[fnord]

The fundamental problem is that E2, and the Epitome restaurant with which it shares a building, was one of the few places where African Americans could socialise.

wtf? Has this writer never been to Chicago .. or any big city?

[Pharmboy]

Couldn't agree more...Chi-Town is a very integrated city. Whenver I visit and go out for a beer in middle-class gin mills, I am always impressed at the mix of white and black--more so than Boston, NY or Philly. It seems to me that if you're a middle class AA in Chicago, you can go just about anywhere that a white guy or gal can go for a brew.