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Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 16:30:34 -0800 (PST)
From: Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Haitian-American Immigrant Experiences:more on Du Sable
To: Bob Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9611211607.A27838-0100000@netcom5.netcom.com>

Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 17:53:15 -0600
From: wrenn pamela <wrenn@fmppr.fmnh.org>


Chicago Historical Information: 1779 Jean Baptiste Point du Sable

From the Municipal Reference Collection, Chicago Public Library, rev. March 1995

Bonswa, Msye Inghram!

I want to thank you for bringing up such an important topic. I am not a native Chicagoan (residence for 13 months) and have found it rather peculiar that our city seems to have "neglected" to make mention of Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable in its tourist trade. Each boat ride I've take on Lake Michigan has included extensive historical pieces on everyone, but Du Sable. I want to share a bit of information:


"Little is known about the Chicago area from 1700 until about 1779 when the pioneer settler of Chicago, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, an African American from Santo Domingo, built the first permanent settlement at the mouth of the river just east of the present Michigan Avenue Bridge on the north bank.

Records do not agree on the precise spelling of the name of the first settler and it may be found variously as Pointe de Sable, Au Sable, Point Sable, Sabre and Pointe de Saible. Du Sable, who appears to have been a man of good taste and refinement, was a husbandman, a carpenter, a cooper, a miller, and probably a distiller.

In Du Sable's home, which he shared with his Indian wife, the first marriage in Chicago was performed, the first election was held, and the first court handed down justice. The religion of the first Chicagoan was Catholic and every contemporary report about Du Sable describes him as a man who started the story of Chicago as well as the story of the African American in Chicago."

Compiled by: Municipal Reference Library, City Hall, 1975
Updated by: Municipal Reference Collection, CPL, 3/95


Pamela Wrenn