Douglas Tomb State Memorial, Chicago, IL
1881 (Photograph 1984)
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This Douglas State Tomb Memorial by Leonard W. Volk was unveiled in 1881 in Chicago, Illinois. Standing nearly 100 feet tall, the memorial includes granite base with a column with a bronze statue of Stephen A. Douglas atop it. Douglas stands nearly 10 feet tall with a scroll in his left hand as he looks towards Lake Michigan. At the base on four pedestals are statues of Illinois, History, Justice and Eloquence. Douglas's remains are in a marble sarcophagus inscribed with his last words, "Tell my children to obey the laws and uphold the Constitution."
In July 2020, following the national dialogue on statues and monuments initially brought about by the protests against police brutality and racism in policing, Illinois legislators asked to have the statue of Douglas atop the memorial to be removed due to Douglas's history of slave ownership. As of December 2020, its final status is still to be determined.
This photo and description of the Douglas State Tomb Memorial in Chicago, IL are part of materials from its nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places.
In July 2020, following the national dialogue on statues and monuments initially brought about by the protests against police brutality and racism in policing, Illinois legislators asked to have the statue of Douglas atop the memorial to be removed due to Douglas's history of slave ownership. As of December 2020, its final status is still to be determined.
This photo and description of the Douglas State Tomb Memorial in Chicago, IL are part of materials from its nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places.
This primary source comes from the Records of the National Park Service.
National Archives Identifier: 28892602
Full Citation: Douglas Tomb State Memorial, Chicago, IL; 1881 (Photograph 1984); National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Illinois; National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records, 2013 - 2017; Records of the National Park Service, Record Group 79; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/douglas-tomb-state-memorial-chicago-il, September 8, 2024]Activities that use this document
- Debating Monuments, Memorials and Statues
Created by the National Archives Education Team
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