De Priest, Oscar Stanton, House
Why it's listed
This three-story, eight-unit apartment building on Chicago's South Side, built around 1920, faces east onto Martin Luther King Drive. It is faced with mottled dark brown brick trimmed in Indiana limestone, with two large square bays rising from grade to the roofline and a recessed central entry serving the 4536 and 4538 addresses. The architecture is described as ordinary for its era. Its importance lies in its longtime resident. Oscar Stanton DePriest bought the building in 1929 and lived in a second-floor apartment in the south section until his death in 1951. DePriest was a contractor and real estate businessman who became Chicago's first black alderman in 1915 and, in 1928, the first black person elected to Congress from a northern state. He served until 1935, spoke nationally for black Americans, and challenged discrimination in the House restaurant. The surrounding neighborhood remains an established black community.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant because of DePriest, who in 1928 became the first black person elected to Congress from a northern state. He was also the first black member of Chicago's city government, elected alderman in 1915. He lived in the building from 1929 until his death in 1951.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000646, listed May 15, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4536-4538 S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | May 15, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000646 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1951 |
| Architectural style | Described as architecturally nondescript, a style often used for apartment buildings in the late teens and early 1920s. |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Black, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated May 15, 1975 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, altered, on its original site, and in use as an occupied private residence and apartment building. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Chicago Park Boulevard System Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.81189, -87.61715 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000646.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7106258
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.