06/07/2026
Wonderful Congratulations
On this day in 1790, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable established the permanent settlement that would later grow into the city of Chicago, making him widely recognized as the founder of one of America’s greatest cities.
Born in Saint Domingue, present day Haiti, to an African mother and a French father, Du Sable became a trader, entrepreneur, and explorer during a time when the early American frontier was still developing. Long before Chicago became known for skyscrapers, sports, railroads, and industry, it was a strategic trading post near the mouth of the Chicago River where Native American trade routes connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River system.
Recognizing the importance of the location, Du Sable built a successful settlement that included a home, mill, smokehouse, workshop, barn, and trading post. Historical records describe him as educated, multilingual, and highly respected among Native American communities, French settlers, and traders moving through the region.
What makes his story so powerful is that a Black man founded what would eventually become one of the most influential cities in the United States during a period when slavery and racial discrimination shaped much of North America. Yet for many years, his role in Chicago’s history was minimized or overlooked in textbooks and public memory.
Today, historians recognize that Chicago’s origins are deeply tied to Jean Baptiste Point du Sable’s vision, business skill, and understanding of trade networks. Schools, museums, bridges, and monuments in Chicago now honor his legacy, but for generations many Americans grew up learning little or nothing about him.
His life also reminds us that Black history in America did not begin only with slavery. Black people were explorers, founders, soldiers, entrepreneurs, inventors, and builders long before many modern cities even existed.
Every major city has a beginning story, and Chicago’s story begins with a Black pioneer who saw opportunity where others saw wilderness.
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