History Is Being Made on King Drive: Washington Park Breaks Ground on the Nation's First Police Torture Survivors Memorial

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Washington Park · July 11, 2026

Washington Park neighbors, something truly historic happened in your backyard this week. On Wednesday, July 9, Chicago city leaders, community members, and survivors gathered at the corner of 55th Place and King Drive for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial — a landmark that will be the first of its kind in the entire country to honor survivors of police torture.

The site itself carries its own powerful symbolism: it has sat vacant for more than 40 years. Now, that long-empty corner will be transformed into a permanent space for healing, reflection, and remembrance. Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke at the ceremony about the memorial's deeper meaning for the South Side and the city as a whole, while survivor Gregory Banks called it "a permanent reminder of the suffering survivors endured, the resilience we showed and the responsibility we all share." The project fulfills a promise the City of Chicago made to survivors back in 2015.

For Washington Park, this groundbreaking is more than a construction milestone — it's a testament to what communities can achieve when they refuse to give up. A long-overlooked corner of King Drive is about to become a destination of national significance, right here in the neighborhood. Stay connected with the Washington Park Advisory Council (every third Wednesday, 7 p.m.) as this transformative project takes shape.

Sources:
1. https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-groundbreaking-takes-place-washington-park-memorial-honoring-survivors-torture-linked-cpds-jon-burge/19470658/