Black Ingenuity: Black Business in Chicago from 1900 to 1990s

Often known as the “Black Metropolis”, Chicago has produced and nurtured many of the nation’s most significant African American business enterprises. By the 1920s, Chicago produced Black ownership in everything from publishing houses and insurance companies to restaurants and funeral homes. Not only did these businesses and the entrepreneurs provide services, products and jobs to the community, they served as sources of pride and distinction.

Interactive video will feature the expanded stories of entrepreneurs including:

• Frank Gillespie, Supreme Life Insurance Co.

• Jesse Binga, Binga State Bank

• Anthony Overton, Douglas National Bank

• Bynum, Illinois Service Federal Savings & Loan, est. 1934

• Al Boutte, Sr.  Independence Bank of Chicago & Drexel National Bank- Indecorp

• George Johnson, Johnson Products Co. (1st publicly listed Black co) & Indecorp

• John Johnson, Johnson Publishing

• Tom Lewis, South Side Bank

• Stu Collins, Seaway National Bank and Mambo Sauce

• Judge Parker, Parker House Sausage and meats

• Anderson Schweich, Chicago Metropolitan Mutual Assurance founded 1927

• Fred Luster, Luster Products

• Baldwin Ice Cream

• Robert Abbott, Chicago Defender, Memphis Chronicle

• Al Johnson, Cadillac and leasing co

• Sam Fuller, Fuller Products

• George Johnson, Johnson Products & Indecorp, living

• John Rogers, Ariel Capital Management, Mother Jewell Lafontant was attorney for many

• Marshall Bynum, father was founder of Illinois Service Fed Savings & Loan

• Michael Parker, son of Parker House Sausage founder

• Jeanette Boutte-Simpson, daughter of Independence Bank founder, Head cashier at IBC

• Calvin Grigsby, investment banker and close friend of Al Johnson

• Monica Walker, Holland Capital Management, CEO, mentee of Louis Holland