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

Robert S. Abbott

1870-1940

— Bronzeville Walk of Fame —

Robert S. Abbott Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 14, 2026

1. Robert S. Abbott Marker

Inscription.
Founded the Chicago Defender, 1905

Erected 1996 by City of Chicago.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Communications. In addition, it is included in the Bronzeville Walk of Fame series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.

Location. 41° 50.394′ N, 87° 37.061′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Douglas (Bronzeville). It is on South Martin Luther King Drive 0.1 miles north of East 31st Street, on the right when traveling south. The marker is near the main entrance to Dunbar High School. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3000 South Martin Luther King Drive, 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

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8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lou Rawls (a few steps from this marker); Harold Washington (within shouting distance of this marker); Florence B. Price (within shouting distance of this marker); Willa Brown (within shouting distance of this marker); Ralph H. Metcalfe (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Sam Cooke (about 300 feet away); Oscar G. Brown, Sr. / Oscar Brown, Jr. (about 400 feet away); Corneal Davis (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

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 Robert S. Abbott. The Chicago Defender was founded in 1905 to serve the African American community, and through the years it attracted some of the most prominent Black writers in America, including poets Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks and journalist Ida B. Wells. The paper no longer prints a paper edition, but it still exists as an online publication.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this

Robert S. Abbott Marker near Dunbar High School image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 14, 2026

2. Robert S. Abbott Marker near Dunbar High School

marker. Robert S. Abbott's home on the 4700 block of King Drive is about two miles south of here and denoted by a Chicago Tribute historical marker.

Also see . . . The Chicago Defender. A history of the Defender from PBS. (Submitted on August 17, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

<i>Chicago Defender</i> front page, August 2, 1919 image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of Chicago History Museum (ICHi-040222), August 2, 1919

3. Chicago Defender front page, August 2, 1919

The newspaper covered the race riots that swept through Chicago in the summer of 1919 after a Black youth was killed after swimming in a part of Lake Michigan that was unofficially designated for whites only.

Missing markers in front of Dunbar High School image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 14, 2026

4. Missing markers in front of Dunbar High School

The sidewalk alongside Dunbar includes the locations of two Bronzeville Walk of Fame plaques (the one shown here, and another not visible farther north down the block) that have gone missing at some point in the 30 years since they were dedicated. It could not immediately be determined whose marker is missing.

Paul Laurence Dunbar Vocational High School image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 14, 2026

5. Paul Laurence Dunbar Vocational High School

The entries into the school (not far from the marker for Robert Abbott) include photos of famous past alums. The east-facing doors here include two: wrestler and actor Mr. T, who graduated in 1970, and basketball player Ronnie Lester, who graduated in 1976 and later played for the Chicago Bulls.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 17, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 17, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.