The Evanston City Council voted unanimously earlier this month to designate a portion of McDaniel Avenue in honor of Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste.
The street name sign will be placed on McDaniel Avenue between Crain and Dempster streets. The sign will read “Honorable Lionel Jean-Baptiste Way.”
Jean-Baptiste, born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, immigrated to the United States at the age of 14. He graduated from Princeton University in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a certificate in African-American history. He later received a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1990 and practiced law for 20 years.
Jean-Baptiste was elected as alderman of the 2nd ward for the city of Evanston in 2001. He served on the City Council for 10 years and in 2011 became the first Haitian-American to be sworn in as a Cook County Circuit Court judge.
In addition to his work as a lawyer and Cook County judge, Jean-Baptiste is largely credited for his advocacy for reparations in the city of Evanston and establishing an outreach program for youth.
Council members spoke highly of Jean-Baptiste, acknowledging his work on civil rights and immigration. Ald. Peter Braithwaite said he is an inspiration for Black men in Evanston.
“You walk up straight in this community and you teach all of us Black men to walk up straight,” said Braithwaite to the judge. “Not only do you lead by example for us, but you serve as a Black leader here in our town for those of us who have come behind you.”
An application for the honorary street name sign was submitted to the Parks and Recreation Department in November 2021. Braithwaite and Gabrielle Jean-Paul Walker submitted the application, outlining the work that Judge Jean-Baptiste has done in his career as a lawyer and judge.
The City Council gave Jean-Baptiste a standing ovation as the item passed. Mayor Daniel Biss spoke of the admiration he has for the judge and how he impacted his role as mayor.
“I asked Judge Jean-Baptiste to swear me in when I became the mayor,” Biss said. “You’re somebody I have an enormous amount of respect for and I think the thing we ought to be proudest of as a community is our work on reparations. I don’t want anybody to forget the role that you played in getting that started.”
Jean-Baptiste was grateful for the designation and thanked the council and city staff for their words. He said it was an honor to have served the city of Evanston.
“I think that the bottom line is to whom much is given, much is expected,” he said. “And so in giving, you receive so much more.”
Emily Little is a freelance reporter.