Nickel, a Chicago native, fell in love with the city’s architectural beauty at a young age. He inherited a love of photography from his father. After a stint in the army, he began photographing the monumental building work of Louis Sullivan and others during Chicago’s urban renewal of the mid-twentieth century when many structures were being torn down. His photos open a window to that time in Chicago’s history when the Prairie School dominated the skyline.

Richard Cahan is a journalist and author active in Chicago for the last four decades. He has written numerous books on Richard Nickel’s life and work.

This is a free lecture open to the public. Doors open at 5:45 PM, with a short Q&A to follow. This lecture will also be livestreamed on the Library’s Facebook page.