April 28 Illinois History Minute

It’s April 28th, and on this day in 1941, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Illinois Congressman Arthur Mitchell, in a case involving Jim Crow laws and interstate travel.

Mitchell, the only African-American in Congress at the time, was forced to move from a first-class train compartment to a segregated “Jim Crow” car when the train entered Arkansas. The high court’s unanimous ruling said African-Americans were entitled to equal accommodations in interstate travel, even if they were separate ones. 

Chicago Transit Authority released their first self-titled album on this day in 1969. The jazz-influenced rock band changed their name to Chicago, after the real Chicago Transit Authority complained.