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Who Founded Chicago? A Black Man from the Caribbean.


This city’s first permanent resident and settler, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, a Black man from the Caribbean country of Haiti founded Chicago in 1779.  Now over 240 years ago, this Black founder, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable,  by virtue of him being a Black man he was not given the proper credit and respect of the city he founded, which is now the envy of the world. 

Ephraim Martin, with strong support from 17th Ward Alderman David Moore and some 50 organizations want Holiday, Street & Monument for DuSable, Chicago’s Founding Father.  

Millions of people in Chicago, and the rest of the country, are calling for change and still wondering when will the City of Chicago show and give full respect to its founding Father, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable. Yes, Black Heroes Matter!

To support the major Monument for DuSable, click this GoFundMe link https://gf.me/u/x99m75, also sign the petition here http://chng.it/DLhPnQDfnv.to support the Holiday and Street for the Founding Father.


The peaceful rally called for a city holiday, major monument and for Lake Shore Drive to be renamed Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Drive in honor of Chicago’s Founding Father, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, a Black Caribbean man from the country of Haiti. The peaceful rally called for a city holiday, major monument and for Lake Shore Drive to be renamed Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Drive in honor of Chicago’s Founding Father, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, a Black Caribbean man from the country of Haiti. Visit www.Blackheroesmatter.org and click the DuSable links or to support the major Monument for DuSable, click this GoFundMe link https://gf.me/u/x99m75, also sign the petition here http://chng.it/DLhPnQDfnv.


The proposal to rename Lake Shore Drive as Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Drive was presented to the Chicago City Council by former 4th Ward Alderman and current Cook Country President Toni Preckwinkle, more than twenty-five years ago - and was voted down. Last October 2019 the proposal was again reintroduced by 17th Ward Alderman David Moore and 4th Ward Alderwoman Sophia King for Lake Shore Drive to be renamed “Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Drive” but is on hold. Martin’s International and its more than fifty like-minded organizations are in full support of Alderman Moore and Alderwoman King, calling for the support of the full City Council to rename Lake Shore Drive as DuSable Drive. We also strongly urge the Mayor and City Council to give DuSable a City Holiday, and to install a major Monument for DuSable, Mr. Martin said.


Mr. Martin and the supporting organizations proposed an eight - point plan to honor DuSable and to end Systemic Racism, which he wants to be added to the elected officials’ conversations.

Under the Banner of Black Heroes Matter, below is what Mr. Martin, Alderman David Moore and and the other organizations are demanding for the Founding Father and moving toward ERacism.



There is no way we should have gone 240 years without a City Holiday, a main Street, and a major Monument in honor of the father of this great city, called Chicago!”

“There are others who had little or nothing to do with the founding of this city, who are enjoying the honor of this sweet home Chicago!

Yes! It is only because of the color of his black Haitian skin, that Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable has yet to receive his full reward in history!”

So, to Madam Mayor Lightfoot and the Chicago City Council, we are waiting on you to come through for DuSable!” Mr. Martin concluded.

Speaking at the rally also, 17th Ward Alderman David Moore said he is pressing the issue to more fully honor DuSable in city council.

“There’s no way we can continue to say Chicago is one of the greatest cities when we cannot recognize the man fully who founded Chicago,” Moore said.

The Alderman noted Mayor Lori Lightfoot is not opposed to the idea to honor DuSable with a monument, street and holiday and said he is optimistic


In the meantime, to guarantee a Monument no less than 25th feet and to achieve our objectives for Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, there is a GoFundMe and a petition drive online that needs your support. Please visit www.martinsinternational.com and click the DuSable links or to support the major Monument for DuSable, please click this GoFundMe page https://gf.me/u/x99m75, also sign the petition http://chng.it/DLhPnQDfnv to support the Holiday and Street for the Founding Father.

Among the other elected officials and organizations attending the rally/march were: Hon. Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, Alderman David Moore, Eric Blome -Figurative Art Studio LLC, who displayed a dramatic eight-foot, blue statue of DuSable’s Head, WVON 1690 AM Radio, Star Planet TV, Deon Lopez, The Caribbean Association of Midwest America, Clyde Banks-UNIA, Mr. Olivier Kamazi, Ali Crawford-Team BAD, African Global Chamber of Commerce, The State of the African Diaspora, Patricia Gordon- Team Jamaica, Bantu Inc Organization, Vernon Lloyd- Music Box Foundation, Eric Sexton- Dominion Music Group, Blaq Ice-P.O.E.T., Ghana National Council, Harris Business Enterprise/Love, Truth and Peace Foundation, Projectborn Elitemind LLC., The State of the African Diaspora, AFRICA-USA Today Magazine, Stanmorr Sports Inc., African Diaspora Sixth Region Association of Illinois, Valerie Hill PR Consultant, and Creative Tea Café’/Tea FDS, among others.

The one-mile march started at DuSable Bridge, by the river where DuSable arrived and settled, then south on Michigan Avenue to East Monroe to Columbus Drive at Grant Park, where the marchers joined with Black Lives/Black Skaters Matter protesters in a massive rally, in which Martin again repeated his call for DuSable’s holiday, street, monument an end to systemic racism, and more.


SYSTEMIC RACISM:

“For decades, Black and Brown people have been systematically discriminated against while seeking employment because of where they live. Employers, insurers, banks, educational institutions have routinely determined individuals’ race or national origin by their zip codes resulting in Black and Brown people being denied a full and fair examination of their applications.

Therefore, we propose these solutions:

1. The U.S. Postal zip code must be revamped or scrambled! Example in Chicago zip code 60628 which is marked red in the system should now be 60611, 60644 (red) should now be 60602 and 60636 (red) should be 60610. These are just examples to confuse the Powers who have locked in people in codes red to be discriminated against.

However, the system will try to work its way around these codes; So here are the ultimate

answers.

2. State by State: no longer should a person applying for a loan or a job be required to give their

street address or their zip code. Starting with our own State, Illinois. The only information they need to give for a job, a bank loan or for any borrowings, must be:

Only Your name, email address, telephone number, city and state, should be given, period! We are talking about ending systemic racism.

3. Only, after, the loan is approved and signed when you pick up your check or when the money is wired and transferred to your account, should your street address and zip code be revealed.

4. For job hiring. Only after your first paycheck is received, should your street address and zip

code be given. We are talking about ending systemic racism

These are just partial answers to ending systemic racism in America (to be continued…).

5. As for police abuse. The family of a victim who is abused or killed by police must have the

Option through their attorney to seek an independent Prosecutor or to obtain a summons to arrest the accused officer or officers, until the case can be fully investigated.

6. Police Forces throughout the nation must fairly reflect their city’s population. Example, If

Chicago’s population is 30 percent African American and 25 percent Latinx and other minorities, its force should reflect the same.

If the current makeup is not there yet; Here is how we will get there.

7. All future hiring’s to Chicago Police Department must only be African American or minority, until that balance is realized.

8. Further, all police officers must live in the city they serve. If not, they should be fired

immediately!”

Those are just some of our current thoughts and proposals to add to the conversation of ending systemic racism in America.


For more information to become a Monument and/or other sponsor, contact: Black Heroes Matter at www.blackheroesmatter.org , email Bheroesmatter@gmail.com , or call 877/973-4423. For press inquiries contact Valerie Hill at (312) 513-4695 or Vhill17211@yahoo.com

_______________________________________________

ABOUT EPHRAIM MARTIN: Since 1982, using reggae music as an art form and a vehicle of expression of the voiceless peoples of the world, for an end to apartheid, the freedom of Nelson Mandela and for freedom and democracy in the world, to the fight to end systemic racism. The former photojournalist and now reggae/world music special events organizer/activist, Ephraim Martin - Martin’s International Foundation has been working in the forefront of the movement for more than 38 years to bring forth meaningful and equitable change to the Black and other communities of the diaspora.



Support the major Monument for DuSable, click this GoFundMe link https://gf.me/u/x99m75, and sign the petition here http://chng.it/DLhPnQDfnv.

Visit www.Blackheroesmatter.org or www.martinsinternational.com for more information


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