smells of the pier’s working dock, the Tribune reported.

But that didn’t stop demand: The Navy Pier location quickly reached its 

, attended the Navy Pier college during its almost 20 years in operation, according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago. (

Author and Logan Square native Shel Silverstein

 lied about attending the campus.)

 In 1965, the campus relocated and expanded to the Near West Side, sparking 

This Week in Chi History: U of I Navy Pier

Happy 30th anniversary to the former president and first lady!

Barack and Michelle Obama were married on this day in 1992 at Trinity United Church in Washington Heights, with a reception at the South Shore Cultural Center.

Can we all just take a moment to admire Michelle’s enduring elegance in her 

. 

If you really want to celebrate one of Chi’s favorite political love stories, consider visiting the Hyde Park corner where the couple had 

Today in Chi History: Obama Wedding

Activists Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr moved into the city’s first settlement house on the Near West Side Sept. 18, 1889. 

Originating in London, 

 were a new approach to charity where reformers would live in the communities they were trying to help.

On Polk and Halsted, the 

 started offering childcare, English classes, and art programming to the many new European immigrants in the area. With more community members and more services — lodging, a library, kindergarten, and more — the Hull House expanded to 13 buildings.

The Hull House prompted Addams and others to launch a 

 that sparked a lot of change, from more neighborhood parks and library branches to a federal child labor law.

Many of the settlement buildings had been displaced by the University of Illinois Chicago’s campus in the ‘60s, but the dining hall and original mansion remain as a museum. 

Visit the 

 to learn more about one of the country’s most-influential settlement houses. Also, check out this 

This Week in Chi History: Hull House

The Bears have been making headlines between 

, new Bermuda grass, and plans to move to Arlington Heights.

But 51 years ago, the team was in the news for their first game at Soldier Field after permanently moving into the venue.

The Bears beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the rain with 

 at the lakefront stadium on Sept. 19, 1971.

Playing at Wrigley Field for decades, the Bears had to move to a venue with more than 50,000 seats because of new rules after the National Football League–American Football League merger.

Even then, 

 had wanted to move the team to the northern suburb, Curbed reported. Today, daughter Virginia McCaskey and the rest of the fam are closer to making that happen.

This Month in Chi History: Soldier Field

” premiered in Chicago ahead of its national release, becoming one of the highest-grossing comedies ever.

And that’s all thanks to filmmaker 

 at the thought of leaving a kid behind on a family trip in 1989, his son James wrote for Chicago magazine. Hughes worked on the script two weeks after coming home.

More than a year later, Kevin, the Wet Bandits, and the rest of the McAllisters were on our screens, running around the North Shore in the Christmas comedy.