Rosenwald

Sears, Roebuck & Company became a household
name because of the energy and vision of Julius
Rosenwald. He developed Sears’ mail-order
business when much of the nation lived in small
villages and on farms. He joined the company in
1895 as vice president and in 1924 became
chairman of the board. He built his home here at 4901
South Ellis Avenue in 1903.

Rosenwald’s leadership extended to his philanthropy. He created the
Rosenwald Foundation in 1917 to make his donations “investments in
a more equitable society.” African-Americans and European Jews were
the primary focus of the Foundation, whose activities ranged from
establishing dental clinics in public schools to supporting Admiral
Richard Byrd’s 1928 expedition to the South Pole. Almost $600,000
was given to build YMCA-YWCAs in African-American communities
throughout the country and an additional $4 million assisted black
southerners in the construction of over 5,000 public schools. In
Chicago, Rosenwald’s vision and contributions helped establish the
Museum of Science and Industry and privately financed moderate-
income housing like the Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments.