This special feature gathers documents from, and critical assessments of, the history and legacies of the Black Arts Movement (BAM) in Chicago. It makes no pretense to being comprehensive, or even representative, of BAM as a whole. Rather, we hope that it marks a beginning: of further dialogue; of the recovery of important texts and under-recognized figures; of continued celebration of and critical assessment of the richness and importance of BAM in Chicago, nationally, and internationally.