Cook County Treasurer Pappas to honor Chicago Black History Month by showcasing art exhibit and presenting awards to Black Leaders
02/27/2026
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WHO:
| Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and the African Line Dancers of St. Benedict
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WHAT:
| Black History Month celebration at the Cook County Treasurer’s Office. The event will feature a NYCH Art Gallery display and live singing and dancing. Pappas will also honor prominent civic leaders, activists and entrepreneurs with Certificates of Excellence.
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WHEN:
| 3 p.m. Friday, February 27, 2026
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WHERE:
| Cook County Treasurer's Office, 118 N. Clark St., Room 112, Chicago, Illinois
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WHO:
| Quentin Curtis, Founder, Black Fire Brigade; Shawanna and Jackie Edwards, Owners, Let’s Taco Restaurant: Theos Griffin, Owner, Soul Shack Express; Dave Jeff, Founder, PHLI; Phillip Scott Sinclair, Owner, NYCH Art Gallery; Raymi Smith Singer, Dancer and Songwriter; Mother Josephine Wade, Owner; Josephine’s Southern Cooking; Draymond Washington, Founder, Three Cities Social; Geoffrey Watts, Performance Poet, Activist and Job Developer; Payten Wilborn, Owner, Truth Italian Restaurant; St. Benedict African Line Dancers
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WHY:
| Since becoming Treasurer in 1998, Pappas has worked with Black leaders to reform a property tax system that has disproportionately harmed Black families and deprived them of opportunities to build generational wealth. Pappas helped leaders of more than 300 Black churches save their properties from predatory tax buyers who were acquiring churches at scavenger sales because ministers had failed to sign non-profit waivers. Pappas hosts the weekly “Black Houses Matter” radio show on WVON-AM 1690 to inform homeowners about potential refunds for missed exemptions and past property tax overpayments. That’s led to reimbursements of more than $394 million for black homeowners since March of 2020.
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