African-American Heritage on the South Side

Five special places that capture Chicago’s soulful, inspired, brilliant black history and culture. 

Temporarily closed

Tucked away on a quiet corner at the north end of Pullman National Monument and historic district, six blocks away from the Monument’s Visitors Center, is one of Chicago’s hidden gems. 

Don’t let the exterior of the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum keep you from missing this Black heritage treasure. The Pullman Porter Museum will be closed for expansion during the winter 2022 season, but once it warms up, visitors can return. To kick off your visit, start with the outdoor sculpture by artist Rene Townsend. The 10-foot mosaic on the west side of the property offers a visually poetic perspective on railroad history, the Black labor-union movement, and civil rights in the United States.  

Creativity then sets the stage for transformation as you enter the museum’s interior. On any given day, you will be greeted by music that captures the essence of the Black Renaissance Era. (Annie and I heard the rich sounds of Dina Washington Project). History unfolds from there in this one-of-a-kind museum that shines a light on the African-Americans who moved men and women to action.

A video on the top floor introduces the moving cast of characters—from slaves to labor organizers to the porters and waiters who served Pullman railcar passengers. The museum is self-guided after that. 

Artifacts, news stories, and images create what appears to be a new vignette of the African-American experience at each pivot.

The Pullman Porter Museum is abundant with inspiration. “We hope for people to leave here as better versions of themselves," says Executive Director David Petersen. "That is what our story does. It brings out the best in people." I agree. Whether you are Black, white, brown, or purple, this special place will make you stand tall and want to be more.

Along with the standing exhibits, the museum often hosts special events. Be sure to check the museum's website for the most up-to-date information. 

Continue nourishing your senses and spirit at Pearl's Place. This Bronzeville institution offers some of the best Southern soul food around. Two friends who grew up together in the neighborhood run the restaurant, instilling it with a friendliness that's deeply embedded in the community. Gumbo, shrimp, and cheesy grits, plus Southern breakfast dishes are all served with a smile amid a notable collection of prints by iconic artists such as Jacob Lawrence and Margaret Burroughs. Pearl’s website says, "Put on your 'Sunday's Best' and we'll serve you ours!" That's more than just a line. Pearl’s Place represents the very best of Chicago’s African-American community. 

Next, stroll down the Bronzeville Walk of Fame, where King Drive between 25th and 35th streets—a stately, tree-lined boulevard with grand homes from a bygone era—provides a pensive backdrop.

Victory Monument marks the south end of the Walk. This sculpture of granite and bronze memorializes the Illinois National Guard's 8th Infantry Regiment, an all Black unit that served in World War I as part of the 370th U.S. Infantry.

Ninety-one bronze plaques then unfold along King Drive. Embedded on sidewalks, medians, and crosswalks, these markers stretch along 10 whole blocks. Civil rights activist Ida B. Wells, poet Gwendolyn Brooks, and astronaut Robert H. Lawrence, Jr., are among the Bronzeville residents celebrated here. The Walk shines a spotlight on African-American contributions to U.S. history, culture, science, and more, shaping a consortium of great Black minds to rival the figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

Don’t miss Gregg LeFevre's enormous bronze map of Bronzeville fixed on the meridian sidewalk just north of 35th. It not only features a street grid but shows off some of Bronzeville's unique vibe as well. The Monument to the Great Northern Migration stands at the north end of the Walk and serves as a fitting bookend to the permanent outdoor exhibit.

Alison Saar’s Monument to the Great Northern Migration ignites the imagination. Her 15-foot bronze sculpture depicts a man waving with one hand and carrying a suitcase in the other. On sight alone, the figure conjures all kinds of questions: Is he leaving or arriving? Does his suitcase, bound shut with string, hold precious memories of a life left behind or the promise of a new future? And what's with his suit, covered in a texture of what looks like feathers and which seems to extend through his feet and into the ground below? Cross the street just north to find a marker embedded in the sidewalk that illuminates Saar's symbolic choices for this iconic sculpture about African-Americans who migrated to Chicago in the early 20th century in search of a better life.