Quick Facts
Biography
Beauty Turner (1957–2008) was a Chicago housing activist and journalist. At the time of her death, she was compared to the civil rights leader Ida B. Wells.
Career
Turner was well known for her Ghetto Bus Tours which gave a voice to those who were unable to. She was Associate Editor of Chicago (South) Street Journal and a columnist for the Hyde Park Herald and a number of other local newspapers. She was also an activist in the community. Towards the end of her career, Turner worked as a research assistant for Professor Sudhir Venkatesh, a sociologist at Columbia University. Her writings have appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.
Awards and honors
Turner won a number of awards through her career as a journalist which include:
- First New America Award by the National Society of Professional Journalists
- Winner of a Studs Terkel
- Peter Lisagor
- Associated Press award
- Chicago Association for Black Journalist award
- Courageous voice award for her community activism
- Black Pearl award
- Woman of the Century award
- Shero award from the Empowerment Zone Committee
Personal
For 16 years, Turner lived in the Robert Taylor Homes, one of the nation's most well known public housing. She had two sons named Larry and Landon Turner and also her a daughter named Latanya Turner. Her grandson is Reezy Turner.
Death
Turner died on December 18, 2008 at the age of 51. She suffered from an aneurysm and fell into a coma and never recovered. She died at Rush University Medical Center.