1994
Jim Capraro
Executive director, Greater Southwest Development Corporation
Executive director, Greater Southwest Development Corporation
Timothy Jordan
14-year-old anti-crime symbol
14-year-old anti-crime symbol
Liz Phair
Musician
Musician
Helen Valdez and Carlos Tortolero
Founders, Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
Founders, Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
Chris Zorich
Bears defensive tackle; founder, Chris Zorich Foundation
Bears defensive tackle; founder, Chris Zorich Foundation
Oprah Winfrey
Television personality
Television personality
1995
Dr. Gloria Jackson Bacon
Physician; founder, The Clinic in Altgeld
Physician; founder, The Clinic in Altgeld
Gary Barnett
Northwestern University football coach
Northwestern University football coach
Rachel Barton
Violinist; founder, Rachel Elizabeth Barton Foundation
Violinist; founder, Rachel Elizabeth Barton Foundation
Gery Chico and Paul Vallas
President of the board, Chicago Public Schools/CEO, Chicago Public Schools
President of the board, Chicago Public Schools/CEO, Chicago Public Schools
Gladys Diaz
Mother; collected books for Albert Sabin School
Mother; collected books for Albert Sabin School
Rev. Wayne Gordon and Marc and Rick Malnati
High school teacher and minister/restaurateur
High school teacher and minister/restaurateur
Roebuck “Pops” Staples
Grammy-winning blues artist
Grammy-winning blues artist
1996
Patti Black
Chicago Police Officer
Chicago Police Officer
William Daley
Co-chair, Chicago ’96 DNC
Co-chair, Chicago ’96 DNC
Connie E. Evans
President and executive director, Women’s Self-Employment Project
President and executive director, Women’s Self-Employment Project
Alfred Glasser
Director of education and editor of publications, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Director of education and editor of publications, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Ardis Krainik
General director, Lyric Opera of Chicago
General director, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Guadalupe Reyes
Founder, Esperanza and El Valor schools/community centers
Founder, Esperanza and El Valor schools/community centers
Paul Sereno
Paleontologist, University of Chicago
Paleontologist, University of Chicago
Rev. Donald L. Sharp
Founder, Faith Tabernacle Housing Corporation
Founder, Faith Tabernacle Housing Corporation
1997
Henry Fogel
President, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
President, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Rita Gonzalez
Executive director, Hispanics United of DuPage County
Executive director, Hispanics United of DuPage County
Irma P. Hall
Actress
Actress
Rev. Jeffrey Haynes and Frank Portillo
Pastor/President and CEO, Brown’s Chicken and Pasta
Pastor/President and CEO, Brown’s Chicken and Pasta
LeAlan Jones and Lloyd Newman
Documentarians, Remorse: The 14 Stories of Eric Morse; authors, Our America
Documentarians, Remorse: The 14 Stories of Eric Morse; authors, Our America
Lisel Mueller
Pulitzer Prize–winning poet
Pulitzer Prize–winning poet
Studs Terkel
Radio host, author, and oral historian
Radio host, author, and oral historian
1998
Barbara Eason-Watkins
Principal, McCosh Elementary School
Principal, McCosh Elementary School
Linda Ginzel and Boaz Keyser
Founders, Kids in Danger
Founders, Kids in Danger
Jim Hirsch
Executive director, Old Town School of Folk Music
Executive director, Old Town School of Folk Music
Rev. Dr. Walter B. Johnson, Jr.
Founder, Alliance for Community Peace
Founder, Alliance for Community Peace
Dr. Janet Rowley
Oncologist, University of Chicago Hospitals
Oncologist, University of Chicago Hospitals
Sammy Sosa
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Koko Taylor
Blues vocalist
Blues vocalist
1999
Lou Conte
Founder, Lou Conte Dance Studio and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Founder, Lou Conte Dance Studio and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Barbara Gaines
Founder and artistic director, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Founder and artistic director, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Peter Hanig
President, Hanig’s Footwear; creator, “Cows on Parade”
President, Hanig’s Footwear; creator, “Cows on Parade”
Captain William Pinkney
Sailor; expedition leader, “Middle Passage Voyage”
Sailor; expedition leader, “Middle Passage Voyage”
Carmen Velasquez
Founder, Project Alivio
Founder, Project Alivio
Ephraim Wolfe and Sherialyn Byrdsong
Anti-violence activists
Anti-violence activists
2000
Margaret Burroughs
Director Emeritus, DuSable Museum of African American History
Director Emeritus, DuSable Museum of African American History
Robert Falls and Roche Schulfer
Artistic director/executive director, Goodman Theatre
Artistic director/executive director, Goodman Theatre
Dr. Serafino Garella
President, CommunityHealth
President, CommunityHealth
Patti Herbst
Founder and executive director, Center for Independence Through Conductive Education
Founder and executive director, Center for Independence Through Conductive Education
Rochelle Lee
President, Rochelle Lee Fund to Make Reading a Part of Children’s Lives
President, Rochelle Lee Fund to Make Reading a Part of Children’s Lives
Jerry Manuel
Manager, Chicago White Sox
Manager, Chicago White Sox
Raúl Raymundo
Executive director, The Resurrection Project
Executive director, The Resurrection Project
2001
Bruce Iglauer
Founder, Alligator Records
Founder, Alligator Records
Lisa Jefferson
Airfone supervisor
Airfone supervisor
Sokoni Karanja
Founder, Centers for New Horizons
Founder, Centers for New Horizons
Eva L. Maddox and Stanley Tigerman
Interior architects and founders, Archeworks
Interior architects and founders, Archeworks
Alex Ross
Comic book artist
Comic book artist
Rita Simó
Founder, People’s Music School
Founder, People’s Music School
Erin Sorenson
Executive director, Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center
Executive director, Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center
2002
Robert Boone
Founder, Young Chicago Authors
Founder, Young Chicago Authors
Orbert Davis
Founder, MusicAlive!
Founder, MusicAlive!
Hazel Johnson
Founder, People for Community Recovery
Founder, People for Community Recovery
Debby Moskovits
Director of environmental and conservation programs, Field Museum
Director of environmental and conservation programs, Field Museum
Lisa Roberts and Eunita Rushing
Director of conservatories, Chicago Park District/executive director, Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance
Director of conservatories, Chicago Park District/executive director, Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance
Scott Turow
Death penalty reformer; author, Reversible Errors
Death penalty reformer; author, Reversible Errors
2003
Leo C. Harris
Musician; founder, South Side Family Chamber Orchestra
Musician; founder, South Side Family Chamber Orchestra
Bob Koester
Founder, Delmark Records and Jazz Record Mart
Founder, Delmark Records and Jazz Record Mart
Ann Marcou
Founder, Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization
Founder, Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization
Mary Nelson
President and CEO, Bethel New Life
President and CEO, Bethel New Life
Clemens Reichel
Research associate, archaeologist, and lecturer, Oriental Institute
Research associate, archaeologist, and lecturer, Oriental Institute
Ron Santo
Chicago Cubs broadcaster; former Chicago Cubs third baseman
Chicago Cubs broadcaster; former Chicago Cubs third baseman
Sarita Villareal
Founder, SAVE Another LIFE
Founder, SAVE Another LIFE
2004
John H. Bryan
Chairman, Millennium Park, Inc.
Chairman, Millennium Park, Inc.
Monica Haslip
Founder and executive director, Little Black Pearl Workshop
Founder and executive director, Little Black Pearl Workshop
Ella Jenkins
Musician
Musician
Lynn Kiley
Vice president, SOS Children’s Villages Illinois
Vice president, SOS Children’s Villages Illinois
Michael Mulqueen
Executive director, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Executive director, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Kenny R. Ruiz
Executive director, YMCA Street Intervention Program
Executive director, YMCA Street Intervention Program
2005
Chicago White Sox
World Series Champions
World Series Champions
Hallie Amey
President, Wentworth Gardens Resident Management Corporation
President, Wentworth Gardens Resident Management Corporation
James R. Grossman and Ann Durkin Keating
Editors, The Encyclopedia of Chicago
Editors, The Encyclopedia of Chicago
Angel Meléndez
Musician, 911 Mambo Orchestra
Musician, 911 Mambo Orchestra
Ramona Purdy
Founder, Share Your Soles
Founder, Share Your Soles
Carrie Wicks
Fetal and infant mortality review coordinator, University of Chicago Medical Center
Fetal and infant mortality review coordinator, University of Chicago Medical Center
2006
Rev. Thomas J Behrens
Founder, The Night Ministry
Founder, The Night Ministry
Keith Elliott and Harriet Ross
Dancers; organizers, Dance for Life
Dancers; organizers, Dance for Life
Dr. Todd Kuiken
Surgeon, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Surgeon, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Maria Pesqueira
President and CEO, Mujeres Latinas en Acción
President and CEO, Mujeres Latinas en Acción
Julieanna Richardson
Founder, The HistoryMakers
Founder, The HistoryMakers
Art Smith and Jesus Salgueiro
Chef/artist; founders, Common Threads
Chef/artist; founders, Common Threads
Kimo Williams
Former soldier, composer, Buffalo Soldiers
Former soldier, composer, Buffalo Soldiers
2007
Marca Bristo
President and CEO, Access Living
President and CEO, Access Living
Kathleen Casey
Founder, Bear Necessities
Founder, Bear Necessities
Kendall Ciesemier
Founder, Kids Caring 4 Kids
Founder, Kids Caring 4 Kids
Paula Fasseas
Founder and chair, PAWS Chicago
Founder and chair, PAWS Chicago
Haki Madhubuti
Poet; founder, Third World Press
Poet; founder, Third World Press
Charlie Trotter
Restaurateur
Restaurateur
Modesto “Tico” Valle
Founder, Center on Halsted
Founder, Center on Halsted
2008
Timuel Black
Editor and compiler, Bridges of Memory
Editor and compiler, Bridges of Memory
Jay Franke and Lar Lubovitch
Founders, Chicago Dancing Festival
Founders, Chicago Dancing Festival
Nancy Gianni
Founder, GiGi’s Playhouse
Founder, GiGi’s Playhouse
Diane Limas
Member, Albany Park Neighborhood Council
Member, Albany Park Neighborhood Council
Jackie Shen
Chef and Philanthropist
Chef and Philanthropist
Mavis Staples
Vocalist
Vocalist
2009
Grahm Balkany
Architect and preservationist
Architect and preservationist
Sara Foszcz
Founder, Main Stay Therapeutic Riding Program
Founder, Main Stay Therapeutic Riding Program
Sam Harris
Founder, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
Founder, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
Ramsey Lewis
Jazz musician
Jazz musician
Annette Nance-Holt and Ronald Holt
Founders, Purpose Over Pain
Founders, Purpose Over Pain
2010
Susan Axelrod
Co-founder and president of CURE
Co-founder and president of CURE
Gunny Harboe
Preservation architect
Preservation architect
Daniel Ivankovich
Orthopedic surgeon
Orthopedic surgeon
Tim King
Founder and CEO, Urban Prep Academies
Founder and CEO, Urban Prep Academies
Neli Vazquez-Rowland
President, A Safe Haven foundation
President, A Safe Haven foundation
Rocky Wirtz
Owner, Chicago Blackhawks
Owner, Chicago Blackhawks
2011
Zully Alvarado
Founder and president, Causes for Change International
Founder and president, Causes for Change International
Leslie Bluhm
Co-founder, Chicago Cares
Co-founder, Chicago Cares
Robert Burke
Founder, Ladder Up
Founder, Ladder Up
Roger Ebert
Film critic and author
Film critic and author
Gabrielle Lyon
Founder, Project Exploration
Founder, Project Exploration
Jackie Taylor
Founder, Black Ensemble Theater
Founder, Black Ensemble Theater
2012
Donald Liu
Late surgeon in chief, Comer Children’s Hospital
Late surgeon in chief, Comer Children’s Hospital
Ann Lurie
Donor, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital
Donor, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital
Rony Monzon
Freshman, Phoenix Military Academy
Freshman, Phoenix Military Academy
Regina Taylor
Writer and director, Crowns
Writer and director, Crowns
Donnita Travis
Founder, By the Hand Club for Kids
Founder, By the Hand Club for Kids
Ken Vandermark
Composer and saxophonist
Composer and saxophonist
2013
Jeff Aeder and Jennifer Levine
Founders, Wolcott School
Founders, Wolcott School
Sandy Goldberg
Founder, A Silver Lining Foundation
Founder, A Silver Lining Foundation
Buddy Guy
Blues guitarist; owner, Buddy Guy’s Legends
Blues guitarist; owner, Buddy Guy’s Legends
Indira Johnson
Founder, Ten Thousand Ripples
Founder, Ten Thousand Ripples
Lulú Martinez
Student, University of Illinois at Chicago
Student, University of Illinois at Chicago
2014
Juan Andrade
President, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute
President, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute
Rosemary Connelly
Executive director, Misericordia
Executive director, Misericordia
Stuart Dybek
Author and poet
Author and poet
The Jackie Robinson West Baseball Team
Little League National Champions
Little League National Champions
Amy Lehman
Founder and CEO, Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic
Founder and CEO, Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic