Aleko Konstantinov Way

Alekos Kostantinov was a Bulgarian writer who came to Chicago during the 1893 Columbian Exhibition World Fair.  His 1894 book "To Chicago and Back" was influential in attracting Bulgarian immigrants to Chicago and the resulting sizable Bulgarian community in Chicago.

 

His sign is located outside the First Bulgarian Center; where the Union of Bulgarian Writers hold it's meetings and is the common meeting place for Bulgarian writers living all over the world.  Bulgarian Culture Center Chicago

The honorary sign was dedicated to mark the 120th anniversary of his death.

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Approved: 2017
Ward: 45
Alderman: John Arena
Neighborhood: Avondale / Old Irving Park

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Javier 'Javy' Baez Way

Javier Baez plays for the Chicago Cubs baseball team and was a crucial part of the team's historic World Series win in 2016.

Honorary Javier "Javy" Baez Way was dedicated on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 and drew a huge crowd of adults and children from the proud Puerto Rican community and beyond, most were wearing Chicago Cubs hats, shirts, jackets, and Javy's jersey number 9.  

"Congratulations Javier Baez" cake from a local bakery

Fan wearing Javier Baez Cubs jersey number 9 and flying the flag of Puerto Rico

The sign stands in Humboldt Park in front of "Little Cubs Field" and also at the Division Street entrance to the park on Luis Munoz Marin Drive.

 

The sign dedication was hosted by Alderman Roberto Maldonado and attended by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Ward: 26
Alderman: Roberto Maldonado
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
Sign Dedication Ceremony: April 11, 2017

Esther Golar Way

Esther Golar served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2006 until her death in 2015. Esther believed in strong communities and fiercely supported the rights of the elderly, families, and the struggling. She served on committees on a wide range of issues including; education, healthcare, and crime. She was the voice of the 6th District on the Southwest side of Chicago, and sometime she delivered her message on the House floor in song. Before her career in politics she was a community organizer and worked for the Community Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). She moved to Chicago from Mississippi as a child.

Alumni
Crane Technical High School
Malcolm X College

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Honorary Esther Golar Way

South Racine Avenue from West 51st Street to West Garfield Boulevard

Approved: January 2017

Ward: 20
Alderman: Cochran
Neighborhood: Englewood

b. 1944. Merigold, Mississippi
d. 2015. Age 71.

 

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Source

https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-state-rep-esther-golar-dies-met-0922-20150921-story.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-state-rep-esther-golar-dies-met-0922-20150921-story.html

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150921/englewood/esther-golar-dead-state-representative-had-served-6th-district-for-9-years

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Golar

Coach Kirk Vidas Way

 Kirk Vidas has been a baseball and basketball coach at William Howard Taft High School for more than 20 years; and a professional basketball player in Greece. Kirk Vidas was selected for the Greek Olympics team in 1980 and 1984. He was named educator of the month by the Chicago Bulls basketball team in February 2017.

Alumni
Gordon Tech High School, Chicago (since 2017 DePaul College Prep)
Upper Iowa University
American College of Education

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Honorary Coach Kirk Vidas Way

5600 block of North Northcott Avenue

 

Approved: January 2017

Ward: 41
Alderman: Napolitano
Neighborhood: Norwood Park

Taft High-School

Greek American Hall of Fame

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Source

Dr. Edward & Mildred Cruzat

This doctor and dancer couple was very involved in the community. Mildred in Rainbow Coalition/PUSH

Edward “Ted” Pedro Cruzat was a surgeon and lecturer at Northwestern University Medical School

Mildred “Millie” Cruzat danced on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall. She teaches dance.

Alumni - Edward
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana
Meharry Medical College. Nashville, Tennessee

Alumni - Mildred
American School of Ballet at Carnegie Hall

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Honorary Dr Edward and Mildred Cruzat Way

South Ellis Avenue from East 32nd St. to East 32nd PLace

 

Approved: January 2017

Ward: 4
Alderman: King
Neighborhood: Douglas

Edward
b. Alton, Illinois
d. February, 16 2000. Age 73. Chicago

Mildred
b. February 17, 1927. Detroit, Michigan

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Source
Facebook

Source

Kevin Ryan Way

Kevin Ryan retired after 40 years at Chicago International Charter School, Northtown Academy, where he was the Dean of Students. He started out as a Social Studies teacher at Good Council High School, where he also coached softball and basketball.

Alumni
St Patrick’s High School
Northeastern Illinois University

https://www.facebook.com/CICSschools/posts/10155316306229654

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Honorary Kevin Ryan Way

3900 West Peterson Avenue

 

Approved: January 2017

Ward: 39
Alderman: Laurino
Neighborhood: North Park

Near
CICS Northtown Academy

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Source

Facebook

Pastor Earl Grandberry, Sr. Way

Twitter

Honorary Pastor Earl Grandberry, Sr. Way

East 16th Street, from South Wabash Avenue to South Michigan Avenue

 

Approved: February 2017

Ward: 3
Alderman: Dowell
Neighborhood: South Loop

Near
True Rock Ministries
57 East 16th Street, Chicago

George 'Poppie' Black, Sr. Way

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Honorary George ‘Poppie’ Black, Sr. Way

7812 South Vernon Avenue

 

Approved: March 2017

Ward: 6
Alderman: Sawyer
Neighborhood: Chatham

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Source

Ukrainian American Veterans Way

Veterans Day

Honorary Ukrainian American Veterans Way dedicated in 2016

What a better way to celebrate veterans than to feature the honorary sign dedicated this year to Ukrainian American Veterans.  The Chicago organization of the UAV Post 32 hosted the 69th UAV National Convention in Chicago this year.  

RT @UkChicago Ukrainian American Veterans at the #MemorialDay Parade #Chicago

video:   pic.twitter.com/mYuQtfvTDy http://t.co/f5rr5LxnFV

— Vasyl Pawlowsky (@uamuzik) May 25, 2015

The national Ukrainian American Veterans organization began in 1948 by veterans of WWI and WWII. It's membership includes honorably discharged American veterans of Ukrainian descent.  In 1998 it launched the UAV Registration Project, which aims to collect the names of Ukrainian Americans who served in the US Armed Forces. Volume one contains more than 3,000 names and stories.

The many Ukrainian immigrants from the 1880s settled in the Chicago neighborhood which came to be known as Ukrainian Village. 

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Honorary Chicago has made a similar goal.  Since 2014 we have mapped the Chicago honorary street signs which are dedicated to veterans.  This Veterans Day marks the 3rd anniversary of the Honorary Chicago Veterans Map, which is an ongoing effort.

Dr. Sokoni T. Karanja Way

Sokoni Karanja means “A person from across the sea with knowledge” in Swahili. He founded the Centers for New Horizons in Chicago, a social service in the Bronzeville neighborhood to restore it as self-sufficient community with pride in its African and Black American history. He was inspired by Malcolm X, Julius Nyere, and the Black Metropolis of the 1920s. In the early 1970s he lived in and traveled around Tanzania building communities and schools. He was the Assistant Dean of Students at Brandeis University. He has been recognized as an expert in childhood and community development.

MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant
University of Chicago, Adlai Stevenson Fellow
Goldin Institute, Chicago Peace Fellow, Washington Park

Alumni:
Brandeis University, Urban Policy, PhD
University of Cincinnati, Master of Community Planning
Atlanta University, Master of Social Work
University of Denver, Master of Psychology
Washburn University
Ft. Scott Junior College
Topeka High School

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Honorary Dr. Sokoni T. Karanja Way

 

East 42nd Street from South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to South Prairie Avenue

Approved: October 2016

Ward: 3
Alderman: Dowell
Neighborhood: Bronzeville

b. 1940 Lathan Johnson. Topeka, Kansas

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Honorary street sign for Dr. Sokoni T. Karanja founder-Centers for New Horizons social service agency in Bronzeville pic.twitter.com/G5ZT5kV04A

— Alderman Pat Dowell (@AldPatDowell3rd) October 31, 2016

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Source

HistoryMakers