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ATTENTION HISTORY FAIR STUDENTS LOOKING FOR A PROJECT IDEA?

Ever wonder who the people are that Chicago public schools are named after? Once you get beyond U.S. presidents and celebrities, it can be pretty tough! Take the CPS History Fair Challenge and do your research project on a person for whom a school is named.

The History Fair project would explain not only who the person was, but should analyze and interpret that person's accomplishments and impact on history. For example:

• A judge who presided or wrote the opinion on a significant case.
• An owner of a company or business person whose business had an impact in the city/nation/world.
• A community activist who made a difference in social, economic, or civil justice.
• A scientist or inventor whose works significantly changed society.

Sometimes the process of selecting a school name is its own interesting story. For example, now most Chicagoans know who Jean Baptiste du Sable is, but the story of how the first high school built for the African American community was named tells a lot about the history of Chicago, and particularly the politics in the black community of the 1930s.

All students who take the CPS History Fair Challenge will receive a Certificate of Recognition. An anonymous donor is sponsoring an award for the best History Fair project at the high school level.

POTENTIAL SOURCES:

Look for the primary sources, biographical dictionaries, newspapers, and genealogical sources at:

• Chicago Historical Society
• Newberry Library
• University of Chicago
• Northwestern University
• Chicago Public Library-especially regional libraries.