The Victory Monument in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood honors the all-Black Eighth Regiment of the Illinois National Guard. Later known as the 370th Infantry, these soldiers fought valiantly under French command in World War I. Erected in 1927 and later enhanced with a bronze “doughboy” statue in 1936, the monument features granite reliefs depicting battles, symbols of victory, and a Black infantryman. It lists the names of 137 fallen soldiers and commemorates the regiment’s heroism, which earned them 21 Distinguished Service Crosses and 68 French Croix de Guerre. As the only state-sponsored WWI memorial dedicated to Black American soldiers, the monument continues to be a centerpiece of remembrance during Memorial Day events and serves as a lasting testament to the patriotism and sacrifice of Black servicemen from Bronzeville and beyond.
Original Photograph by James Edward Mills
The Joy Trip Project celebrates American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series aims to elevate the untold stories of Black Americans who are too often left out of the stories share about our common national heritage.
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