LOCATION

2950 W Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60612
(773) 638-5464

OUR STORY

Our Club was originally founded in 1953 as the Midwest Boys Club, and later renamed in 1969 after slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We primarily serve youth in the East Garfield Park Community. Two of Dr. King’s most famous quotes are: “The time is always right to do what is right” and “Life's most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?” Through our programs, services and professional staff, we endeavor to instill both comments in the minds of every youth that comes through our doors. The Club has played an important role in character-building, academic success, developing leadership skills and providing recreation to children on Chicago’s west side.

Through the years, the Dr. King Club has contributed to the success of boys and girls who have gone on to become responsible, productive, and caring citizens. Alumni of the Dr. King Club include former NBA greats Mark Aguirre and Isaiah Thomas, the late Zoning Commissioner James Wilkes, State Senator Ricky Hendon, State Representative Arthur Turner, Alderman Isaac Carothers, Alderman Walter Burnett and Northwestern Hospital orthopedic surgeon, Dr. James Hill, as well as a host of firemen, police officers, teachers, college educators, and businesspeople. Click here to view a directory of our Board members.

CLUB DIRECTOR BIO

Sidney Johnson is the current Club Director of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boys & Girls Club. Sidney attended Northern Illinois University (N.I.U.) in DeKalb, IL where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in English, with a minor in African-American Studies. Sidney has been working in youth development for the last 13 years. His passion for working to ensure that youth develop into productive citizens began during his tenure as a student at the university’s Upward Bound Program. In January 2002, he joined the Boys & Girls Club Movement.

Since joining the Movement, Sidney has served in a variety of different roles at Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago beginning with the Eisenberg Club as a Teen Reach Coordinator. He ultimately found a home at the Holy Angels Boys & Girls Club where he served as Club Manager for four years.

In addition to his role at the Dr. King Club, Sidney is a National Training Associate for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In his role as a training associate, he educates Movement professionals nationwide in guidance and discipline principles and strategies as well as methods for developing positive relationships with youth. Sidney’s Club has the distinction of being the only Club in the nation to be named after the civil rights icon.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DONORS

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Club wishes to extend special thanks to the following individuals and companies for their continued support of the Dr. King Club and its programs.

2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti
24th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett
Allstate Insurance Company – www.allstate.com
American Chartered Bank – www.americanchartered.com
American Family Insurance – www.amfam.com
The Boeing Company – www.boeing.com
Charity & Associates – www.charity-associates.com
The Chicago Bulls – www.chicagobulls.com
The Chicago Blackhawks – www.chicagoblackhawks.com
Ernest & Young, LLC – www.ey.com
Brenda Gaines
Hinda Incentives – http://www.hinda.com
Robert & Toya Howard
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago – www.juf.org
The Joseph and Catherine Johnson Foundation
McMaster Carr Supply Company – www.mcmaster-carr.com
Senator Ricky Hendon
Staples – www.staples.com
Toyota Motor Sales – www.toyotamotorsales.com
UPS – www.ups.com
U.S. Cellular Corporation – www.uscellular.com