Historical Events in Chicago on October 3

October 3, 1969: The First Black Expo

The inaugural Black Expo opened in Chicago, sponsored by Operation Breadbasket of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Held at the International Amphitheatre, it featured appearances by notable figures like poet Gwendolyn Brooks and musicians Marvin Gaye, Mahalia Jackson, the Staple Singers, B.B. King, and Aretha Franklin. The convention ran annually until 1976 and was revived in the 1990s.

Weather Records

• High temperature: 91 degrees in 1954
• Low temperature: 29 degrees in 1981
• Precipitation: 3.95 inches in 1954
• Snowfall: None

October 3, 1915: Chicago Cubs’ Last Game at West Side Grounds

The Chicago Cubs played their final game at West Side Grounds, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals. This field, located between Polk, Wood and Taylor Streets and Wolcott Avenue, now forms part of the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine. The Cubs had won consecutive baseball crowns in 1907 and 1908 here and hosted World Series games four times in five years.

October 3, 1930: First Night Football Game at Soldier Field

Soldier Field hosted its first night football game when Oregon faced Drake, resulting in a 14-7 victory for Oregon.

October 3, 1983: Chicago Teachers Strike

The Chicago Public Schools experienced the second-longest teacher strike in its history, lasting 15 days. Over 420,000 students were affected. The strike resolved when a tentative agreement offered a 5% raise for teachers, costing $81 million and spreading some teacher salaries over 12 months for financial convenience.

October 3, 1987: Longest CPS Strike

Chicago Public Schools’ longest strike lasted almost a month, canceling 19 school days. Teachers gained a 4% salary increase for the first year and another 4% conditional on future funding. Class sizes reduced in specific schools, financed by cutting 1,800 positions.

October 3, 1992: The Obamas’ Wedding

Barack and Michelle Obama were married at Trinity United Church of Christ, with their wedding reception at the South Shore Cultural Center.

October 3, 2010: Nancy Faust’s Last Game

Nancy Faust, after 41 years and over 3,000 games, played her final home game as Chicago White Sox organist at U.S. Cellular Field. She became famous for her rendition of “Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye” and accompanied Harry Caray in “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Faust made guest appearances during the Sox’s 125th season in 2025.

October 3, 2018: Addison Russell’s Suspension

Following the Cubs’ loss to the Colorado Rockies, Addison Russell was suspended for 40 games without pay, related to MLB’s domestic-abuse policy. Initially eligible to return on May 3, he was instead optioned to Triple-A Iowa.

October 3, 2019: Museum of Science and Industry Renaming

The Museum of Science and Industry announced a name change following a $125 million pledge from Chicago billionaire Ken Griffin, marking the largest donation ever for the institution.