Black History Month: Celebrating the innovators, teachers and legends from Chicago and beyond
All month long, CBS Chicago is highlighting stories that celebrate the theme for Black History Month 2025: African Americans and labor. Join us as we share portraits of the life and times of some of our most prominent community members, in Chicago and beyond, from recent years to the dawn of recorded history.
Fritz Pollard, the NFL's first Black head coach
I'm here to talk about ... a guy who would go on to become the first-ever Black NFL coach in the sport's history. His name is Frederick Douglas Pollard, but most folks call him Fritz. He comes from an extraordinary family who happens to be the first Black family to live in a Chicago neighborhood that we refer to as Rogers Park.
Fritz Pollard would go to Lane Tech High School, where he was a phenomenal athlete. He lettered in all kinds of sports. Then he would go on to become one of the first African Americans to play for Brown University. He took that team to the Rose Bowl.
After that, he would join a semi-pro football team, and later he would join a team that would eventually be one of the seven founding teams of the NFL. And in that spot, he became the first-ever Black man to coach an NFL team.
You can't tell me that's not amazing history, (but) the history for him doesn't stop there. Not only was he a phenomenal athlete, but then his son would go on to be a phenomenal athlete — Fritz Pollard Jr. won the bronze medal in Berlin, running alongside Jesse Owens and Ralph Metcalfe.
We're proud to call Fritz Pollard one of our own, an African American history maker. Just goes to show you that history can be found and made everywhere, but particularly in Chicago, where everything dope about America comes from our city.
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The Teachings of Ptahhotep
"Be a craftsman in speech, that thou mayest be strong. For the strength of one is the tongue and speech is mightier than all fighting."
We're talking about the work of education this year. So put your phone away and grab a pen and pad to take notes, because I'm liable to give you a pop quiz at any moment. All right, today's bellringer question is this: What books relevant to Black culture and history are you reading right now? And when were those books written while you're thinking?
Let's talk about what some scholars regard as the oldest book in world history. It's entitled "The teachings of Ptahhotep," and was written by Ptahhotep, a chief advisor to Pharaoh Isesi over 4,300 years ago.
He wrote it as a book of wisdom, advice and instruction ... and it was for his son. The original exists in papyrus copies, and it is currently housed at the National Library of France.
Now, for your exit ticket, let's dissect and synthesize one of Ptahhotep's quotes. Tell me in your own words how this quote relates to our current socio-political climate in America, and make sure you use complete sentences. "And justice exists in abundance, but evil can never succeed in the long run." What do you think about that? Put it in your notebook ... class is dismissed.
Gordon Parks: A trailblazing storyteller, photographer and filmmaker
Gordon Parks wasn't just an iconic photographer; he was a storyteller, a trailblazer and a visionary. He captured some of the most recognizable historic images of our country's poverty and segregation, forcing America to confront its harsh realities.
And being here at the South Side Community Art Center, I feel an even deeper connection to his legacy. In the 1940s, Parks honed his craft right here in this space, documenting the beauty and struggles of Chicago's South Side. It was within these very walls that he developed his groundbreaking style, photographing cultural icons like Charles White and Langston Hughes.
This work not only helped lay the foundation for Chicago's Black arts movement, but also earned him the prestigious Julius Rosenwald fellowship, launching his extraordinary career. As Life Magazine's first Black staff photographer, Parks used his lens to expose the raw realities of racism and poverty with both empathy and beauty.
In 1969 he broke barriers in Hollywood by directing "The Learning Tree," the first major studio film written and directed by an African American. Two years later, in 1971, he made history again with "Shaft," the groundbreaking blockbuster that introduced one of cinema's first Black action heroes. That film didn't just entertain. It launched the "blaxploitation" genre, redefined Black representation on screen and captured an entire Black cultural aesthetic that still influences fashion, music and art today.
But Gordon Parks' genius didn't stop at film and photography. He was also a prolific writer and composer, creating works like "A Hungry Heart" and even composing music for "Shaft."
For me, though, his connection to this space, the South Side Community Art Center, is what resonates most. Parks didn't just document history. He made it. He showed us that art can be a weapon against injustice, a tool for change and a mirror for truth. That's the legacy I honor today, here in the very place where his journey began.
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Works of resistance from Fred Hampton, Nina Simone and Bell Hooks
When we think about resistance, it's not just about fighting against systems that harm us. It's about the power of creation, the power to dream, design and build something new. Our ancestors resisted, not just with protests, but with their vision for a better world. They laid the foundation, imagining systems rooted in love, equity and collective progress.
Fred Hampton said you can kill a revolutionary, but you can't kill the revolution. Ancestors like Chairman Fred taught us that revolution is built on love — love for our people, love for justice and love for liberation. As a leader of the Illinois Black Panther Party, he made sure the work wasn't just about resisting oppression; it was about building community. Programs like free breakfast for children and free health clinics weren't just services. They were acts of love and proof that we could take care of ourselves while challenging systems that refused to. And let's not forget the Rainbow Coalition. Hampton didn't just bring Black folks together, he united poor white people, Puerto Rican activists and others to fight for shared justice. That kind of radical solidarity, that's the blueprint.
Then there's Nina Simone. Her music was more than just entertainment. It was a love letter reminding us that we are brilliant and worthy. It was a testament and weapon, demanding justice and refusing to let America off the hook. Nina didn't just sing about the struggle. She made sure her work amplified it.
And last but not least, bell hooks. She taught us that love is revolutionary, not the fluffy surface-level kind, but a radical love that dismantles fear, hate and domination. She showed us that loving ourselves, really loving ourselves, is the first step in resisting systems that try to disempower us. She believed in the power of education, community care and spiritual practice as tools for liberation. And she reminded us that resistance without love is hollow, but love without action isn't enough.
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Howalton Day School
Three Black women combined their talent and names to create a private progressive Black school in the 1940s in Chicago.
All right, today's bellringer question is this: If you had to make your own school, what would you call it, and how would you make it different from a traditional school?
Let's talk about the first private nonsectarian school in the United States: Howalton Day School.
Howalton was founded in 1946 during the Chicago Black Renaissance by June Howe, Doris Allen, and Charlotte Stratton. If you're wondering where the name came from, they found a way to remove ego and jealousy by combining their last names, which is why you'll never find another school or institution that bears the same name.
The three friends founded Howalton in response to the inadequate education being provided for Black children in Chicago Public Schools in the 1940s. Howalton Day School was able to fuse a curriculum that focused on academics and cultural pride.
The school was so successful that in 1977, they were featured in a New York Times article, because their first graders had the highest reading averages among all Chicago area schools – both public and private.
At its zenith in the 1960s, they had about 200 students, many of whom went on to become leaders in business, government, and education.
Howalton would close its doors in 1986, due to declining enrollment and funding, but it stands as a reminder of Black self-determination, and what's possible when we decide to educate our own children, and create institutions for them.
Now for your exit ticket, here's your question: If Howalton existed today, what type of curriculum would it need to provide for our kids? Would it be the same? Different? Why? Put your answers in your notebook … class is dismissed.
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Honoring Benjamin Davis Jr.
I believe everything dope about America comes from Chicago, including some amazing Black history. Did you know that Chicago was formerly home to not only the first-ever Black man to be a general in the United States Army, but was also home to his son, who would go on to be the first ever brigadier general in the United States Air Force?
I'm talking about Benjamin Davis Sr. and Benjamin Davis Jr.
Benjamin Davis Jr. studied at the University of Chicago and after that a U.S. Congressman from Chicago by the name of Oscar Dupree recommended Davis Jr. for West Point, where he'd be one of the first five Black folks to ever graduate from West Point.
From there, Davis Jr. was stationed in Tuskegee, Alabama, and after the start of World War II, he would be one of the commanding officers for the very famed and monumental Tuskegee Airmen.
Following that, he had an illustrious career where he served as a mentor and a trainer for all types of individuals across multiple demographics, and trained them in the proper ways of being a soldier.
He'd become an all-around hero. It takes a lot of moxie to become the first-ever African American brigadier general in the United States Air Force.
It just proves the point that a lot of amazing things can come from our city, including Black generals.
The story of the Chicago Black Arts Movement
I'm Tonika Lewis Johnson, a social justice artist from Englewood, and the Chicago Black Arts Movement inspires every photo I take, and every art project I do.
In the 1960s and 70s, Black artists in Chicago turned creativity into revolution. Writers like Gwendolyn Brooks, visual artists like Charles White, and cultural leaders like Margaret Burroughs used their work to demand justice, celebrate Black identity, and challenge systemic racism. They weren't just responding to the times. They were reshaping them.
One of their most powerful public activations was the Wall of Respect, located on 43rd and Langley in Bronzeville. This mural became an iconic symbol of pride, resistance, and community. It featured portraits of Black heroes, and brought art directly to the people, turning a public wall into a cultural statement.
The Wall of Respect embodied the movement's spirit: art as activism, art as power.
The South Side Community Art Center also became a hub for the movement, nurturing the creativity that fueled groundbreaking works. This wasn't just about art, it was about power.
The Chicago Black Arts Movement confronted injustice and gave voice to Black pride, creating a cultural blueprint for how art can transform communities. The work continues to resonate today, proving that art isn't just a reflection of the world, it's a tool to change it.
They laid the foundation for so much of what we see in activism and culture today, reminding us that creativity has always been one of our greatest strengths.
The Chicago Black Arts Movement was a revolution of the mind, the spirit, and the soul. Every time I create, I honor the legacy they built.
Black History Lesson: Present Resistance & Institutions of Change
I'm here to talk about the work of resistance, self-love, and legacy.
Today the work lies in the design of systems and spaces that honor our communities, celebrate our culture, and empower our youth; leaders like Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and Tennesses state Rep. Justin J. Pearson are pushing change. Their work is proof that the fight for liberation is alive and thriving in this generation.
Schools like Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy are showing our kids the brilliance of Black excellence, while equipping them to take on the world. Organizations like Surge Institute and Center for Black Educator Development are empowering leaders of color with the tools they need to transform education and uplift our communities. They're equipping leaders with the support, resources, and connections necessary to break down barriers and create a future where education truly serves our communities.
They're not just talking about change, they're out here making it happen.
Last, but not least, at my organization, The Roots Initiative, we create spaces where our Black youth feel seen, valued, and empowered. We're teaching our leaders radical resistance, the deliberate collective effort to challenge and dismantle oppressive systems and structures.
We stress that resistance isn't just about fighting back, but also about reimagining and building new systems that prioritize equity and justice.
"Willis Wagons" and school desegregation efforts
In the 1960s 20,000 Black students protested against not having enough homework, and 200,000 Black students protested poor school conditions.
Today's bell ringer question is this: If you had to protest anything in school during your time there, what would it be and why? Today we're talking about student protests for increased academic rigor and better school conditions in the civil rights era during the 1960s many Black children on the South and West Side — like my parents, Ernest and Melody — didn't benefit from the Brown v. Board of Education decision. In fact, some schools, like the one I attended, Mount Greenwood, didn't desegregate until 1968 to avoid racial integration and bussing Black children to schools with better conditions in white neighborhoods.
Benjamin Willis, the Chicago superintendent at the time, ordered predominantly Black schools to add trailer park wagons to their campuses. These trailers, with their deplorable conditions, became known as "Willis Wagons" to mock the superintendent who made the ill-advised decision. To protest the gross injustice of these "Willis Wagons," parents, community members and organizations like the Coordinating Council of Community Organizations organized a demonstration in which 225,000 students stayed home on Oct. 22, 1963.
By 1968, high school scholars created an organization called Black Students for Defense. More than 20,000 students were involved. They demanded military training relevant to the needs of Black people. Improved school conditions and more homework. Yeah, more homework. They wanted to be challenged academically. These protests and conversations will lead to improvements in some cases, and the establishment of more Afrocentric schools in other cases.
Honoring the legacy of Lorraine Hansberry
When I think of Lorraine Hansberry, I think of courage – the kind that ignites movements. In 1959, Hansberry shattered barriers as the first Black woman to have a play performed on Broadway.
Her masterpiece, A Raisin in the Sun, tells the story of a Black family daring to dream, despite systemic racism, drawn from her own family's battle against housing discrimination in Chicago. It wasn't just a play, it was a call to action that remains as relevant today as it was then.
But Hansberry's impact went beyond the stage. She was also deeply involved in the civil rights movement, working alongside leaders like Paul Robeson, James Baldwin, and Nina Simone.
She was a writer, an activist, and an unapologetic voice for justice. Hansberry spoke out against racism, sexism, and colonialism – using her words to inspire change and push boundaries.
Hansberry once said "To create the universal, you must pay attention to the specific." Her ability to root universal truths in Black life made her work timeless. She showed us that art and activism are inseparable, that storytelling can illuminate injustice and mobilize communities.
Although Hansberry left us at just 34 years old, her legacy endures. Her boldness, her vision, and her fight remind me that art isn't just about expression, it's about transformation. Every story I tell through my work is a continuation of the fight that she started.
Father Augustus Tolton, the first African American ordained as a Catholic priest
I'm here to tell you about the first-ever recognized Black Catholic priest in the history of America – Father Augustus Tolton.
He was born into chattel slavery in the 1850s, and his family would find freedom by rowing a boat across the Mississippi River. They escaped from the slave state of Missouri into Illinois, where they eventually would settle in the city of Quincy.
Tolton attended Catholic schools, where he showed promise that a lot of people poured into him. He tried to go to seminary in North America, but because of his race, he was rejected from every seminary school that he applied to.
Eventually, he was accepted at a seminary all the way in Rome. While there, he was ordained a Catholic priest. He would return to Chicago, where he helped found St. Monica, which is now St. Elizabeth. That church would go on to be an anchoring institution for Black Catholics for decades to come.
Tolton was an amazing writer, and preacher, and he was featured in newspapers throughout the country. In fact, Tolton is in the process of being canonized, which would make him the first-ever African American saint in the history of the Catholic Church.
It just goes to show you that, when given the proper opportunity, you could become a history-maker.
Shout out to homie, Rev. Augustus Tolton.
Honoring pioneering Chicago teacher Marva Collins
"Don't try to fix the students. Fix ourselves first. The good teacher makes the poor student good and the good student superior. When our students fail, we, as teachers, too, have failed." – Marva Collins
Today's bell-ringer question is this: if you had to create the perfect teacher, what type of qualities would they have? Today we'll talk about one of the greatest educators in American history: Marva Collins.
Born in Alabama in 1936, Collins eventually made her way to Chicago, where she changed the game in education forever. Frustrated by the lack of quality care for Black children in the public school system, she decided to do something revolutionary. She created her own school.
In 1975, Collins founded the West Side Preparatory School in her own home in Chicago. Her goal was to provide an excellent education for children who had been labeled as "slow learners" or "unteachable," but Collins didn't just teach academics, she taught her students self-respect, resilience, and the power of their own minds.
Her teaching style combined high expectations with an unshakable belief in her students' abilities. She introduced them to subjects many believed her students couldn't handle, but Collins proved them wrong, and because of that her methods gained national attention.
By the 1980s, Collins' work was so transformative that she was invited to consult with educators across the country, and she was even offered the position of U.S. Secretary of Education, a role she respectfully declined in order to keep working with her students. She knew where she was needed the most.
In fact, she's also needed now.
Now for your exit ticket. How can we as a community take Collins' example and apply it to the way we educate our children today? What lessons can we take from her focus on high expectations and cultural pride?
Remembering artist, teacher, and DuSable Museum co-founder Margaret Burroughs
I find endless inspiration in the work of Margaret Burroughs, who had a gift for building – building institutions, building connections, and building legacies.
In 1961, she co-founded the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago in her own living room. What started as a small space grew into one of the first institutions dedicated to preserving and celebrating Black history.
For Burroughs, preserving our stories wasn't optional, it was essential. But her legacy didn't stop there.
Burroughs was also a lifelong educator, teaching art in Chicago Public Schools for more than 20 years, and later at colleges across the city.
She believed in making art accessible to everyone, often saying, "I want to reach the people; the man in the barbershop, the woman frying chicken."
In her classrooms, she inspired countless students to embrace their creativity, connect with their history, and see themselves as agents of change. Her own art reflected everyday Black life – the joy, the strength, the perseverance.
Through her paintings, sculptures, and teachings she empowered generations to understand that art is not just personal; it's political and communal. She also played a vital role in creating spaces like the South Side Community Arts Center, ensuring that Black artists had room to thrive.
Burroughs' vision wasn't just about her own work, it was about uplifting others and ensuring that Black culture had a permanent voice.
Burroughs didn't just preserve history, she expanded it, creating spaces where Black excellence could be celebrated and remembered. Her work reminds me that art can build bridges to the past while shaping bold futures.
Black History Lesson: Legacy
I'm here to talk about the work of resistance, self-love, and legacy.
Our legacy is a sacred task handed down through generations. It's resistance, resilience, and reimagining. It's about dismantling systems that harm us, and building the world we know we deserve – a world that benefits all people.
We must honor where we've been, recognize where we are, and set our sights on where we're going. The future is ours to define – to create a future where justice, liberation, and equality aren't just aspirations, but a reality; to redefine what's possible by centering Black joy, Black excellence, and Black innovation.
Radical love and resistance remain our blueprint; and give us the tools to envision a world where Black people are not just surviving, but thriving. It's an act of resistance to dream boldly in a world that tells us not to.
