Research Briefs

Thin Briefs

CTL Thin Briefs · Published 2026-10-09

Thin Brief — a short evidence sketch, not a full research brief.

One hundred short evidence sketches drawn from the CultureTechLens knowledge graph — each with a guiding question, graded key facts, named sources, and a citation. Start anywhere.

Music (20)

• Muddy Waters and Chess Records (000001)
• Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Years (000002)
• Willie Dixon: Songwriter of the Chicago Blues (000003)
• Little Walter: The Blues Harmonica Revolution (000004)
• Koko Taylor: Queen of the Blues (000005)
• Big Bill Broonzy: From Country Blues to Chicago (000006)
• Buddy Guy and Junior Wells: West Side Blues (000007)
• Otis Rush and the West Side Sound (000008)
• Vee-Jay Records: A Black-Owned Chicago Label (000009)
• Delmark and Alligator: Independent Chicago Blues Labels (000010)
• The Regal Theater: South Side Showplace (000011)
• Club DeLisa: Bronzeville's Nightclub Stage (000012)
• Savoy Ballroom: Dance Hall of Bronzeville (000013)
• Louis Armstrong's Chicago Years (000014)
• Duke Ellington and the Swing Era (000015)
• Charlie Parker and the Birth of Bebop (000016)
• Thelonious Monk and 'Round Midnight (000017)
• Miles Davis and John Coltrane (000018)
• Dizzy Gillespie and Afro-Cuban Jazz (000019)
• Richard Pryor: Comedy on Record (000020)

Chicago Places (20)

• Hyde Park (000026)
• Englewood (000027)
• Chatham (000028)
• Auburn Gresham (000029)
• Woodlawn (000030)
• North Lawndale (000031)
• Parkway Ballroom (000032)
• Checkerboard Lounge (000033)
• Quinn Chapel AME Church (000034)
• Olivet Baptist Church (000035)
• Maxwell Street (000036)
• 47th Street Corridor (000037)
• 79th Street Corridor (000038)
• Cottage Grove Avenue Corridor (000039)
• State Street / South Parkway Corridor (000040)
• Madison Street Corridor (000041)
• The Mecca (Mecca Flats) (000042)
• Hansberry House, 6140 S. Rhodes (000043)
• 29th Street Beach (000044)
• Washington Park (000045)

People (20)

• Harold Washington (000051)
• Barack Obama (000052)
• Ida B. Wells (000053)
• Jesse Jackson Sr. (000054)
• Gwendolyn Brooks (000055)
• Lorraine Hansberry (000056)
• Oprah Winfrey (000057)
• John H. Johnson (000058)
• Madam C.J. Walker (000059)
• Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (000060)
• Dr. Margaret Burroughs (000061)
• Vivian G. Harsh (000062)
• Fannie Barrier Williams (000063)
• Rev. Clay Evans (000064)
• Bishop Arthur M. Brazier (000065)
• Rev. Jeremiah Wright (000066)
• Bessie Coleman (000067)
• Marcus Garvey (000068)
• A. Philip Randolph (000069)
• Studs Terkel (000070)

Business & Institutions (10)

• Johnson Publishing Company (000071)
• Ebony (000072)
• Jet (000073)
• Provident Hospital (000074)
• Supreme Life Insurance Company (000075)
• Trinity United Church of Christ (000076)
• Pilgrim Baptist Church (000077)
• The Elks and Prince Hall Networks (000078)
• The Faith Based Credit Union Alliance (000079)
• Johnson Products Company (000080)

Media (10)

• Negro Digest / Black World (000081)
• The Final Call (000082)
• The Chicago Defender's Digital Era (000083)
• The Associated Negro Press (000084)
• Muhammad Speaks (000085)
• The Black Effect Podcast Network (000086)
• Black Twitter (000087)
• WJPC (000088)
• WKKC 89.3 FM (000089)
• N'Digo (000090)

Technology (10)

• BlackPlanet (000091)
• NetNoir (000092)
• The Digital Divide in Chicago (000093)
• YouMedia and Community Technology Centers (000094)
• The Twitter/X Research API Paywall (000095)
• The Mellon Harsh Digitization Grant (000096)
• Satellite Radio's Black Channels (000097)
• Digitizing the Black Press Archives (000098)
• The Internet Archive and Black Digital Memory (000099)
• The BET Digital Archive Wipe (000100)

Everyday Life (10)

• The Block Club: Organizing the Block (000021)
• The Rent Party: Music and Mutual Aid (000022)
• Soul Food: The Sunday Table (000023)
• The Usher Board: Church Order and Care (000024)
• Homecoming: The Black College Ritual (000025)
• Step Shows (000046)
• Fish Frys (000047)
• Family Cookouts (000048)
• Neighborhood Taverns (000049)
• Hair as Practice (000050)

Source: CultureTechLens