The History of the "Fighting Eighth" Infantry Regiment and the Giles Armory

The History of the "Fighting Eighth" Infantry Regiment and the Giles Armory. . , As far back as the 1870, a loyal and patriotic spirit built up in the hearts and minds of a number of colored citizens in what is now the Bronzeville area. Following the Chicago Fire in 1871, these citizens built a military unit called the "Hannibal Guards". This group was soon succeeded by an organization called the "Cadets" because of the negative reaction of the white military establishment to the origin name. In the 1800s a more advanced military group known as the "Old Sixteenth" succeeded the "cadets". The unit was admitted into the Illinois State Militia. , , On May 5, 1890, the Old Sixteenth was reorganized into a battalion of infantry called the 9th Battalion. The battalion was mustered into the Illinois National Guard on November 4, 1895. , , In 1898 war was declared against Spain. The 9th Battalion was called into service on July 22, 1898. The unit was expanded and renamed the 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. On August 8, 1898, the 8th regiment left for duty in Cuba. The unit returned home and was mustered out of service on April 3, 1899. , , The 8th Regiment was once again called to duty for service in the Mexican border campaign from July 6, 1916 to October 27, 1916. , , On July 25, 1917, the unit was was pressed into service once more. This time the unit was to serve in World War I. The regiment was redesignated as the 370th Infantry, 93rd Division on December 1, 1917, and arrived in France on April 22, 1918. The unit fought with distinction. One company, Company C, won this French Croix de Guerre with Palm - France's highest military decoration. , , During World War II the unit was again redesignated as the 184th artillery regiment and the 1698th and 1699th Combat Engineer Battalions. In 1947, yet another reorganization converted the unit into the 178th regimental combat team. Today, the 8th Regiment's legacy and lineage continue in the 178th Infantry Battalion, Illinois National Guard. , , For the first twenty years of their existence, the soldiers of this all black unit were without a permanent home. They used a neighborhood livery stable as their headquarters with the surrounding streets and sandlots serving as training areas and parade grounds. , , In 1914 this all was to change as dark clouds of war formed over Europe. October 11, 1914 marked the birth of Bronzeville's historic armory, as the cornerstone was laid, and the name of the 8th Infantry National Guard was affixed, from its completion to the mid 1950s. This grand building served as home of the 8th Infantry Regiment and all of its subsequent reformations. , , For nearly 40 years, the Giles Armory sat vacant and in dire need of repair, but like the phoenix of Greek mythology, she arose from the ashes in 1999, once again renewed and resplendent to become the Chicago Military Academy - Bronzeville, her proud historical past remembered and honored, the legacy reborn. Commemorating that history, the City of Chicago designated the building a Chicago Historic Landmark in 1998. An addition to the landmark building in 2002 expanded the academy, and furthered opportunities for a new generation of "Cadets" to come home to the Giles Armory passing through the same doors as some of Chicago's greatest leaders. , , Chicago Military Academy – Bronzeville is committed to building leaders by promoting academic excellence through sound educational principles and practices conjoined with leadership, dedication, training and character building. , , "Building leaders... One cadet at a time" , Chicago Military Academy – Bronzeville.