'Our Chicago: Neighborhood Walk': Val Warner, Cheryl Burton explore Chatham

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chatham is one of Chicago's most historic neighborhoods.

The community, located on the city's Southeast Side, has been home to one of Chicago's most prominent middle-class African American communities since the late 1950s.

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It was considered a Black mecca for businesses. At one time, Chatham was home to multi-million dollar Black-owned businesses like the Johnson Products Company and Seaway National Bank.

In her latest edition of "Our Chicago: Neighborhood Walk," Val Warner took a tour of Chatham with one of its most prominent former residents, ABC7 Chicago anchor Cheryl Burton. It's a community that Warner is familiar with as well. As a child living in Los Angeles, Warner would spend her summers in Chatham, visiting her grandmother.

Burton, whose family moved to Chatham in 1958, told Warner that Chatham made her the person that she is today.

"Chatham is in my blood," Burton said. "It's shaped our lives."

SEE ALSO: Our Chicago: Walk with Val through Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood

In their tour of Chatham, the two started at a structure known as "The Blue White House." Built in the mid-1960s, its bricks were imported from Italy, Burton said.

"Inside, the shape of it is exactly like the White House," Burton said.

The two then traveled across the street to the historic home of the legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who was one of Chatham's first Black residents, moving there in 1956.

Since 1972, the home has been owned by former U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, who invited Burton and Warner in the home that he bought directly from Jackson.

The two then visited Dat Donut, a well-known eatery at 8251 S. Cottage Grove Ave. As you would expect, this establishment sells huge donuts. But it also offers up ribs, sausages and hoagies, as you might expect from a location that was once home to the famed Leon's Barbeque.

The pair then visited Burton's old grammar school, Dixon Elementary at 8301 S. St. Lawrence Ave.

They then ended up a few blocks east of Chatham in neighboring Avalon Park, where they visited one of Burton's favorite clothing stores, Essential Elements, located at 1640 E. 87th St.