Lois Weisberg

The official title held by Lois Weisberg (1925-2016) was Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of Chicago but she was better known as Chicago’s Queen of Culture. A lifelong Chicagoan, Weisberg not only shepherded the city’s public arts program for the betterment of Chicago residents but understood how a thriving arts scene could vitalize the city’s economy. Weisberg’s accomplishments included the transformation of the former Chicago Public Library into the Cultural Center, the Block 37 Arts program (now After School Matters), Cows on Parade, Friends of the Parks and numerous free public music and art festivals. Known for her unique knack of connecting her wide array of friends, colleagues and acquaintances, Weisberg was profiled in a a New Yorker article by Malcolm Gladwell, Six Degrees of Lois Weisberg, as well as in his book, The Tipping Point.

Why this stop? The Green Line's Central Avenue stop is just a few blocks from the home where Weisberg lived during her high school days.

Watch an interview with Lois Weisberg

Discuss — Lois Weisberg was well known for connecting people. Do you have one friend in particular who has connected you to other friends? Who is it? Have you maintained the connections? OR are you the one who connects friends to other friends?