Douglas in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Frank Gillespie
1876-1925
| — | Bronzeville Walk of Fame | — |
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 28, 2026
1. Frank Gillespie Marker
President and founder of Liberty Life Insurance
Erected 1996 by City of Chicago.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Bronzeville Walk of Fame series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.
Location. 41° 49.862′ N, 87° 37.01′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Douglas. It is at the intersection of South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and East 35th Street, on the right when traveling north on South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3501 South Martin Luther King Jr Drive, Chicago IL 60653, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Chicago’s South Side and in Chicago’s Bronzeville. It is also 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,
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Supreme Life Building (a few steps from this marker); Col. Franklin A. Denison (within shouting distance of this marker); Lt. George Giles (within shouting distance of this marker); Truman Gibson Sr. / Truman Gibson Jr. (within shouting distance of this marker); Earl B. Dickerson (within shouting distance of this marker); Mjr. Robert H. Lawrence, Jr. (within shouting distance of this marker); Bronzeville (within shouting distance of this marker); Victory, World War I Black Soldiers’ Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.
Regarding Frank Gillespie. The marker is in front of the Supreme Life Building, a Chicago Landmark that was the headquarters of the life insurance company that Frank Gillespie founded.
Also see . . . Who is Frank L. Gillespie?. From the website of the Gillespie Technology Magnet Cluster School, located about 60 blocks south of here.
Excerpt: "Eventually, Gillespie saw the need to bring better insurance services to Chicago's(Submitted on September 29, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)Black community. He founded Liberty Life Insurance in 1919 as the first Black-owned insurance agency outside of the U.S. southern states. Unlike other insurance firms, Liberty Life was the first to offer whole life insurance rather than industrial policies, capitalizing on the growing prosperity of Chicago's African American families."Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 28, 20262. Frank Gillespie Marker
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, December 6, 2021
3. Supreme Life Building
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 28, 2026
4. Frank Gillespie Marker at the corner of King Drive and 35th Street
Kaufmann & Fabry Co., photographer; courtesy of Chicago History Museum (ICHi-040125), 1943
5. Supreme Life Building
Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 29, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3. submitted on December 19, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 4, 5. submitted on September 29, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
