You would have more luck with the North Side of the city in the neighborhoods furthest from the loop,(downtown). Although the areas north side and very close to downtown are being built up and kept up. The northside neighborhoods are mixed and have been for many years and people there get along better.
Stay away from the SouthSide of Chicago as even the best neighborhood there is a growing ghetto. Stay far away from the inner city if you can.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.