Peoria
A digital companion to the biography Becoming Richard Pryor
“Peoria Says Goodbye to Merry-Go-Round”
Date: 9/30/79
Citation:
Rick Baker, "Peoria to Say Goodbye to 'Merry-Go-Round'," Peoria Journal Star, Sept. 30, 1979.
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1. Ball of Confusion
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Gunman Slain As Pupil Held Hostage In School
–05/02/1973–In a high-stakes hostage standoff, the gunmen refused negotiations with anyone but Juliette Whittaker
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Whittaker: Young Man of Great Potential
–05/02/1973–Juliette Whittaker remembered gunman (and Black Panther) Melvin Burch as “a very gentle man”
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Peoria Chief of Police Commends Whittaker
–05/17/1973–Juliette Whittaker was praised for her bravery by the Chief of Police as a hostage negotiator in the line of fire
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The View From Peoria: It’s Not Playing Well
–6/30/1974–The Washington Post traveled to Peoria to take the pulse of the nation during the Watergate crisis
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School Desegregation in Peoria, Illinois
–06/1977–The US Commission on Civil Rights examined why a busing program hadn't alleviated segregation in Peoria's schools
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City’s Woes Reflect Budget Conflict
–2/17/1984–A portrait of Peoria's economic struggles during Reagan's first term
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How the Shutdown Plays in Peoria
–10/12/2013–A portrait of Peoria, "Anytown USA," during the 2013 federal budget battles
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2. Richard's Mentors, in Their Last Acts
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Green Eaters Clamor For Grandma Bryant
–07/20/1978–Marie won over the hearts — and stomachs — of Richard's LA circle
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Pryor Joins Family For Grandmother’s Funeral
–01/04/1979–Jet's coverage of a central event in Richard Pryor's life — the loss of his “Mama”
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If You Shoot For The Moon…
–03/08/1981–An in-depth profile of the remarkable woman who first mentored Richard Pryor as an artist
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Whittaker’s Expressive Arts
–11/27/2002–“The artist part of me has always chosen a storytelling style,” explained Whittaker
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Juliette Whittaker
–05/04/2007–After 80 years of living creatively, Whittaker peacefully passed away in 2007
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A Quiet Storm
–05/08/2007–At her funeral service in the Carver Community Center, Whittaker's gift for nurturing talent was fondly recalled
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Remembering Juliette
–2010–Juliette Whittaker was “my angel,” wrote Richard's childhood friend Matt Clark
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3. Sin City's Afterlife
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“Peoria Says Goodbye to Merry-Go-Round”
–9/30/79–A well-known hub for prostitution was demolished in 1979.
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Historic Site (last house of prostitution)
–5/8/1980–The last remains of Prarie Alley were demolished in 1980
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Play in Peoria Not Like in Old Days
–11/2/1980–An AP reporter's survey of a century of prostitution in Peoria
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Barren Land in Southtown Teemed With Brothels
–10/3/1993–Did the lives of prostitutes change for the worse with reform?
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‘Merry-Go-Round’ On Last Lap
–9/27/1997–The last remains of Peoria's red-light district became a parking lot for Caterpillar
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“Retired Peoria Madam: ‘I look back and wonder how I did it all'”
–10/3/98–Karen Connally, one of Peoria’s last madams, reflects.
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Key Bridge Has Changed Face of City
–12/12/1998–Murray Baker bridge remembered at 40
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A cruise on Adams was a Walk on the Wild Side
–3/26/2001–Peoria's red light districts were once the playground of teenage boys
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