Resilience and Revolution: Chicago’s Black History Walking Tour

Chicago is inseparable from its Black history, where local pioneers helped shape the city’s story. On this walking tour through downtown Chicago, you’ll hear untold stories of Black excellence, resilience, and activism that transformed both the city and the nation. From Underground Railroad stations to civil rights battlegrounds, you’ll discover how Chicago became a beacon for those seeking freedom and opportunity.

Starting at the site of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable’s mansion near the Chicago River, you’ll follow the footsteps of the city’s founder: a Black man who established Chicago’s first trading post in the 1770s. You’ll walk through the heart of the Loop, exploring sites where pioneering entrepreneurs like John Jones built businesses that became platforms for activism.

Along the way, you’ll hear how Chicago’s earliest Black residents helped establish the city while fighting discriminatory laws and creating sanctuaries for freedom seekers. You’ll see where racial violence erupted during the Red Summer of 1919, and walk down Ida B. Wells Drive, named for the fearless journalist who exposed the brutal reality of lynching in America. The tour ends at Grant Park, where Barack Obama delivered his historic presidential acceptance speech in 2008 – a moment that represented the culmination of generations of struggle.

During this 90-minute journey through Chicago’s rich Black history, you’ll also have a chance to:

• Stand in the spot where DuSable established his trading post, and hear how a Black man founded what would become America’s third-largest city
• Visit the former tailor shop of John Jones, who arrived with just $3.50 and built a real estate portfolio worth over $100,000
• Discover how Lewis Isbell’s downtown restaurant and barbershop served as hubs for both business and Underground Railroad activities
• Hear about the former site of Quinn Chapel AME, Chicago’s oldest Black congregation and center of abolitionist organizing
• See Harold Washington Library Center, named for Chicago’s first Black mayor
• Learn how the 1919 Race Riot changed the city, as you stand at sites where racial violence erupted
• Visit the former headquarters of Johnson Publishing, the first high-rise in downtown Chicago designed and owned by African Americans

By the end of this tour, you’ll have a sense of how Chicago’s Black community shaped the city’s identity through courage, creativity, and determination. You’ll also have heard stories that are often overlooked – but essential to understanding the true spirit of the Windy City.