Bronzeville Children’s Museum Founder Peggy Montes Continues To Empower Women, Children At 88 Years Old

Montes' Bronzeville Children's Museum takes children through tours of exhibits featuring women pioneers like Madam C.J. Walker.

At 88, Peggy Montes, who helped institutionalize Women’s History Month in Chicago, continues her commitment to empowering women and educating children through her Bronzeville Children’s Museum.

Even though she has already greatly contributed to Chicago’s culture and political history, the Bronzeville native says she’s still very busy these days. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, Montes had no idea her museum would be the country’s only African American children’s museum in 2025. “My goal was never to be the only one but only to be serving as a guide … so that children in other cities could learn about their history and culture at an early age,” the Bronzeville pioneer said.

The museum is an extension of Montes’ advocacy for women and children, but she says her days with the museum will not remain forever. Inspired by the African Americans who settled in Bronzeville during the Great Migration, Montes opened the children’s museum in Evergreen Park in 1998. In 2007, her space to teach children ages four to nine about African American history opened at 9301 S. Stony Island Avenue in Calumet Heights.

These days, Montes holds several positions, including chairwoman emerita at DuSable Museum, a member of the Black Creativity Program at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, and co-founder of the Leadership Advisory Council at the Art Institute of Chicago. The activist draws on her intelligence, wisdom, beauty, and will to do what is right, characteristics that have attracted social and political leaders to seek her help.

In addition to her philanthropy, the widow is a mother of two and grandmother of three. Her love for teaching dates back to her post undergrad days as a student at Chicago State University, formerly Chicago Teachers College: “I loved teaching because it was a way of helping children expand their environment,” she said. Montes served as an educator for years before she launched a career in counseling and eventually transitioned into politics.

The early 1980s was a milestone era for the Bronzeville native who helped Harold Washington make history as Chicago’s first Black mayor. “I was able to galvanize the women of the city of Chicago to come behind us to make certain that we elected Harold Washington,” said Montes. “I said, ‘When I get you elected — when our women get you elected — we want the first Chicago Commission on Women to be established.’” The educator’s request came to fruition in 1984. During her three decades with The Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Women’s Affairs, she dedicated her career to getting more women appointed in government. Montes contributed to increased female representation from 12% to 39% in the commission’s early years and the establishment of Chicago’s Women’s History Month in March 1986.

Montes continues to celebrate the women she knows are behind the people in the highest positions. Her commitment is to amplify women’s work as mothers, wives, and community leaders.

RELATED CONTENT: Children’s Museum of Indianapolis