Chicago has a rich history of African American influence and culture. The city played a significant role in the Great Migration, when millions of Black Americans moved from the South to Northern cities in the early to mid-20th century in search of better economic opportunities and to escape racial segregation.

During the Great Migration, Chicago's Black population surged, leading to the development of vibrant Black neighborhoods such as Bronzeville on the city's South Side. Bronzeville became a hub of Black culture, business, and politics, hosting famous jazz clubs, theaters, and churches.

Prominent Black leaders and activists emerged from Chicago, including civil rights leader Ida B. Wells, who was a pioneering journalist and anti-lynching crusader in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition, civil rights leader and founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), W.E.B. Du Bois, lived in Chicago for a time and was influential in the city's Black intellectual scene.

Chicago also played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement, with leaders such as Reverend Jesse Jackson and community organizer and activist, Ida Mae Scott. The city's South Side was also home to the first Black president of the United States, Barack Obama, who got his start as a community organizer in the city.

Today, Chicago continues to be a center of Black culture, activism, and political power. The city's Black population has made significant contributions to the arts, music, literature, business, and politics, shaping the city's identity and history.