Skokie, Illinois | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Downtown Skokie in 2013 | |
 Flag  Logo | |
 Location of Skokie in Cook County, Illinois | |
  Skokie  Skokie  Skokie | |
| Coordinates: 42°02′01″N 87°43′58″W / 42.03361°N 87.73278°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Cook |
| Township | Niles |
| Incorporated | 1888 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | George Van Dusen (D)[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 10.06 sq mi (26.07 km2) |
| • Land | 10.06 sq mi (26.07 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 67,824 |
| • Density | 6,739.27/sq mi (2,602.03/km2) |
| Up 2.27% from 2000 | |
| Standard of living (2011) | |
| • Per capita income | $32,169 |
| • Median home value | $297,900 |
| ZIP code(s) | 60076, 60077, 60203 |
| Area code(s) | 847 & 224 |
| Geocode | 70122 |
| FIPS code | 17-70122 |
| Website | skokie |
Skokie (/ˈskoʊki/; formerly Niles Center) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. According to the 2020 census, its population was 67,824.[3] Skokie lies approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Chicago's downtown Loop. The name Skokie comes from a Potawatomi word for "marsh".[4] For many years, Skokie promoted itself as "The World's Largest Village".[5] Skokie's streets, like that of many suburbs, are largely a continuation of the Chicago street grid, and the village is served by the Chicago Transit Authority, further cementing its connection to the city.
Skokie was originally a German-Luxembourger farming community, but was later settled by a sizeable Jewish population, especially after World War II. At its peak in the mid-1960s, 58% of the population was Jewish,[failed verification] the largest proportion of any Chicago suburb. Skokie still has many Jewish residents (now about 30% of the population) and over a dozen synagogues.[6] It is home to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, which opened in northwest Skokie in 2009.[7][8]
Skokie has twice received national attention for court cases decided by the United States Supreme Court. In the mid-1970s, it was at the center of National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie, in which a Nazi group, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, invoked the First Amendment in an attempt to schedule a Nazi rally in Skokie.[9] At the time, Skokie had a significant population of Holocaust survivors. Skokie ultimately lost that case, though the rally was never held.[10]
- ^ "Meet the Leaders: Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen". Skokie, IL Patch. September 12, 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
- ^ "Skokie village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in Chicago. First Books. 2004. p. 73. ISBN 0912301538.
- ^ "Village of Skokie, Skokie History, Skokie, IL". Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
- ^ "Jewish United Fund – Locate a Synagogue". Retrieved June 7, 2021.
- ^ Dorfman, Daniel I. (September 30, 2020). "A survey found many Americans lack knowledge about the Holocaust. Local experts say social media misinformation hinders education efforts". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "A Virtual Tour of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie". WTTW News. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Skokie: The legacy of the would-be Nazi march in a town of Holocaust survivors". ABC News. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Grossman, Ron (March 10, 2017). "'Swastika war': When the neo-Nazis fought in court to march in Skokie". Chicago Tribune.