The Windy City
Chicago in Color
Some call us the Windy City, others refer to us as Chi-Town. But one name we hear too often when comparing us to other major metros is the nickname, “The Second City.” It was originally given to us as a pejorative because people thought of us as second class. But don’t call us the Second City because it’s playing second fiddle to anyone; it’s simply because you have to visit it twice to fully appreciate it. We are the best place to be Black in the country. And our businesses and grit prove it. Beyond the Deep Dish and the Sears Tower is a culture and confidence you’ve gotta see for yourself.
The Backstory: The Black Metropolis
The foundation of Chicago's Black experience starts with the city’s first permanent non-indigenous settler: Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Haitian man of African and French descent. But the city truly blossomed during the Great Migration. As hundreds of thousands relocated from the South, they were often forced into a narrow track of land called the "Black Belt" due to racial restrictive covenants.
What came out of this constraint was the phenomenal Black Metropolis, a cultural engine responsible for defining the Jazz and Blues sounds we know today. This was the home of world-changing innovators, including Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, who performed one of the world's first successful open-heart surgeries, and activist Earl B. Dickerson, who led the legal fight to reverse racial covenants that barred Black folks around the U.S. from buying land in their communities. The value and impact of Chicago is unmatched politically, socially, and culturally.
Events People Love & Must-See Attractions
The epicenter of our cultural metropolitan mecca is the Bronzeville Cultural District on the South Side. You can spend a day touring landmarks like the Monument to the Great Migration and visiting the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. The DuSable is a must-see for its comprehensive look at the Black experience, but for a true local gem, you have to visit the South Side Community Art Center, which holds the unique distinction of being the oldest Black art center in the country.
In Conclusion
The Chi is an unmatched powerhouse of Black art, innovation, and industry, and the energy you feel walking through the neighborhoods—from the Loop to the Lakefront—is electric. The legacy of the Black Metropolis is still fueling the city’s heart, whether you're catching live jazz, grabbing a hot link at a historic spot, or exploring the cultural riches of Bronzeville. So lace up your walking shoes and come see why the 'Second City' is always first in our hearts.
