Jean Baptiste Point du Sable is widely considered to be the first permanent resident and settler of Chicago. He was a Black man of African and French descent who is often referred to as the "Founder of Chicago." Point du Sable was born in St. Marc, Haiti in the 1740s and traveled to the Midwest region of North America, eventually establishing a fur trading post at the mouth of the Chicago River in the 1780s.

Due to his business acumen and ability to forge relationships with Indigenous peoples in the area, Point du Sable's trading post became a thriving hub of commerce and cultural exchange. He married a Potawatomi woman named Kitihawa, with whom he had two children. Point du Sable's settlement included a large house, a workshop, and livestock, making it a significant center of economic activity in the region.

Although Point du Sable's contributions to the development of early Chicago were significant, his legacy was often overlooked or marginalized in historical accounts. In recent years, efforts have been made to recognize and celebrate his role as a pioneer and pioneer in the history of Chicago and the United States.