In celebration of Black History Month in February, the Chicago Park District is saluting the African Americans who have played an instrumental role in shaping the city's legacy.
To date, 40 parks across Chicago have been named in honor of influential African Americans such as poet Gwendolyn Brooks; inventor George Washington Carver; writer Lorraine Hansberry; gospel singer Mahalia Jackson; civil-rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington.
The park named after Hansberry, a lesbian, is at 5635 S. Indiana.
Individuals must be deceased at least one year before a park can be named in their honor. Proposed names are brought to the Chicago Park District's Board of Commissioners meeting for review.