National War Memorial Registry, War Memorial Catalog Of United States

THE MONUMENT WAS BUILT TO HONOR THE EIGHT REGIMENT OF THE ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD, AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN UNIT THAT SERVED IN FRANCE DURING WORLD WAR I. ON THE MONUMENTS TOP IS A DOUGHBOY SCULPTURE AND ON ITS SHAFT ARE THREE BRONZE RELIEF PANELS, ONE A CLASSICALLY DRAPED AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE FIGURE REPRESENTING MOTHERHOOD. IN HER HAND SHE HOLDS A BRANCH SYMBOLIZING VICTORY. THE SECOND RELIEF IS A CLASSICALLY DRAPED FEMALE FIGURE WITH A HELMET ON HER HEAD. IN HER LEFT HAND SHE HOLDS A TABLET INSCRIBED WITH THE NAMES OF BATTLES IN WHICH AFRICAN-AMERICAN SOLDIERS FOUGHT. THE THIRD RELIEF IS A BARE CHESTED AFRICAN-AMERICAN SOLDIER OF THE 370TH INFANTRY, WHICH FOUGHT IN FRANCE, STANDING WITH AN EAGLE IN LEFT PROFILE IN FRONT OF HIM.