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Chicago names Woodlawn street for civil rights leader Al Raby

Chicago names Woodlawn street for civil rights leader Al Raby

Rule Changes Chicago, IL local

The 1963 Freedom Day boycott organizer gets a street dedication and a city proclamation day

October 16th, 2026: Street dedication

Overview

Updated Oct 21

Chicago dedicated the 6300 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue as Al Raby Way on Oct. 16, 2026, and Mayor Brandon Johnson proclaimed Feb. 19, 2027, as Al Raby Day. Raby organized the 1963 Freedom Day boycott, when more than 200,000 Chicago students stayed home to protest segregated schools.

Raby later co-chaired the Chicago Freedom Movement with Martin Luther King Jr. and managed Harold Washington's 1983 mayoral campaign. The honorary sign stands near his childhood home at 63rd Street and Rhodes Avenue, the neighborhood where his granddaughter Katanya Raby said his organizing began.

Why it matters

A street name keeps a civil rights leader's story in daily view for a neighborhood still shaped by the segregation he fought.

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Key Indicators

200,000+
Students in 1963 Freedom Day boycott
More than 200,000 Chicago students stayed home on Oct. 22, 1963, Block Club Chicago reported. Other accounts put the figure higher.
$470K
Lost by CPS in one day
Chicago Public Schools lost $470,000 because the boycott fell on a district head-count day.
1
Block with an Al Raby sign
The honorary sign at 6300 S. Cottage Grove Ave. in Woodlawn.
63
Years between boycott and dedication
From the 1963 boycott to the 2026 street dedication.

Voices

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People Involved

Albert 'Al' Raby
Albert 'Al' Raby
Civil rights leader, educator, and political strategist
Deceased (1988)
 Katanya Raby
Katanya Raby
CEO and co-founder, Al Raby Foundation
Leading preservation of her grandfather's legacy
 Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson
Mayor of Chicago
Proclaimed Feb 19, 2027 as Al Raby Day

Organizations Involved

RF
Al Raby Foundation
Nonprofit
Collecting oral histories and planning Al Raby Day programs for February 2027

Family-led nonprofit preserving Al Raby's story and carrying forward his legacy through community service, activism and youth leadership.
City of Chicago
City of Chicago
Municipal government
Issued street dedication and proclamation

The municipal government that renamed the street and proclaimed Al Raby Day.

Timeline

October 1963 October 2026

7 events Latest: October 16th, 2026 · 4 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Street dedication

    Latest Honor

    City officials unveil an honorary sign for Al Raby at 6300 S. Cottage Grove Ave. and proclaim Feb. 19, 2027, as Al Raby Day.

  2. Honorary street ordinance introduced

    Government

    Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) introduces the honorary street designation ordinance, referred to the Chicago City Council.

  3. Al Raby High School opens

    Education

    Al Raby High School for Community and Environment opens in East Garfield Park.

  4. Raby dies

    Death

    Al Raby dies of a heart attack at age 55.

  5. Harold Washington campaign

    Political

    Raby manages campaign that elects Chicago's first Black mayor.

  6. Chicago Freedom Movement

    Movement

    Raby co-chairs movement with Martin Luther King Jr.

  7. Freedom Day boycott

    Protest

    More than 200,000 students stay home to protest segregated schools, Block Club Chicago reported.

Scenarios

1

Al Raby Day becomes annual Chicago observance

Likely Resolves by Feb 19, 2027

Discussed by: Mayor Brandon Johnson's proclamation

The mayor's proclamation of Feb. 19, 2027, as Al Raby Day could become an annual observance if the City Council passes a resolution. The Al Raby Foundation and community groups would likely support such a measure.

2

Al Raby Foundation expands preservation work

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Katanya Raby, Al Raby Foundation

The foundation plans to tell Raby's story in a holistic way for libraries, research institutions, and schools. It could announce new programs or partnerships to preserve his history.

3

Al Raby's story enters Chicago Public Schools curriculum

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Mayor Johnson's call for Chicagoans to learn about Raby

Mayor Johnson encouraged residents to spend Al Raby Day learning about Raby's life. The Al Raby Foundation plans to provide accurate information to schools. This could lead to CPS incorporating Raby's story into the curriculum.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

October 1963

Freedom Day Boycott (1963)

On Oct. 22, 1963, nearly 300,000 Chicago students stayed home from school to protest segregation. The boycott was organized by Al Raby's Coordinating Council of Community Organizations and targeted Superintendent Benjamin Willis's use of mobile classrooms in Black schools.

Then

The boycott pressured the school board but did not remove Willis.

Now

It established Raby as a national civil rights figure and set the stage for the 1966 Chicago Freedom Movement.

Why this matters now

The boycott is the reason Raby is being honored with a street dedication.

February 2019

Ida B. Wells Drive renaming (2019)

Chicago renamed Congress Parkway after Ida B. Wells, the journalist and civil rights activist. The renaming was part of a broader effort to honor Black women in public spaces.

Then

The street was renamed with a ceremony attended by city leaders.

Now

It set a precedent for renaming major Chicago streets after civil rights figures.

Why this matters now

The Al Raby Lane dedication follows this pattern of honoring civil rights leaders with street names.

1970s-1980s

MLK Boulevard namings (1970s-80s)

Hundreds of US cities renamed streets after Martin Luther King Jr. in the decades after his assassination. The namings were often contested, with some cities renaming minor streets in Black neighborhoods.

Then

MLK Boulevards became common across the country.

Now

They became symbols of Black political power and reminders of the civil rights movement.

Why this matters now

Street namings are a lasting way cities preserve civil rights history, as with Al Raby Lane.

Sources

(9)
+3
Block Club Chicago Chicago Sun-Times Al Raby Foundation The TRiiBE City of Chicago Chicago Councilmatic What's The Word Al Raby Foundation Al Raby Foundation