Bronzeville in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Col. Franklin A. Denison

C. 1862-1925

— Bronzeville Walk of Fame —

Col. Franklin A. Denison Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2025

1. Col. Franklin A. Denison Marker

Inscription.
Commander of the 8th Regiment Armory
Illinois Assistant Attorney General

Erected 1996 by City of Chicago.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, Spanish-American • War, World I. In addition, it is included in the Bronzeville Walk of Fame series list.

Location. 41° 49.859′ N, 87° 37.029′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Bronzeville. It is on South Martin Luther King Drive south of 35th Street, in the median. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chicago IL 60616, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lt. George Giles (here, next to this marker); Truman Gibson Sr. / Truman Gibson Jr. (a few steps from this marker); Mjr. Robert H. Lawrence, Jr. (a few steps from this marker); Victory, World War I Black Soldiers’ Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Earl “Fatha” Hines (within shouting distance of this marker); Bronzeville (within shouting distance of this marker); Supreme Life Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Gwendolyn Brooks (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

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this marker. Roughly 100 Bronzeville Walk of Fame markers are found around the neighborhood. This is one of a handful located near Victory, the memorial to Black soldiers of World War I.

Regarding Col. Franklin A. Denison. Franklin Denison was born in San Antonio, attended Lincoln University in Pennsyvania, and then came to Chicago to attend Union School of Law (later Northwestern University's law school). He served as a major during the Spanish-American War and then as a colonel during World War I. Upon his retirement in 1922, he was promoted to Brigadier-General, becoming the first Black American to rise to a rank above colonel. He died in 1932 and is buried at Oak Woods Cemetery on Chicago's south side; his gravestone refers to him as a colonel, even though he retired as a general.

Also see . . . Chicago Reader: They thought he was an ‘agitator’. A 2019 article about Denison, who was accused of sparking Chicago's 1919 race riot in spite of a distinguished career in the military. (Submitted on April 21, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

The Denison marker in front of Victory, the memorial to Black soldiers of World War I image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 14, 2025

2. The Denison marker in front of Victory, the memorial to Black soldiers of World War I

Franklin A. Denison image. Click for full size.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; courtesy of New York Public Library, circa 1925

3. Franklin A. Denison

Credits. This page was last revised on May 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 334 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 21, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 2. submitted on April 17, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3. submitted on April 21, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.