A sculpture of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, the founder of the City of Chicago,  will be dedicated on Saturday, October 17^th at 11:00 a.m. on Pioneer Court, 405 N. Michigan Avenue.

The sculpture of the city’s founder, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, is a gift of Mr. Lesly Benodin, a Haitian-American who has lived in the city for 40 years.  Mr. Benodin worked with two colleagues; Mr. Harry Fouche and Ms Aliette Marcelin to gain the necessary approvals to install the sculpture near the site where DuSable founded the City of Chicago. 

Mr. Benodin and his working group met with Alderman Reilly, who supported the installation of the DuSable sculpture.  In addition, Alderman Brendan Reilly took action to rename the Michigan Avenue Bridge the DuSable Bridge.

 The sculpture dedication is set for Saturday, October 17 at 11:00 a.m. at Pioneer Court, 405 North Michigan Ave just north of the bridge.  

Mr. Benodin has indicated that the October 17^th date is important in the Haitian community as it is the day Haitian-Americans commemorate the death of Haiti’s founder, Jean Jacques Dessalines.  On October 17, 2009 the Haitian-American community and all Chicagoans will honor Chicago’s founder, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable.