The History of African-Americans in Chicago

By sigridlupieri
  • Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable

    Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable

    Du Sable is the first African-American trader who settles in Chicago.

  • Fugitive slaves and freedmen community

  • School segregation outlawed

    After the Civil War, Illinois has some of the most progressive laws regarding African-Americans.

  • No more segregation in public accomodations

  • Chicago Race Riots

    Chicago Race Riots

    African-Americans and other immigrants clash in the streets of the city, leving many dead and wounded as well as many houses burned down. Ethnic tensions brought about violence and within a week 1,000 people were homeless.

  • Beginning of the Great Migration

    Millions of African-Americans moved to the North to escape from the Jim Crow laws in the South. Laborors from rural Southern areas hoped to find work in the industrialized North, as well as a place to live where they could expect equal rights.
  • Housing Segregation

    Housing Segregation

    Immigrants compete among each other for jobs and housing. As immigrants poured into Chicago, African-Americans were confined to certain areas through housing limitations. Living conditions were usually very poor and unsanitary.

  • Segregation

    Segregation in the city becomes more severe, as blacks are forcerd to build theior own churches, YMCAs and clubs.

  • Public housing to ease overcrowded ghettos

    The Chicago Housing Authority tried to ease the pressure in overcrowded ghettos by building public housing in less crowded areas. White residents opposed the measure and many of the projects were a complete failure.

  • Shelley v. Kraemer

    The court rules that segregation is unconstitutional. However, this does not solve the problem as homeowners' associations discourages members from selling to African-American families. De Facto residential segregation was maintained.
  • African-American culture blooms

    African-American culture blooms

    Between 1925 and 1950 African-American culture is characterized by prolific writers such as Richard Wrights, Willard Motley, William Attaway, Frank Marshall Davis, St. Clair Drake, Horace R. Clayton and Margaret Walker.

  • End of the Great Migration

    Millions of blacks migrated from the South to the North. Drawn by tales of friends and of the "Chicago Defender," one of the most prominent African-American newspapers, laborors moved to Chicago in search of prosperity. However, they were confined to the South Side of the city, in a neighborhood called the "Black Belt."
  • First African-American Mayor of Chicago

    First African-American Mayor of Chicago

    Harold Washington was elected as mayor of Chicago. He died three years later from a heart attack.
  • First African-American mayor dies in office

    First African-American mayor dies in office

    Harold Washington died suddenly. African-Americans' hopes for greater social justice were crushed.
  • First African-American mayor of Evanston

    First African-American mayor of Evanston

    Lorraine H. Morton was elected as the first African-American mayor as well as the second woman in the history of Evanston. She is still mayor today.
  • First African-American president of the United States.

    First African-American president of the United States.

    Barack Obama, from Chicago, was the first African-American to be elected for president.