Herman Petty
Obama Presidential Center Honoree
Space Name: Herman Petty Program Room | Forum | Lower Level | Democracy in Action Lab
Herman Petty was the first Black owner and operator of a McDonald’s franchise. Petty opened his restaurant across from Chicago’s Jackson Park in December 1968. A year later, there were 12 Black-owned McDonald’s restaurants nationwide. Petty’s entrepreneurship, dedication, and unwavering self-belief inspired his community and helped open doors for other Black business owners.
With gratitude to McDonald’s Corporation
Legacy on Campus
Democracy in Action Lab
The Democracy in Action Lab is a new home for innovation and intellectual curiosity for emerging leaders and global changemakers, who, like Petty, are ready to make their mark on their communities.
Teen Action Lab
Explore hands-on programs with our partner After School Matters featuring a range of topics including sports, arts and media, and outdoor activities that teach life and leadership skills.
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Through the honoree naming initiative at the Obama Presidential Center, we are partnering with our donors to celebrate a part of the history in which the Obama story is so deeply rooted by associating a named space with a hero, moment, or person "on whose shoulders we stand"—an honoree who made the Obamas’ story possible.
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