Book Description

Chicagos Authentic Founder traces the life and time of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable from Haiti through Louisiana, Peoria, Chicago, and Saint-Charles, Missouri, where he died in 1818. It examines important historical events such as the foundation of Chicago, George Rogers Clarks conquest of the French villages in Illinois, and DuSables arrest and appointment as manager of the Pinery in Michigan. The extent of DuSables Chicago business or trading post is treated in full. DuSables life in Saint-Charles is recounted in light of various court documents. His relationship to and leadership of the Pottawatomi tribe is explored and analyzed in ways that correct many of the inaccuracies found in the accounts publicized by the Kinsies and their allies. This volume contains many photos depicting DuSables grave site, former places of residence, artistic representation, the cabin along the Chicago River, etc. DuSables place of originSaint-Domingue, todays Haitias represented by Juliette Kinsies Wau-Bun, is fully explored. The aggression of the European colonial powers and of the United States against Haiti after the successful Haitian Revolution and subsequent Haitian sponsorship of abolitionist and revolutionary activities is explored at length to show the reader possible motivation for associating DuSable with Haiti. Though widely admired by Native Americans and the older class of settlers in the contested territories of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, new American settlers, who arrived in Chicago after the building of Fort Dearborn, sought to discredit DuSable and to erroneously proclaim John Kinzie Chicagos founder.