The papers littering the sidewalk are "policy slips"

This is one of the only pictures in the coverage that show evidence of "policy wheels, " one of Bronzeville's biggest independent businesses. Policy, an illegal lottery game, was run from hundreds of locations in Bronzeville and employed thousands of workers. An estimated 20% of legitimate African American-owned South Side businesses were owned by the "policy kings." Policy slips were drawn and distributed three times a day.