Justice Graphics, Inc. Records

Keep Strong Publishing began in 1975 in the Uptown neighborhood on Chicago’s northeast side. It was started by progressive community activists Walter “Slim” Coleman, Helen Shiller, and others. It soon changed its name to Justice Graphics, Inc. The print shop produced periodicals such as Keep Strong Magazine and All Chicago City News, both of which Shiller edited. It also printed campaign literature and posters for progressive candidates around the city, as well as informational fliers and posters for events related to progressive causes and politicians.

In July 1985, Shiller traveled to Israel and Italy with Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, acting as his photographer. At the invitation of Chicago’s Jewish Federation, Mayor Washington led an official delegation on a six-day tour of Israel. While there, he met with a number of officials, including the mayors of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. At the end of the trip, the group spent two days in Italy, attending a papal audience and meeting with the mayors of Milan, Genoa, Bologna, Rome, and Palermo.

In 1987, with Harold Washington’s support, Shiller ran a successful race for alderman of Chicago’s 46th Ward, which includes the Uptown neighborhood. She served for six terms, from 1987 to 2011, the longest-serving female alderman as of 2016. Her career was marked by a commitment to progressive causes, notably affordable housing and police accountability. Justice Graphics, Inc., closed in 1998.