Welcome to Chicago!

The Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) is hosting the 75th SSSP Anniversary
Insurgent Sociology in a Time of Crises
August 8-10, 2025, at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, IL

welcome to chicago

Greetings From Chicago mural by Victor Ving & Lisa Beggs in the Logan Square neighborhood. This image is from the Instagram account created for the project.

Land acknowledgment. The Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative (CAICC) land acknowledgment reads: “Chicago is the traditional homeland of the Council of the Three Fires: The Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi Nations. Many other Tribes like the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox also called this area home. Located at the intersection of several great waterways, the land naturally became a site of travel and healing for many Tribes. American Indians continue to call this area home and now Chicago is home to the sixth-largest Urban American Indian community that still practices their heritage, traditions and care for the land and waterways. Today, Chicago continues to be a place that calls many people from diverse backgrounds to live and gather here. Despite the many changes the city has experienced, our American Indian community sees the importance of the land and this place that has always been a city home to many diverse backgrounds and perspectives.”

In our review of other land acknowledgments, we also want to share that the Zhigaagong (‘Zhi-Gaa-Goo’), now referred to as ‘Chicago,’ exists on the unceded, ancestral homeland of the Council of Three Fires: the Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), Odawak (Odawa), and Bodéwadmik (Potawatomi). More than a dozen other Nations also have longstanding ties to this region, including the Kiash Matchitiwuk (Menominee); Jiwere (Otoe), Nutachi (Missouria), and Baxoje (Iowas); Hoocąk (Winnebago/Ho-Chunk); Meshkwahkîha (Meskwaki); Asâkîwaki (Sauk); Myaamiaki (Miami), Waayaahtanwaki (Wea), and Peeyankihšiaki (Piankashaw); Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo); and Inoka (Illini Confederacy). Long before colonization and settler arrival, these communities created sophisticated trade, transportation, and agriculture networks, forming a strong foundation upon which Chicago would later develop into a major metropolis. Despite centuries of forced removal, erasure, and oppression, Chicago today remains home to one of the largest urban Native populations in the United States, representing over 150 Indigenous Nations from across North America.

We do acknowledge critiques of land acknowledgments as performative gestures that can portray colonialism as a relic of the past, neglecting ongoing colonization and contemporary harm to Indigenous peoples. As the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) prepares to gather in Chicago, we ask our members to consider how our presence on this unceded territory and the ways in which social sciences, as products of Western epistemologies, have historically perpetuated colonization, Indigenous erasure, and the extraction of Indigenous knowledge without reciprocity.

Insurgent Chicago. Chicago has been a crucible for social change and political dissent, fueling an insurgent spirit that spans generations. From the 1886 Haymarket affair—where workers demanding an eight-hour workday clashed with police and changed the course of the global labor movement—to the 1919 Race Riots that exposed deep racial divides during the Great Migration, the city has repeatedly served as a battleground for transformative ideas. The 1960s amplified this tradition of resistance, most notably through demonstrations at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, where protesters against the Vietnam War faced police brutality in a clash broadcast around the world, and through the work of the Black Panther Party, whose Chicago chapter challenged police misconduct and championed community empowerment. In recent years, Chicago movements have continued to fight for justice, including massive teacher strikes fighting for educational equity, resistance against police violence calling for accountability, and grassroots organizations confronting environmental threats in industrial corridors. Abolitionists in Chicago have led various efforts, causing the city to be a national leader in the modern abolitionist movement, including abolishing cash bail, eliminating the gang database, and winning repatriations for victims of police torture, to name a few. These collective efforts highlight the city’s enduring role as a space for rebellion and advocacy.

Chicago Culture. Chicago is famously recognized for its captivating skyline and 28-mile-long Lakefront. It’s home to iconic food, blues and jazz music, world-class museums, committed sports fans, and a proud history of activism which shapes its bustling neighborhoods and cultural landscape. Chicago remains persistent as a sanctuary city for immigrant communities, a homebase for abolitionist organizing, and a city of innovation and resiliency.

Neighborhoods. Chicago is famously described as a “city of neighborhoods,” each reflecting the customs, cuisines, art, and traditions of its many immigrant communities. Waves of migration—from the African and Caribbean diasporas, China, Central America, Eastern Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, and more—have shaped local culture, giving rise to an array of languages, festivals, and authentic foods that you can enjoy across town. Read more about Chicago neighborhoods here.

Chicago has a well-established public transportation system, with one day passes costing $5.00 for easy access to Chicago neighborhoods. Neighborhoods that might be interested to visitors include:

Chicago Happenings. Anytime is a good time to visit Chicago, but August is a particularly lovely time to visit.

Free Things to Do:

Outdoors

Museums

Festivals and Events

Chicago Food.

Other Things to Check-Out.

Near Conference Hotel - Within Three Miles of the Palmer House

Staying at the Palmer House (17 E. Monroe St.) places you at the heart of downtown—commonly called “The Loop.” Here are some nearby attractions to check out.

Chicago’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and community. We hope this guide encourages you to discover the local treasures waiting just around the corner. We’re honored to host you in a place where past, present, and future converge to create something truly extraordinary. 

Safe travels and enjoy exploring!

Kayla M. Martensen, PhD
University of New Mexico
Chair, Local Arrangements Committee, 2024-2025