By Madison Hamilton <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donald and Philip Jones are using gaming to teach and preserve the rich history of Chicago’s South Side. The duo has created a video game titled \u201cTime Machine: Bronzeville Between the World Wars,\u201d which, as their website states, \u201cexplores the stories, cityscape, and legend and lore of the South Side of Chicago ca. 1940.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Combining technology, artwork, and storytelling, the game, playable on a computer, narrates the history of Chicago\u2019s Bronzeville neighborhood during the Great Depression, the Great Migration, Jim Crow segregation, and the Chicago Renaissance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe idea of using this kind of game technology to tell stories was really to meet young people where they\u2019re at,\u201d explained Donald Jones. \u201cIf we can distill these stories and present them in a new way, using this new technology, it gives us a good opportunity to keep these stories alive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The brothers conceived the game idea in the early 2000s, inspired by a book Philip wrote with their mother. The autobiographical book recounts their family’s life in Chicago, featuring personal images and poems from their mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBlack people had to rely on each other, and that\u2019s one of the key messages,\u201d Philip said of what he hopes to accomplish with the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201cTime Machine Bronzeville\u201d game aims to immerse users in the South Side of Chicago from the 1920s to the 1940s. Players can explore well-known landmarks and streets as they appeared between World War I and World War II in 3D interactive scenes, experiencing how historical events like the Great Depression, Jim Crow segregation, and the Chicago Renaissance impacted the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTime Machine Bronzeville is really grounded in the archives, particularly the archives of African American press,\u201d Philip emphasized, highlighting their dedication to cultural and historical accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donald is an award-winning author of books such as “Back Home the Same Day,” “Little Did I Know: The Coming of Age of a Black Boomer,” and “Dateline: Bronzeville: A Runny Walker Mystery.” He is also the co-founder of Alchemy Media Publishing Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Philip, the Creative Director of Alchemy Media Publishing Company, is a renowned educator in media arts. His work has received recognition from prestigious institutions like the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Watch gameplay from Time Machine Bronzeville Below: <\/p>\n\n\n\n