Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable1745-1818- Not the name of your average brotha, I know, but he was French, born in Haiti. He was a big man, over 6 feet tall and spoke French, English, Spanish and some Indian Languages. When he was 20 years old, his boat sank on the way to a New Orleans port. He was almost enslaved by the Spanish, but managed to escape and went up the Mississippi river toward St. Louis. Some years later, he moved farther north and settled in an area called by the Indians "Eschikagou" meaning 'land of bad smells'. Sound it out, and it sounds like what? Chicago! He built the first permanent home there, and established a trading post at which he sold supplies and tools, and trappers traded fur pelts. He also built a mill, smokehouse, dairy, poultry house, horse stable and barn. People even as far as Canada knew about it! In 1796, DuSable's granddaughter was the first person to be born in Chicago. Despite his success, DuSable moved from Chicago in 1800, most likely because he was unhappy with the many changes in this new found land. There were also whites fighting him for the land. So there you have it, the founder of Chicago, a Black man. Makes me proud *tear*.