From Haiti to New Orleans, Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable knew what it was like to be an outcast. But when he arrived in Chicago in the 1770s, the local Native American tribes accepted him.
Du Sable, also known as the Father of Chicago, has been described as the city’s first administrator, entrepreneur, and real estate developer. But he didn’t just look at the city as just a way to make money; he made it his mission to serve its people.
Du Sable assisted Chicago natives to establish a major trading post especially for furs and grain. Outside of business, the innovator learned the culture of the local Potawatomi, Ojibwe and Odawa tribes.
The Father of Chicago became a naturalized member of the Potawatomi tribe by marriage, and could speak multiple Native American languages. His impact on indigenous communities wasn’t just felt in Chicago, but all across the Midwest.
Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable showed that no matter where we move to, we should always contribute to the communities we live in, whether culturally or economically.