Chicago Breaks Ground on First Permanent US Memorial Honouring Police Torture Survivors

July 9, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

Chicago has begun construction of the country’s first permanent memorial dedicated to survivors of police torture, a project intended to preserve the history of abuse under former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and promote public education, remembrance and healing.

The Chicago Torture Justice Memorial broke ground with participation from Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago Torture Justice Memorials Foundation (CTJMF), Alderman Jeanette Taylor of the 20th Ward, police torture survivors, community members and officials from city cultural and planning departments.

The memorial, located at 5520-38 South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Washington Park neighbourhood, fulfils a commitment made by the city in 2015 to victims of police torture. The project received city support through the transfer of municipal land and was approved through a 20th Ward community development process.

The 4.7 million US dollars memorial will recognise survivors of torture committed by Burge and detectives under his command, while documenting the decades-long campaign by survivors, activists, journalists and legal advocates that led to Chicago’s reparations ordinance.

“This memorial means everything to me because it is about the truth. It is about the torture Burge and his men committed, and everything that we, the survivors, suffered,” said Anthony Holmes, vice president of CTJMF and a reparations recipient. Holmes is among the first known survivors who said he was subjected to electric shocks and suffocation by Burge in May 1973.

The memorial will feature a monument with a timeline detailing the history of racially motivated police torture in Chicago, as well as the organising, litigation and reporting efforts that exposed the abuses and pushed for accountability.

Survivor and family member quotations will be incorporated into surrounding pathways, while gardens and reflective seating areas will provide space for remembrance, healing and educational programmes.

Mayor Johnson said the memorial represents an acknowledgement of the harm suffered by Black Chicagoans and the need to rebuild trust between communities and law enforcement.

“Today, we honour the survivors whose courage forced our city to confront one of the darkest chapters in its history while fulfilling the promise we made to the survivors of Jon Burge and their families,” Johnson said.

CTJMF Executive Director Jen Ash said the memorial would create a permanent public space where survivors’ experiences are recognised.

“For decades, survivors were disbelieved. This memorial creates a civic and cultural infrastructure—a place where truth is acknowledged, harm is named, and healing is possible,” Ash said.

The memorial was designed by JAQ Corp Int, P.C. with input from survivors, family members and CTJMF members. Architect John Gay said the design incorporates a concrete structure and surrounding landscape patterns intended to represent the experiences of survivors.

Alderman Jeanette Taylor said the monument would ensure that the experiences of more than 120 victims and their families remain part of Chicago’s public history.

The memorial will also become part of the “Reparations Won” history curriculum taught in Chicago Public Schools, extending its role beyond commemoration into public education.

The project forms part of the Chicago Monuments Project, launched in 2020 to address gaps in the city’s commemorative landscape by supporting monuments, memorials and public artworks reflecting diverse histories and communities.

Kenya Merritt, commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, said the memorial would preserve the experiences of survivors and future generations while supporting continued discussions on accountability and repair.

Source: FSX Business News