Chicago Misconceptions • Criminally Overrated

Chicago for Chicagoans returns for our 9th annual winter speakeasy lecture series, designed to teach Chicago residents about the history of their own city! Hosted at Bad Apple Lincoln Park (658 W Belden), these pay-what-you-can events are meant to provoke understanding and discussion of our city’s past, while exploring how that history impacts and influences our future.

This year's theme is MISCONCEPTIONS — we'll be exploring the unfair stereotypes, urban legends, and dubious assumptions of Chicago's past. Our lecturers will dive into Chicago’s legendary tall tales, correct mischaracterizations, and explain the misconceptions and disproven hypotheses that have proliferated throughout our history. Each week features a different local Chicago historian & expert, for twelve one-of-a-kind evenings featuring lectures, discussions, and lots of tasty cocktails! Join us in-person to become part of our friendly community of history nerds, or catch the lecture recordings online after each event to take in our programming from the comfort of your own home.

THIS WEEK'S LECTURE • 01/06/26
"CRIMINALLY OVERRATED"
→ REGISTRATION OPENS 12/23

Ask any news reporter (or tourist), and they'll tell you Chicago is a crime-ridden hellhole not fit for human habitation. But is it really worse than anywhere else? Learn about the myths and truths of our criminal record — from the lawless frontier, to 1920s gangsters, midcentury mobsters, and current statistics. Lecture by Chicago for Chicagoans’ founder .
2026 LINEUP — See our complete series lineup, save the dates, & register online at chicagoforchicagoans.org/events! Speaker profiles are available on our website here.

HELPFUL DETAILS ABOUT OUR VENUE
New to our lecture events? Returning for the first time in awhile? Please read the below.

• Please note that Bad Apple has two locations. Bad Apple Lincoln Park is the one you want to head to, at 658 W Belden. Follow the hallway of history to the very back of the restaurant to find the secret speakeasy entrance to our event. Fun fact: this building has real history as a former speakeasy, and the current owners are the proud decendents of Prohibition-era saloonkeepers.
• Plan to arrive between 6:30pm–7:00pm so you have time to grab a drink and settle in before the lecture begins. Arriving early? No problem! Early birds are welcome to order food & beverages at the cozy front bar while you wait for us to finish setting up. Our venue serves a full menu of tasty food, from poutine, to burgers, to salads. You are welcome to order food and eat during the lecture as long as you are polite about your noise level.
• Seats are first-come, first-served. Your ticket guarantees event access, not a chair. We have 85 chairs total; about 30-35 of those have comfortable access to a table (so if you're planning to eat, it's a good idea to arrive early). Our room capacity is 100, so please be aware latecomers may have to stand. The secret speakeasy door leading to the lecture area will open at 6:30pm. Lectures begin promptly at 7:15pm. Attendees can expect a lecture lasting about 45-60 minutes. Afterwards, there will be an informal Q&A, mingling, and group conversation. All interest and experience levels welcome (yes, tourists can come too).
• We strongly recommend audience members be about 16 years of age or older (though the venue is open to all ages). Lectures can last up to an hour, and are likely to include cursing, tales of M**der, crime, impropriety, drinking, and scandalous old-timey affairs. This is probably not the best event for young children or prudish grandparents.
• Bad Apple has no stairs, and is fully wheelchair accessible. We lack the organizational capacity to provide live captioning at our events, but we do post a video recording of every lecture, with captions, to our website a few days after the event for all to enjoy. Other accessibility concerns? Email us.
• How do I get there? Public transit is what we recommend! The venue is a brisk 9-minute walk from the Fullerton CTA station. If you insist on driving, there is paid street parking along Lincoln, as well as a parking garage half a block north.

EVENT RULES & FURTHER DETAILS

• Registration through Eventbrite is required. You do not need to print out your ticket or show it to us on your phone— our volunteers will simply check your name against our registration list at the door. Just remember the name of the person who bought your ticket. No passwords this year!
• All in-person attendees must be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Booster shots and flu shots are also strongly recommended. Vaccines work (and history proves it).
• Didn't get tickets in time? Those unable to secure a spot in advance are welcome to try their luck at the door, where any available spaces day-of will be allotted on a first-come, first-serve basis beginning at 7:00pm.

• Our events tend to sell out quickly! Many of our speakers are talented, in-demand lecturers speaking on topics that are universally fascinating (lucky us). The best way to ensure you get a spot is to register on the same day tickets go on sale (two weeks prior to the event date at 9am CST).
• Trying to grab tickets for a group? In the interest of fairness, each registrant can only reserve a maximum of two tickets. If you invited friends, make sure they know they have to reserve their own spot(s)! Wanting to attend with 6 or more people? Consider hosting a virtual watch party at home, or booking a private event with us! More details.
• Please be nice. Presentations and discussions are meant to be inclusive, covering diverse histories and occasionally controversial subject matter. Respectfulness, empathy, and a willingness to listen and engage are key. Inflammatory speech will not be tolerated, and those who cannot engage compassionately with others will be asked to leave.
• Other questions? Visit our event FAQ or email [email protected]. Event details are subject to change up to two weeks prior to the event.

DONATIONS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED:

• Affordability and accessibility of history is important to us. This series is offered on a pay-what-you-can basis with a suggested, tax-deductible donation of $10-20 recommended for those with the means to contribute. Chicago for Chicagoans is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization financed exclusively by our supporters. If you have some scratch to spare, help us continue to make Chicago history freely accessible to all. Our donation information can be found online at chicagoforchicagoans.org/donate. You can also donate in person at the event! We accept cash, check, credit cards, digital payments, office supplies, volunteer hours, and anything we can sell for profit on the black market (just kidding about that last one).

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Bad Apple (Lincoln Park), 658 West Belden Avenue, Chicago, United States

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