200 for 200
The Land of Lincoln is also the land of world- class universities, medical centers, museums and corporations. As a result, any list of the 200 most- prominent Illinoisans is virtually impossible to assemble given the plethora of talented and influential people who’ve lived and worked here. To assemble this list, the Sun- Times sought recommendations from eight experts, matching their respective lists of nominees. In all, 116 people matched at least twice, and we picked the remaining 84. One of our experts, Chicago treasure Timuel Black, who turns 99 on Dec. 7, made the list — the result of some of his counterparts recognizing his historical significance.
Grace Abbott, early 1900s social worker who promoted immigrant rights Robert S. Abbott, Chicago Defender publisher who started the Bud Billiken Parade Jane Addams, influential feminist and social- work leader, founder of Hull House Dankmar Adler, architect who partnered with Daniel Burnham in development of steel- framed skyscrapers Max Adler, Sears Roebuck and Co. vice president who established the Adler Planetarium in Chicago Nelson Algren, writer known for “The Man with the Golden Arm” and “A Walk on the Wild Side” Saul Alinsky, community organizer who worked to improve living conditions of the poor John Peter Altgeld, 20th governor of Illinois who supported workplace safety and child labor laws Philip Armour, meatpacking industrialist Saul Bellow, prolific 20th century writer, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for Literature Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Archbishop of Chicago, 1982- 1996 Jesse Binga, first AfricanAmerican to own a Chicago bank, opening his on the South Side in 1908 Timuel Black, author, educator and South Side activist who is known for coining the phrase “plantation politics” Harry Blackmun, U. S. Supreme Court justice from Nashville, Illinois Shadrach Bond, first governor of Illinois Myra Bradwell, first woman to be admitted to Illinois bar Carol Moseley Braun, first AfricanAmerican female U. S. senator, 1993- 1999 Gwendolyn Brooks, Pulitzer- Prize- winning poet and author William Jennings Bryan, three- time presidential nominee, known for his “Cross of Gold” speech Daniel Burnham, architect and city planner who developed the “Plan of Chicago” Margaret T. Burroughs, educator and artist who co- founded the DuSable Museum of African American History Dick Butkus, Chicago Vocational, University of Illinois and Bears legend Jane Byrne, Chicago’s first female mayor Al Capone, gangster David Cerda, first Hispanic to be named to the Illinois Appellate Court Anton Cermak, 34th mayor of Chicago Hillary Rodham Clinton, U. S. senator, secretary of state, first lady and first woman to top presidential ticket for a major party Bessie Coleman, first African- American and NativeAmerican woman to obtain a pilot’s license Edward Coles, second governor of Illinois and anti- slavery advocate Charles Comiskey, baseball player, manager and White Sox team owner who was key in founding the American League Daniel Pope Cook, Illinois’ first attorney general, also an anti- slavery advocate Sam Cooke, hit soul music artist who also founded a record label and publishing company Richard J. Daley, Chicago mayor from 1955- 1976 who kept the city from “rust belt” decline Richard M. Daley, 43rd mayor of Chicago whose tenure exceeded Richard J. Daley, his father
Clarence Darrow, lawyer who defended Leopold and Loeb David Davis, associate justice of the U. S. Supreme Court under Abraham Lincoln and U. S. senator from Illinois Miles Davis, innovative jazz musician and composer Eugene Debs, leading socialist who gained national attention for helping direct the Pullman strikers in 1894 John Deere, established the now- famous Molinebased agricultural equipment company Oscar DePriest, fi rst African- American nonsoutherner to serve in Congress Leon Despres, Chicago alderman, 1955- 1975, who often opposed then- Mayor Richard J. Daley John Dewey, infl uential philosopher and educator who taught at the University of Chicago Jacoby Dickens, head of Chicago’s Seaway Bank and Trust, at one time the nation’s largest black- owned fi nancial institution Everett Dirksen, U. S. Senator from Illinois and civil rights champion Walt Disney, entrepreneur whose namesake company became an entertainment and amusement park industry standard Paul H. Douglas, economist, author, Chicago alderman and U. S. senator Stephen A. Douglas, U. S. senator from Illinois known for the 1858 Lincoln- Douglas debates Theodore Dreiser, novelist who championed social justice for radicals and political prisoners Edward F. Dunne, 24th governor of Illinois and 38th mayor of Chicago Finley Peter Dunne, Chicago writer whose observations on political and social issues were well regarded by Theodore Roosevelt Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, credited as Chicago’s fi rst permanent resident Roger Ebert ( right), Pulitzer- Prizewinning movie critic for the Chicago Sun- Times Ninian Edwards, governor of the Illinois Territory, 1809- 1818 Rahm Emanuel, 44th mayor of Chicago and former chief of staff to President Barack Obama James T. Farrell, novelist and short- story writer, known for his Studs Lonigan character Enrico Fermi, physicist and maker of the fi rst nuclear reactor Marshall Field, shopping magnate, founder of Marshall Field and Co. department stores Sunny Fischer, leader for women’s causes, antidomestic violence activist John Fitzpatrick, head of the Chicago Federation of Labor, 1906- 1946 Redd Foxx, comedian and actor best known for 1970s sitcom “Sanford and Son” Milton Friedman, conservative economist who advised Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher Paul V. Galvin, along with his brother, Joseph, incorporated Motorola’s founding company, the Galvin Manufacturing Corp., in Chicago Jeanne Gang, Chicago architect, perhaps best known for the Aqua Tower Benny Goodman, band leader known as the “King of Swing” Ulysses S. Grant, 18th president of the United States Dick Gregory, comedian, civil rights activist and author who got his big break at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club George Halas, Bears founder, who was also the team’s head coach Fred Hampton, leader of the Illinois Black Panther party, slain during a raid by police on Chicago’s West Side Herbie Hancock, band leader, keyboardist and songwriter born in Chicago Lorraine Hansberry, fi rst AfricanAmerican woman to have a play performed on Broadway William Rainey Harper, fi rst president of the University of Chicago Carter Harrison Sr., 24th mayor of Chicago Carter Harrison II, 37th and 40th mayor of Chicago Ben Hecht, screenwriter and reporter for the Chicago Journal and Chicago Daily News Ernest Hemingway, Oak Park native, novelist, journalist and Nobel Prize in literature winner Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments, fi rst African- American woman to head The Economic Club of Chicago
William Holabird, architect who contributed to the Chicago School
Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard, established Chicago’s first stockyard; heavily promoted the Chicago area to easterners
Robert M. Hutchins, University of Chicago Chancellor, 1945- 1951, who restructured the undergraduate program Charles L. Hutchinson, businessman, influential president of the Art Institute of Chicago Samuel Insull, contributed to establishing the electrical infrastructure in the U. S. Jesse Jackson Sr., civil rights activist, minister and politician Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer with 30 albums who also was active in the civil rights movement Helmut Jahn, architect perhaps best known for designing the James R. Thompson Center William Le Baron Jenney, architect and engineer responsible for first skyscraper in 1884 Jens Jensen, landscape architect who designed Garfield, Humboldt, Douglas and Columbus parks George E. Johnson Sr., founded Johnson Products Company, the first African- Americanowned company to be listed on the American Stock Exchange John H. Johnson, African- American publisher who launched “Ebony” and “Jet” magazines, among others
Quincy Jones, record producer, musician and entertainment company executive Michael Jordan, No. 23, led the Bulls to six NBA titles Florence Kelley, social reformer who fought for minimum wage, 8- hour workdays and children’s rights Edward Kelly, 36th mayor of Chicago and first mayor from the Bridgeport neighborhood Herb Kent, Hall of Fame DJ who worked 65 years in the Chicago radio market Otto Kerner Jr., 33rd governor of Illinois John Kinzie, early Chicago settler, husband of Juliette Kinzie Juliette Kinzie, Chicago historian, wife of John Kinzie Ardis Krainik, Lyric Opera of Chicago general director, 1981- 1997 Ring Lardner, sports columnist who wrote for Chicago’s Inter- Ocean, the Chicago Examiner and Chicago Tribune
Julia Lathrop, social reformer and first female head of a federal bureau: the United States Children’s Bureau Leon Lederman, U. of C. professor who won Nobel Prize for physics in 1988, founder of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States Mary Livermore, journalist, abolitionist and women’s rights advocate Owen Lovejoy, lawyer, minister and abolitionist active with the Underground Railroad Frank O. Lowden, 25th governor of Illinois who supported women’s suffrage Rudy Lozano, Mexican- American activist and Chicago community organizer Michael J. Madigan, speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives
Annie Malone, cosmetics magnate and philanthropist, born in Southern Illinois Edgar Lee Masters, attorney, author of “Spoon River Anthology” Curtis Mayfield, rhythm and blues singer, songwriter and producer, born in Chicago Cyrus McCormick, industrialist and inventor, developed the mechanical reaper Robert R. McCormick, Republican alderman who owned the Chicago Tribune Mary McDowell, social reformer who promoted social and economic diversity in Chicago Joseph Medill, newspaper editor and publisher, and 26th mayor of Chicago Ralph Metcalfe, track- and- field Olympian and politician Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, famed architect, early proponent of steel- and- glass modern architecture Abner Mikva, congressman, federal judge, presidential adviser Harriet Monroe, editor and founding publisher of Poetry Magazine Dwight Lyman Moody, evangelist and founder of the Moody Church Joy Morton, founder of the Morton Salt Company who established the Morton Arboretum in Lisle Archibald Motley, African- American painter and contributor to the Chicago Black Renaissance Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam, mentor to Louis Farrakhan Cardinal George Mundelein, Archbishop of Chicago, 1915- 1939
Walter Loomis Newberry, businessman and philanthropist whose estate founded the Newberry Library Edward “Butch” O’Hare, heroic Naval pilot for whom Chicago’s busiest airport is named Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States and first African- American president Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States William B. Ogden, first mayor of Chicago Richard B. Ogilvie, 35th governor of Illinois Richard Oglesby, 14th governor of Illinois who promoted care for the mentally ill and disabled Anthony Overton, African- American lawyer and businessman
Bertha Palmer, wife of Potter Palmer who worked to support the impoverished and make kindergarten part of the Chicago education system
Potter Palmer, husband of Bertha Palmer, partner of Marshall Field, promoted large- store window displays Sara Paretsky, mystery novelist known for her female protagonist, V. I. Warshawski Albert Parsons, socialist, radical newspaper editor, hanged following the Haymarket affair Cecil Partee, first African- American to serve as Illinois Senate president and Cook County state’s attorney Walter Payton, No. 34. “Sweetness.” Bears Super Bowl running back John Mason Peck, pioneer missionary, anti- slavery advocate Bessie Louise Pierce, wrote “A History of Chicago,” a three- volume set of the city’s early years
Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County board president Jorge Prieto, immigrant Mexican- American physician and immigrants’ and workers’ rights advocate Jay Pritzker, entrepreneur who started Hyatt Hotels Richard Pryor, Peoria- born comedian George Pullman, founder of company responsible for the Pullman rail sleeper car Al Raby, Chicago teacher who worked to desegregate schools and housing Ronald Reagan, 40th U. S. president, born in Dixon, Illinois Jerry Reinsdorf, lawyer, CPA and owner of the Bulls and White Sox
Martin Roche, architect who helped contribute to the Chicago School; also helped in the design of Graceland Cemetery John Rogers Jr., founder and chairman of Ariel Investments, the well- known Chicago fi nancial fi rm
John Wellborn Root, architect and one of originators of the Chicago School Julius Rosenwald, philanthropist and one of the owners and leaders of Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Mike Royko, Pulitzer- Prize- winning columnist who wrote for the Chicago Daily News, Chicago Sun- Times and Chicago Tribune Arthur Rubloff, real estate developer whose projects reshaped the face of Chicago Bobby Rush, South Side congressman Paul Samuelson, fi rst American recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, adviser to presidents Kennedy and Johnson Carl Sandburg, Pulitzer Prize- winning poet and author Robert Sengstacke, award- winning Chicago Defender photojournalist during the civil rights era Paul Simon, author, U. S. senator who ran for president Joseph Smith, Mormon church founder murdered by anti- Mormon mob in western Illinois Georg Solti, long- serving music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra August Spies, radical labor activist and newspaper editor hanged following the Haymarket affair Ellen Gates Starr, social reformer who partnered with Jane Addams in the founding of Hull House Adlai Stevenson, 23rd vice president of the United States Adlai Stevenson II, 1952 and 1956 Democratic presidential candidate who promoted progressive causes Win Stracke, co- founder of Old Town School of Folk Music Louis Sullivan, architect known for pioneering modern, steel- structure skyscrapers Billy Sunday, baseball outfi elder- turned- evangelist Gustavus Swift, meat industry magnate who used icecooled rail cars to distribute products nationally Lorado Taft, infl uential art educator and sculptor Studs Terkel, historian, actor and Pulitzer- Prizewinning author
William Hale Thompson, 31st and 33rd mayor of Chicago, “Big Bill” notoriously maintained an alliance with Al Capone
Emmett Till, 14- year- old Chicagoan whose brutal murder in Mississippi helped fuel the civil rights movement Carlos Tortolero, president and founder of the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago Lyman Trumbull, U. S. senator from Illinois who coauthored the 13th amendment Scott Turow, lawyer and prolifi c novelist Bill Veeck, former owner of the White Sox Charles Henry Wacker, Chicago businessman who championed Daniel Burnham’s plan for the city Charles R. Walgreen Sr., founder of Walgreens drug stores Aaron Montgomery Ward, founder of catalog mailorder retail business allowing wide distribution of goods to rural areas Harold Washington, fi rst African- American mayor of Chicago Dinah Washington, “Queen of the Blues,” who got her start in Chicago, where she grew up Muddy Waters, musician known for laying the foundation of Chicago blues Ida B. Wells, African- American journalist and civil rights activist Jesse White, Illinois secretary of state, one of the state’s longest- serving politicians Frances E. Willard, 19th century temperance and women’s rights crusader Daniel Hale Williams, physician and civil rights leader; fi rst African- American surgeon to perform a pericardium repair Oprah Winfrey, reinvented the talk- show genre as host of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” Richard Wright, AfricanAmerican novelist who penned “Native Son” and “Black Boy” William Wrigley, founder of chewing gum manufacturer William Wrigley Jr. Company Addie Wyatt, U. S. labor and civil rights leader; fi rst African- American woman to be a vice president of a major labor union Charles Yerkes, fi nancier and early investor in Chicago’s public transportation system Ella Flagg Young, superintendent of Chicago’s schools, 1909- 1915; fi rst woman in U. S. to head a major urban school system