Douglas (Bronzeville) in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Dempsey J. Travis
1920-
| | Bronzeville Walk of Fame | |
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 14, 2026
1. Dempsey J. Travis Marker
Historian & business leader
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Bronzeville Walk of Fame series list.
Location. 41° 50.593′ N, 87° 37.025′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Douglas (Bronzeville). It is on South Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Drive 0.1 miles north of East 29th Street, on the right when traveling north. 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. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in 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: S.B. Fuller (within shouting distance of
this page online
More about this marker. Roughly 100 Bronzeville Walk of Fame markers are found around the neighborhood along Martin Luther King Drive between 25th and 35th Streets.
Regarding Dempsey J. Travis. A successful real estate developer on Chicago's South Side, Dempsey Travis was also a prominent figure in both the city's civil rights movement and as an author and publisher of books about Black life in America. He died in 2009 at age 89.
Also see . . .
1. Dempsey J. Travis. From the HistoryMakers website.
Excerpt: "As passionate about the arts as about his entrepreneurial career, Travis founded the Urban Research Press in 1969 as(Submitted on August 16, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)a forum for the publication of African American literature and nonfiction. To date, Urban Research Press has published seven best-selling nonfiction books by Travis, as well as those of several other authors. Each of these works analyzes a specific aspect of the African American experience. A few of Travis major topics include the role of jazz culture in postwar society and the participation of African Americans in state and federal politics. Some of his many titles include, The Victory Monument, I Refuse to Learn to Fail, Views from the Back of the Bus and An Autobiography of Black Jazz, which won the Art Deco Award in 1985. As a literary figure, Travis served as president of the Society of Midland Authors from 1988 to 1990, financial editor for Dollars and Sense for several years, and as a contributing writer for Ebony and The Black Scholar."Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 14, 20262. Dempsey J. Travis Marker on the east side of King Drive
2. Chicago Tribune: Dempsey Travis obituary.
Excerpt: The only child of a stockyards laborer, Mr. Travis was a Horatio Alger, lift-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps figure who wielded his influence as a liaison between the business community and the political sphere to fight for social justice.(Submitted on August 16, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 16, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
