Well actually… A thread.
Michael Harriot@michaelharriot
16 views
Sep 21, 2025
~3 min read
Advertisement
1
2
I’m sure you think I’m gonna mention Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the Black fur trader who is known as the first non-indigenous resident of Chicago.
But du Sable was not enslaved when he moved to the mouth of the Chicago river in 1790.
So who TF was buying furs?
But du Sable was not enslaved when he moved to the mouth of the Chicago river in 1790.
So who TF was buying furs?
3
Well, remember all that was French territory. In 1719 French entrepreneur Philippe François Renault hopped in a boat in the South of France, stopped in Haiti to purchase 200-500 humans beings & headed to “Upper Louisiana”
By 1760, 900 ppl were enslaved in “Illinois Country”
By 1760, 900 ppl were enslaved in “Illinois Country”
4
They worked primarily in the mines producing profit for France, which is why a FUR TRADER would move to the mouth of the Chicago river.
Then there were the Salt mines.
The salt mines were so profitable that when Illinois gained statehood the constitution had 3 exemptions
Then there were the Salt mines.
The salt mines were so profitable that when Illinois gained statehood the constitution had 3 exemptions
5
1. The Salt mines and the profits now belonged to the state
2. Illinois would be a free state
3. But it was ok to use slaves in the salt mines
2. Illinois would be a free state
3. But it was ok to use slaves in the salt mines
6
One third of the entire state’s revenue came from the Gallatin salt mines
How did private business owners make up for their lost salt revenue?
A few started a new business - kidnapping FREE Black ppl & selling them to the salt mines
The REVERSE Underground Railroad
nps.gov/places/old-sla…
How did private business owners make up for their lost salt revenue?
A few started a new business - kidnapping FREE Black ppl & selling them to the salt mines
The REVERSE Underground Railroad
nps.gov/places/old-sla…
7
They trafficked some further South. Pretty soon, the Black population of Illinois understood there was only one truly safe place in the state:
Chicago
By then enslavers had began hiring their human property out to build the railroads that made Chicago an national hub
Chicago
By then enslavers had began hiring their human property out to build the railroads that made Chicago an national hub
8
The state had stacked so much slave salt money that they had to find something to spend it on.
In 1836, they found something:
The Illinois Central
The largest railroad in the history of the world was a state funded train from the slave mines to Chicago
In 1836, they found something:
The Illinois Central
The largest railroad in the history of the world was a state funded train from the slave mines to Chicago
9
But getting to Chicago was a LONG ride. So in 1864, George Mortimer Pullman said: what if I had a nice hotel, but on a train? He didn’t just build a factory, he bought 4000 acres and built an entire TOWN.
Fortunately, there were a lot of newly freed employees available
Fortunately, there were a lot of newly freed employees available
10
Formerly enslaved men don’t just work as Pullman porters, they helped build the Chicago neighborhood now known Pullman
In fact, many of the ppl and events you know from the civil rights movement were Pullman Porters
A Phillip Randolph, who planned the March on Washington
In fact, many of the ppl and events you know from the civil rights movement were Pullman Porters
A Phillip Randolph, who planned the March on Washington
11
ED Nixon, who handpicked a wet-behind-the-ears preacher named Martin Luther King Jr to lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott was a Pullman
So was Thurgood Marshall
And they were headquartered in Chicago
Now here’s the thing:
If I say “George Pullman built his business empire”…
So was Thurgood Marshall
And they were headquartered in Chicago
Now here’s the thing:
If I say “George Pullman built his business empire”…
12
You understand that I don’t mean that he hand-placed the bricks on the corporate headquarters
In the case of Chicago, the city was built largely through state funds that came from slave labor .
The railroad tracks were literally hammered by slaves
In the case of Chicago, the city was built largely through state funds that came from slave labor .
The railroad tracks were literally hammered by slaves
13
Black people built the businesses and infrastructure that made the city bigger than older richer cities like Boston or Philly
Black citizens were literally required to carry a “certificate of freedom”
But they couldn’t vote
Black citizens were literally required to carry a “certificate of freedom”
But they couldn’t vote
14
But I understand why @tedcruz is confused
He thinks Trump built a wall
He thinks he didn’t incite an insurrection
And he also thinks that slaves didn’t build Chicago
He thinks Trump built a wall
He thinks he didn’t incite an insurrection
And he also thinks that slaves didn’t build Chicago
15
@tedcruz If you want to know about America than @tedcruz, visit ContrabandCamp.com