Resilience and Revolution: Audio Tour of Chicago’s Black History

2 hours – 2 h 30 min Free cancellation Private tour

Resilience and Revolution: Audio Tour of Chicago’s Black History, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Chicago is inseparable from its Black history, where local pioneers helped shape the city’s story. On this self-guided audio tour through downtown Chicago, you’ll hear untold stories of Black excellence, resilience, and activism that transformed both the city and the nation. From Underground Railroad stations to civil rights battlegrounds, you’ll discover how Chicago became a beacon for those seeking freedom and opportunity. Starting at the site of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable’s mansion near the Chicago River, you’ll follow the footsteps of the city’s founder: a Black man who established Chicago’s first trading post in the 1770s. You’ll walk through the heart of the Loop, exploring sites where pioneering entrepreneurs like John Jones built businesses that became platforms for activism. The tour ends at Grant Park, where Barack Obama delivered his historic presidential acceptance speech in 2008 – a moment that represented the culmination of generations of struggle.

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At a glance

Duration: 2 hours – 2 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: English
Written guide: English
Operated by: VoiceMap Audio Tours

Ages: Adults (6–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
Included: Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Included: Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
Included: App for Android and iOS
Included: Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start

Not included

Not included: Smartphone and headphones
Not included: Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour
Not included: Food and drink
Not included: Transportation

Itinerary

Stop 1

Passing by

Stand before the statue honouring Chicago's founder, a Black trader who established the city's first settlement in the 1770s. Discover how DuSable built a thriving trading post at the mouth of the Chicago River that laid the foundation for America's third-largest city.
Stop 2

Passing by

Walk through the site where Chicago's earliest Black residents lived and worked alongside the historic fort. Learn how this area became crucial to the city's development as both a commercial hub and a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Heald Square Monument

Passing by

Pass this landmark memorial that commemorates the city's founding era when DuSable first arrived. Explore the connection between Chicago's earliest pioneers and the Black entrepreneurs who would later transform downtown.
Stop 4

Passing by

Visit the former location of John Jones's tailor shop, where he arrived with $3.50 and built a fortune worth over $100,000. Hear how Jones used his success to fund abolitionist activities and fight Illinois's discriminatory Black Laws.
Chase Tower

Passing by

Marvel at this modern skyscraper that stands near where pioneering Black businesses once operated. Learn about the entrepreneurs who established Chicago's first Black commercial district in the Loop during the 1800s.
Monadnock Building

Passing by

Stroll past this historic structure that witnessed Chicago's transformation during the Great Migration. Discover how the surrounding area became a battleground for civil rights as Black residents fought housing discrimination and segregation.
Harold Washington Library Center

Passing by

Explore the exterior of this grand building named for Chicago's first Black mayor, elected in 1983. Learn how Washington's victory represented decades of political organising by the city's Black community.
Dearborn Station

Passing by

Walk by this historic train depot that welcomed thousands of Black migrants arriving from the South during the Great Migration. Hear stories of families who stepped off trains here seeking freedom and economic opportunity in Chicago.
Jazz Showcase

Passing by

Pass this legendary venue that honours Chicago's rich Black musical heritage from the Jazz Age to today. Discover how Black musicians transformed American culture and made Chicago a creative capital.
Stop 10

Passing by

Stand before the former headquarters of Johnson Publishing, the first high-rise in downtown Chicago designed and owned by African Americans. Learn how John H. Johnson built an empire with Ebony and Jet magazines that shaped Black culture nationwide.
Stop 11

Passing by

Stroll down this street named for the fearless journalist and civil rights activist who exposed lynching in America. Hear how Wells used Chicago as her base to launch an international anti-lynching campaign after being exiled from Memphis.
Grant Park

Passing by

Enjoy the sweeping views of this lakefront park where Barack Obama delivered his historic presidential acceptance speech in 2008. Experience the site that witnessed both the 1968 Democratic Convention protests and a moment representing generations of struggle for equality.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

This tour starts at Pioneer Court Plaza. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.

End point

Grant Park

Using your ticket

VOICEMAP CODE

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Please check your email at the address you provided when you made this booking. You've been sent an eight character code you'll need to redeem your tour.

This code can be used by every member of your party. If you've booked for three people, for example, three people can download this tour using the same code.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

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Once you've received your code, please follow these steps:

Install the VoiceMap Audio Tours mobile app

Create an account

Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes

Enter your code then select Download Now

PLEASE NOTE

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You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date. It’s best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point.

This tour follows a set route and includes turn-by-turn directions. It works best if you start it in the right place and follow the directions from one location to the next.

When the download completes, you’ll see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when you are at the starting point.

Remember to bring your own headphones, unless you have booked a driving tour.

SUPPORT

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For technical support and other queries, please email [email protected]