Photos credit: Kenya L Smith
Elected officials and community leaders joined Council Member Mathieu Eugene as he officially co-named Flatbush Avenue between Empire Boulevard and Foster Avenue as Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable Boulevard. The renaming was in honor of the Haitian immigrant and founder of Chicago at a ceremony held on November 14, 2021, at the corner of Clarendon Road and Flatbush Avenue.
“Immigrants come to the United States from all over the world, seeking a better life for themselves and their children, but the most important thing is they make tremendous contributions to The United States of America,” said Council Member Mathieu Eugene. “The history of Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable is the history of so many immigrants. That is why we are here today, to not only pay tribute to Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable but also to celebrate the legacy of so many members of the immigrant community who came to The United States to make America such a wonderful country.”
Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable was a Haitian pioneer who traveled to the United States and settled in what is today known as Peoria and Chicago, Illinois. Historians recognize Du Sable as the founder of Chicago. His ability to translate for different cultures, including English, French, Spanish, and Native American, solidified his role as a valued entrepreneur and frontiersman. Du Sable will forever be remembered for having been the catalyst that transformed Chicago from a small trading post into the major metropolis and economic center it is today.
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