Humboldt Park
Paseo Boricua
Paseo Boricua Gateway Flags
West side flag
East side flag
Murals
The flags were created to recognize the hard work many of the Puerto Ricans conducted in the steel mills. They are made of pipes from the factories.
The flags were dedicated to the community on January 6th of 1995. Each flag currently represents the largest monument to a flag in the world and the largest flag not made of cloth.
• This mural depicts the recently designed Paseo Boricua flag that recognizes Humboldt Park as the heart of the City’s Puerto Rican community.
• The symbolism in the Coat of Arms connects Puerto Rico and its culture to the City of Chicago.
• Paseo Boricua is the first location outside the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to be granted the right to fly an official Municipal Flag of Puerto Rico.
• The reason this mural is titled “79th” is that there are 78 municipalities in Puerto Rico and Paseo Boricua has the honor of being named the 79th.
• The mural depicts a cultural/music event called Fiesta Boricua (De Bandera a Bandera). The Festival attracts over 250,000 people every year and is held in September. Visitors can hear salsa, reggaeton, bomba, plena, and merengue music pulsing in the streets.
• The mural depicts some famous people including National Puerto Rican icon Lolita Lebrón, Pedro Pietri, and Don Pedro Albizu Campos, the leader of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement who is depicted as a bronze statue on the left of the image.
• The abundance of Puerto Rican flags is an intentional comment by the artists. From 1898 to 1952, when Puerto Rico became annexed by the United States, it was considered a felony to display the Puerto Rican flag in public; the only flag permitted to be flown on the island was the United States flag.
• This mural is a complicated narrative about the Puerto Rican community in Chicago. It contains images about education, culture, sports, gang violence, and Puerto Rican historical figures.
• The mural reflects community, social, and political concerns as well as neighborhood history and achievements with specific reference to the 1996 Division Street Riots and the Three Kings Festival.
• After the Riots, the community became more politically active and vibrant.
• Puerto Rico’s national flower, the maga, or hibiscus flower is depicted.
Murals Map
La Casita de Don Pedro
• This is a park dedicated to Humboldt Park’s Puerto Rican community designed to look like the Puerto Rican flag from above. Three red tiled stripes lead to the base of the statue, which is shaped like a star.
• “La casita” or “little house,” is a replica of a 1940s typical rural house in Puerto Rico with a zinc roof and a porch.
• The statue of Don Pedro Albizu Campos located in the center of the park was originally intended to be installed in Humboldt Park but was rejected by the Chicago Park District because Albizu Campos was thought to be too controversial.
• The park hosts bomba and plena dance and drum classes, political rallies, concerts, art exhibits, and other events.
• La Casita de Don Pedro was one of archi-treasures’ pilot projects, completed in 1998.
Paseo Boricua Walk of Fame
Walk of fame with the names of many outstanding Puerto Ricans.
Roberto Clemente High School
Roberto Clemente Community Academy (RCCA) is located in Chicago’s Humboldt Park community, on the West Side of the city. Historically a Puerto Rican community, Humboldt Park is home to the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC), Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (IPRAC), as well as many community agencies and organizations that center around the Puerto Rican experience.
Roberto Clemente High School is commemorating the baseball Hall of Famer. The mission of Roberto Clemente, who died while delivering humanitarian aid, persists in the school’s emphasis on student service projects and dedication to providing supports for students, families, and the larger community.
Community Centers
Local Businesses
