A Romance with History: African-American Chicago - Chicago IL Romantic Getaway

Preview: Love was described by Samuel Johnson as the triumph of hope over experience. Nowhere is this optimistic outlook more appropriate than in Chicago’s African- American community, which got its start with the very first non–Native American to settle here. Jean-Baptiste Pointe du Sable, described in a post–Revolutionary War British report as a well-educated “handsome Negro,” came around 1779, a successful trader who built his log cabin on the north bank of the Chicago River (demonstrating a good nose for prime real estate) before moving on to the wide-open spaces of Missouri in 1800. Barely more than half a century later, the white Downstater who became known as the Great Emancipator was nominated here for the presidency. During the Civil War and after, Chicago proved a place of opportunity for freed slaves; and during the first half of the following century, Chicago became by far the most popular destination for southerners making the great migration north, where factory jobs and less blatant discrimination offered the promise of a better life. Today, the triumph of hope over experience is driving redevelopment in areas such as Bronzeville, where many of the southerners settled. As you explore this and adjacent areas together (keep in mind that you needn’t be African-American to do so), you’ll be reminded over and over that here, as in your hearts and in the heart of every lover, hope springs eternal. This chapter is a true insiders’ guide revealing great nightlife, romantic hotels, intimate dining venues, secluded retreats, and much more.
© Copyright Susan Figliulo published by The Globe Pequot Press all rights reserved.


Duration: One day and one evening
Best Time to Go: Year-round
This travel guide comes from:
Romantic Days and Nights in Chicago Guide Book