A stretch of Cottage Grove Avenue in the Woodlawn neighborhood will soon bear the name of one of Chicago’s most influential civil rights figures.
On Friday, October 16, city officials and community members will gather at The Grand Ballroom to officially dedicate the 6300 block of the avenue as Al Raby Lane. The location holds personal significance for the late activist, as it sits just blocks from his childhood home on South Rhodes Avenue. The ceremony serves as a public recognition of Raby’s decades of work toward racial justice and educational equity in the city.
The event, which begins with doors opening at 10:30 am, features a slate of speakers including Mayor Brandon Johnson, local historian Sherman Dilla Thomas, and poet Leslé Honoré. Katanya Raby, the granddaughter of the late leader and current director of the Al Raby Foundation, will also address the crowd before Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor leads the formal sign unveiling at noon.
Following his remarks at the event, Mayor Johnson is expected to issue a proclamation declaring February 19 as Al Raby Day in Chicago to honor the educator on his birth anniversary.
Born in Woodlawn in 1933, Raby spent his early years attending local schools before serving in the military. Upon returning to the city, he earned his teaching certificate and began his career at the Hess Upper Grade Center on the West Side. It was during his tenure as a public school teacher that Raby emerged as a central voice in the fight for desegregated education. His advocacy eventually led him to co-lead the Chicago Freedom Movement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the volatile 1960s.
Beyond his work in the classroom, Raby became a fixture in local political life through his efforts to promote fair housing and his role as the campaign manager for former Mayor Harold Washington.
The street dedication is sponsored by the Woodlawn Chamber of Commerce to ensure his legacy remains visible to the next generation of Chicagoans. Attendees interested in the history of the South Side can participate in the ceremony, which concludes shortly after the unveiling of the new signage at the 6300 block of Cottage Grove.
The ceremony is sponsored by the Woodlawn Chamber of Commerce.
Al Raby Lane Street Dedication
Friday, Oct. 16, 2026
Doors open at 10:30 a.m.
Ceremony begins at 11 a.m.
Street sign unveiling begins at noon.
The Grand Ballroom
6351 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
Chicago, IL
The street sign unveiling will take place on the 6300 block of Cottage Grove Avenue.
