Little-Known Heroes of Black History

February ushers in cold temperatures, Groundhog Day and Mardi Gras. The annual rite of passage of celebrating African American History Month is also upon us—a time when many schoolchildren far and wide will trek to their local library with the task of writing an expose about an African American of historical significance. All of the usual suspects will be covered in some detail, like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Charles R. Drew, Maya Angelou and the father of Black History Month himself, Carter G. Woodson, just to name a few. The holy trinity of African American History Month, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and Barack Obama, will be covered ad nauseam, much to the disdain of librarians and teachers everywhere. Not to take away from those aforementioned history makers, as they have no doubt left indelible impressions on the landscape of American culture and society, but how about learning a thing or two about lesser-known figures during February?

Chicago has a rich legacy of folks who have made valuable contributions to the African American experience. Have you ever heard of hair-care giant Madame C.J. Walker? Well, many have, but I give you someone whose contributions rivaled hers and were just as important—try reading about the lesser-known Annie Turnbo Malone, whose Poro Beauty Colleges were the stuff of legend in the early 20th century in Chicago and beyond. Have you ever heard of Jesse Owens, world-famous Olympian and gold medalist? I’ll bet the house that you have, but now who’s Ralph Metcalfe? Ladies and gentleman take a look at this partial resume of a true American hero:

• 3rd Ward Chicago Alderman
• U.S. Congress Representative, First District of Illinois
• Co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus
• American track and field sprinter
• Winner of four Olympic medals
• “World’s Fastest Human” in 1934 and 1935

Now that you know a little more about the Chicago black history scene, let’s taker a deeper dive into some more local African American history heroes with these hearty resources:

Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007: Read more about African Americans who have served in Congress, like Chicago's own Oscar De Priest and many more.

Black History Month: Do you want more of those little-known Chicago black history nuggets? Stop by the Municipal Reference Collection on the 5th floor of the Harold Washington Library Center to uncover more hidden treasures!

African Americans in Chicago: Learn about the storied lineage of black Chicago, from Dusable to Obama and everyone in between in this rich Images of America Series title.

DuSable to Obama: This DVD is a must-watch documentary of the African American experience in Chicago and those who shaped it.

An Autobiography of Black Chicago: Prominent historian, author and civil rights activist Travis Dempsey explores comprehensively the lives, struggles and triumphs of the who's who of African American Chicago in their own words.