(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Sherman “Dilla” Thomas is still fighting the good fight, teaching people about the Chicago history that may have eluded them.
It eluded him for awhile, too.
“We’re in Black History Month. I went to Chicago schools my whole entire life and not one time did anyone tell me that Black History Month as a concept was born on the South Side of Chicago, at 37th and Wabash,” he said. “I think if you’re Black, white, if you’re an old person, young person, school student, you should be proud of that.
“The more people I can get people to be proud of Chicago history, I think the better Chicago will turn out.”
Thomas was a returning guest Friday on WBBM Newsradio’s Noon Business Hour, which this month is highlighting Black entrepreneurs. He is a popular social media presence known for his TikTok videos about local history and also runs a tour company, Chicago Mahogany, which focuses on overlooked neighborhoods and historical figures.
He credits his love of Chicago to his father, a police officer who served as a bodyguard to legendary Mayor Harold Washington. Thomas says his time as a meter reader also helped him learn about the city’s physical geography.
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