The Eighth Regiment Armory, located in the

Black Metropolis-Bronzeville District Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have of ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Roc ...

, was the first armory in the United States built for an African-American military regiment, known as the " Fighting 8th". The building later was used by a division of the

Illinois National Guard The Illinois National Guard comprises both Army National Guard and Air National Guard components of Illinois. As of 2013, the Illinois National Guard has approximately 13,200 members. The National Guard is the only United States military force e ...

, and during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

was incorporated into the US

Infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and m ...

. After closing the armory in the early 1960s, it became the South Central Gymnasium. In 1999, following an extensive renovation, it was reopened as a public high school military academy. The restoration and conversion into a school has been recognized by the

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 b ...

. The nearby Victory Monument honors the regiment for service during World War I. The armory was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...

on April 30, 1986, and was designated as a Chicago Landmark on September 9, 1998. It is one of nine landmark structures in the Black Metropolis-Bronzeville District. In currently houses the

Chicago Military Academy Chicago Military Academy-Bronzeville is a public four-year military high school located in the Bronzeville neighborhood located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, in a building known as the Eighth Regiment Armory. The academy opened on Aug ...

In popular culture

On June 27, 1937, the armory hosted a battle of the bands, featuring

big bands A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

. The Roy Eldridge's band began the show, followed by the 16 piece

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conce ...

band, with

Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973), known as Gene Krupa, was an American jazz drummer, bandleader and composer who performed with energy and showmanship. His drum solo on Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of " Sing, Sing, ...

on the drums and

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

on the trumpet. The popular tune '' King Porter Stomp'' was a highlight of the evening.

Notes

{{Authority control Douglas, Chicago Infrastructure completed in 1914 Armories on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois Buildings and structures in Chicago Chicago Landmarks Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Chicago Military installations in Illinois African-American history in Chicago 1914 establishments in Illinois

In popular culture

See also

Notes