Deton Jackson Brooks, Jr., papers, 1945-1975

This collection is open for research use.

Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Materials were a gift of Deton J. Brooks, Jr. An addition to the Deton Jackson Brooks, Jr., papers was donated by the City of Chicago Department of Human Services in 1977(accession # M1968.0713; M1969.0020).

Deton Jackson Brooks, Jr., papers (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/ folder number of a specific item.

Articles, biographical materials, correspondence, minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, photographs, reports, a scrapbook, speeches, studies, and other papers of Deton Jackson Brooks, Jr., an educator, journalist, administrator, and Chicago public servant. The collection contains reports and studies written by Brooks related to the topics of welfare and literacy; administrative records from Brooks' tenure as executive director of the Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity (CCUO) 1964-1969; and other papers, including articles written by Brooks for the Chicago Defender and other publications and the text of speeches. Also included are records complied by the City of Chicago Department of Human Services about the death of Brooks, including biographical records, final editorials, and the homily delivered at his funeral.

Deton Jackson Brooks, Jr., was an educator, journalist, administrator, and Chicago public servant. Brooks received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Chicago in 1935 and worked as an elementary and high school teacher in Chicago for 14 years (1930-1944). In 1944, Brooks joined the staff of the Chicago Defender newspaper, serving as a war correspondent in China, Burma, and India, and later as an administrator. Brooks spent time in New York City, where he worked in the areas of education, health, housing, and welfare, and earned his Master of Arts degree and Doctor of Education degree (1958) from Columbia University. Upon returning to Chicago, Brooks served as director of research and statistics at the Cook County Department of Public Aid (1958-1964), research associate at Loyola University's Chicago School of Social Work (1961-1964), and executive director of the Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity (1964-1969). In 1969, Mayor Richard J. Daley appointed Brooks commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Human Resources.

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include a 1961 study by the Cook County Department of Public Aid and publications of the Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity, which are cataloged separately.

• NamesBrooks, Deton Jackson, 1909-1975--Archives
• Subject
  • African American journalists--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • African American men--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Educators--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Public welfare--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Public welfare--Illinois--Cook County--20th century
• Geographic Coverage
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Officials and employees--20th century
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Politics and government--20th century
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century

The collection is arranged in four series

Series 1. Reports and studies, 1959-1964 (box 1-2)

Series 1 consists of reports and studies authored by Brooks, chiefly related to the topics of welfare and literacy. Materials are arranged chronologically.

Series 2. CCUO records, 1964-1969 (box 2-3 and 1 vol.)

Series 2 consists of announcements, correspondence, minutes, newsletters, plans, reports, studies and other administrative records related to the Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity (CCUO), of which Brooks was executive director from 1964 to 1969. Materials are arranged chronologically. Also present is a scrapbook (1964-1965) containing chiefly photocopies of newspaper clippings pertaining to CCUO activities, which is shelved at the end of the collection.

Series 3. Personal papers, 1945-1963 (box 3-4)

Series 3 consists of articles, correspondence, and speeches authored by Brooks. Included are articles written by Brooks as a correspondent for the Chicago Defender newspaper; and articles, an executive order, and a press release related to Brooks' appointment as commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Human Resources. Articles chiefly take the form of photocopies of newspaper clippings. Also present is Brooks' doctoral dissertation from Teachers College, Columbia University (1958). Materials are arranged chronologically.

Series 4. City of Chicago Department of Human Services records on Brooks, 1970-1975 (box 4)

Series 4 consists of records compiled by the City of Chicago Department of Human Services about Brooks' death and funeral service. Included are biographical records, final editorials, a homily, and a portrait photograph.