Victory Monument

The Victory Monument in Chicago is a historic bronze and granite memorial, erected in 1927 to honor the service of the Eighth Regiment of the Illinois National Guard. This African American unit served with distinction in France during World War I and was later reorganized as the 370th Infantry Regiment of the 93rd Division. The monument stands in the Black Metropolis-Bronzeville District on the city's South Side and may be the only memorial statue dedicated specifically to the African American soldiers of the Great War. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and designated a Chicago Landmark in 1998.

Architecturally, the monument consists of a white granite shaft topped by a bronze sculpture of a soldier, which was not added until 1936. Three life-size bronze reliefs adorn the sides of the shaft. One shows a classically draped African American woman holding a victory branch, another a helmeted figure carrying a tablet inscribed with the names of battles, and the third a bare-chested soldier of the 370th Infantry Regiment. A bronze plaque bears the names of 137 fallen members of the regiment.

You can experience the monument during the annual Memorial Day ceremonies. In 2017, the monument received grants for a restoration as part of the centennial commemoration of World War I. North of the monument is a plaza with four plaques honoring local figures, while to the south stands a flagpole flying the U.S. flag and the flag of Chicago.