Du Sable Museum Sculpture Garden - Chicago, IL - Sculpture Gardens on Waymarking.com

From Bach & Gray Chicago’s Public Sculpture:
The Spirit of Du Sable: Bust, 1963, and Five Sculpture Garden Pieces, 1977 by Robert Jones, Ausbra Ford, Geraldine McCullough, Jill Parker; Ramon Bertell Price (b. 1933), and Lawrence E. Taylor (b. 1938)

The Du Sable Museum of African American History, Washington Park, 740 East 56th Street near Cottage Grove

“The Du Sable Museum was founded in 1961 as a showcase for Black and African history by Margaret Burroughs, a teacher for many years at Du Sable High School who became the museum’s executive director, and by her husband, Charles, and ten other local artists and educators It was named in honor of Chicago’s first permanent non-Indian settler, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. In 1971 an over life-size, realistic plaster bust of Du Sable by sculptor Robert Jones that had graced the porch of the original museum in the Quincey Club at 3806 South Michigan Avenue was cast in bronze to stand in front of the new museum building, previously used for park administration. Jones was educated at Hull House and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago as well as in Mexico City.

In 1977 the museum was awarded a grant from the Community Development and Housing Committee for a sculptural commemorative to Du Sable in a sunken garden north of the museum that was to be remodeled and maintained by the Chicago Park District. Five artists used varying degrees of abstraction to interpret the common title, The Spirit of Du Sable.

Ausbra Ford’s sculpture, an elongated 8-foot 8-inch human form of sheet aluminum, equates Du Sable’s strength with the economic growth of Chicago. Ford is a professor of art at Chicago State University. Geraldine McCullough tried to capture “the influence of a Black heritage, the beauty of the waves of Lake Michigan, and the phenomena of Chicago” in her 7-foot 2-inch sculpture of welded sheet copper, brass, and polyester resin. The 9-foot 4-inch rectilinear sculpture by Jill Parker is made of stainless steel rods that span and surround three solid blocks that stand for three periods in Chicago’s history. Ramon B. Price's sculpture is a 6-foot bronze figure on bended knee whose uplifted arms approximate the outline of Lake Michigan, and whose head rising into it represents the Du Sable settlement. Born in Chicago and educated at the Art Institute, Price teaches at Indiana University. Lawrence E. Taylor’s wholly abstract 6-foot-high work of aluminum and stainless steel suggests the growth and development of Chicago. Taylor was a student of Margaret Burroughs at Du Sable High School when he chose to become an artist. He continued his studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Du Sable’s origins are a matter of controversy among historians. Some believe he was born in Haiti while others trace his ancestry to a slave mother and prominent French father whose family had lived in “New France” for several generations. Even the date of Du Sable’s arrival in “Checagou” is in question, although many historians place it at 1772. He built the area’s first permanent shelter and accumulated considerable wealth through trade with Indians and trappers. In 1800 Du Sable, his Potawatomi wife, and two children moved to East Peoria and, later, to St. Charles, Missouri, where he died in 1818. His property was acquired in 1804 by John Kinzie, supplier to the soldiers at Fort Dearborn, and it became the nucleus of a rapidly growing city.”

Upon visiting the site I noticed that the Price statue was gone. A little research in the Tribune archives reveals that it was stolen in July 1983. Also, the bust of Du Sable apparently used to be on display outside and was stolen in August 1983 as well. There is a new bust of Du Sable on display in the entryway of the museum now. Also, from a photo in Bach & Gray, it looks like the McCullough statue once had a large plume on top. That is also gone.

It is unfortunate that these sculptures were placed with no explanatory signage about their sculptors and the meaning they intended for each. Being abstract, there is nothing that would link them to Du Sable in any way so the casual observer would have no idea what they were intended to represent. Also, being located pretty far from the museum entrance in a non-secured setting, it is not surprising that they have fallen victim to vandals.

Garden Name: Du Sable Museum Sculpture Garden Owner/Commissioner of Garden: Chicago Park District Location: to the north of The Du Sable Museum of African American History in Washington Park Address: 740 East 56th Street near Cottage Grove Chicago, IL USA Hours: dawn till dusk Fees?: no Rating: Garden Website: Not listed Parking Coordinates: Not Listed

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