Oak Woods Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The first burials took place in 1860. Soon after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, between four and six thousand Confederate soldiers, prisoners who died at Camp Douglas
Camp Douglas (Chicago)
Camp Douglas, in Chicago, Illinois, was a Union Army prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate soldiers taken prisoner during the American Civil War. It was also a training and detention camp for Union soldiers. The Union Army first used the camp in 1861 as an organizational and training camp for...
, were buried here. These bodies had originally been buried at City Cemetery but were exhumed and reburied together in a mass grave
Mass grave
A mass grave is a grave containing multiple number of human corpses, which may or may not be identified prior to burial. There is no strict definition of the minimum number of bodies required to constitute a mass grave, although the United Nations defines a mass grave as a burial site which...
at recently opened sections of Oak Woods, when Chicago decided to close its former cemetery and convert part of it to Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is an urban park in Chicago, which gave its name to the Lincoln Park, Chicago community area.Lincoln Park may also refer to:-Urban parks:*Lincoln Park , California*Lincoln Park, San Francisco, California...
. A monument known as the Confederate Mound was erected in their memory.
Notable monuments
- Cap AnsonCap AnsonAdrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
(1852–1922), Major League Baseball Hall of Famer - Ida B. WellsIda B. WellsIda Bell Wells-Barnett was an African American journalist, newspaper editor and, with her husband, newspaper owner Ferdinand L. Barnett, an early leader in the civil rights movement. She documented lynching in the United States, showing how it was often a way to control or punish blacks who...
(1862–1931), social reformer, civil rights activist - James "Big Jim" ColosimoJames ColosimoGiacomo Colosimo , better known as Big Jim Colosimo, was an Italian-American Mafia crime boss who built a criminal empire in Chicago based on prostitution, gambling, and racketeering. Immigrating from Italy in 1895, he gained power through petty crime and the heading of a chain of brothels...
(1877–1920), mafioso - William CraigWilliam Craig (Secret Service)William Craig was the first agent of the United States Secret Service killed in the line of duty.-Biography:He was born in Scotland in November 1855. He was fair-haired, blue-eyed and stood 6 foot 4 and weighed 260 pounds. He spent 12 years in the British military and was honorably discharged and...
(1855–1902), first United States Secret ServiceUnited States Secret ServiceThe United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agent to die on duty - Charles S. DeneenCharles S. DeneenCharles Samuel Deneen was the 23rd Governor of Illinois, serving from 1905 to 1913, and was the first to serve two terms. He served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1925–1931. Deneen also served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1892...
(1863–1940), politician - Thomas A. DorseyThomas A. DorseyThomas Andrew Dorsey was known as "the father of black gospel music" and was at one time so closely associated with the field that songs written in the new style were sometimes known as "dorseys." Earlier in his life he was a leading blues pianist known as Georgia Tom.As formulated by Dorsey,...
(1899–1993), composer, the "father of gospel music" - Enrico FermiEnrico FermiEnrico Fermi was an Italian-born, naturalized American physicist particularly known for his work on the development of the first nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile-1, and for his contributions to the development of quantum theory, nuclear and particle physics, and statistical mechanics...
(1901–1954), physicist - Louis H. Ford (1914–1995), Presiding Bishop, Church of God in ChristChurch of God in ChristThe Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership. With nearly five million members in the United States and 12,000 congregations, it is the largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest Christian church in the U.S....
; social activist - Jake GuzikJake GuzikJake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik was the financial and legal advisor, and later political “greaser”, for the Chicago Outfit.-Early life:...
(1886–1956), gangster, "Greasy Thumb" - William Draper Harkins (1873–1951), nuclear chemist
- Monroe HeathMonroe HeathMonroe Heath was a U.S. politician. He served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Republican Party. He is buried in Oak Woods Cemetery....
(1827–1894), mayor of ChicagoMayor of ChicagoThe Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment... - Charles JohnsonCharles Johnson (Negro League)Charles Johnson was a baseball player in the Negro League who later pushed major league baseball to offer pensions to former Negro League players....
(1909–2006), pitcher and outfielder for the Chicago American GiantsChicago American GiantsChicago American Giants were a Chicago-based Negro league baseball team, owned and managed from 1911 to 1926 by player-manager Andrew "Rube" Foster. From 1910 until the mid-1930s, the American Giants were the most dominant team in black baseball...
of the Negro League - John Christen JohansenJohn Christen JohansenJohn Christen Johansen was a Danish-American portraitist, born in Copenhagen and died in New Canaan, Connecticut.-Background:...
(1876–1964), portraitist and landscape painter - John H. JohnsonJohn H. JohnsonJohn Harold Johnson was an American businessman and publisher. He was the founder of the Johnson Publishing Company. In 1982 he became the first African-American to appear on the Forbes 400.ÀčĐċĎ- Biography :...
(1918–2005), founder and publisher of EbonyEbony (magazine)Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
and JetJet (magazine)Jet is an American weekly marketed toward African-American readers, founded in 1951 by John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago, Illinois...
magazines - Kenesaw Mountain LandisKenesaw Mountain LandisKenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
(1866–1944), Hall of Fame, First Commissioner of Baseball - Richard Loeb (1905–1936), crime figure
- Little Brother MontgomeryLittle Brother MontgomeryEurreal Wilford "Little Brother" Montgomery was an American jazz, boogie-woogie and blues pianist and singer....
(1906–1985), blues piano player and singer - Jesse OwensJesse OwensJames Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
(1913–1980), Olympic track and field champion - Eugene SawyerEugene SawyerEugene Sawyer was an American businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois as a member of the Democratic Party. He was the second African American to serve as mayor of Chicago....
(1934–2008), second African-American mayor of ChicagoMayor of ChicagoThe Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
(1987–1989) - J. Young ScammonJ. Young ScammonJ. Young Scammon was an early settler in Chicago, Illinois, arriving in the city in 1835. He went on to become politically important as a lawyer, banker, and newspaper publisher....
(1812–1890), attorney, banker, newspaper publisher - Maud SlyeMaud SlyeMaud Slye was an American pathologist who was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A historian of women and science wrote that Slye "'invented' genetically uniform mice as a research tool." Her work focused on the heritability of cancer in mice...
(1879–1954), University of ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
pathologist - Roebuck "Pops" StaplesPops StaplesRoebuck "Pops" Staples was a Mississippi-born Gospel and R&B musician.A "pivotal figure in gospel in the 1960s and 70s," he was an accomplished songwriter, guitarist and singer...
(1915–2000), gospel singer - William Hale ThompsonWilliam Hale ThompsonWilliam Hale Thompson was Mayor of Chicago from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931. Known as "Big Bill", Thompson was the last Republican to serve as Mayor of Chicago, and ranks among the most unethical mayors in American history.Thompson was born in Boston, Massachusetts to William Hale...
, mayor of ChicagoMayor of ChicagoThe Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment... - Bill VeeckBill VeeckWilliam Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
(1914–1986), Major League Baseball owner - Albertina WalkerAlbertina Walker-Early years:Walker was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Ruben and Camille Coleman Walker. Her mother was born in Houston County, Georgia, and her father in Bibb County, Georgia. They moved to Chicago between 1917-1920 where they lived out their lives. Albertina had four siblings born in Bibb County...
(1929–2010), Singer, Songwriter, "Queen of Gospel" - Harold WashingtonHarold WashingtonHarold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
(1922–1987), lawyer, politician, first African American mayor of ChicagoMayor of ChicagoThe Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment... - Junior WellsJunior WellsJunior Wells , born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr., was an American Chicago blues vocalist, harmonica player, and recording artist...
(1934–1998), blues musician - James Hutchinson WoodworthJames Hutchinson WoodworthJames Hutchinson Woodworth , was a former member of the Illinois State Senate and the Illinois State House of Representatives, served as a Chicago Alderman, was elected to consecutive terms as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois as an Independent Democrat, and served one term in the US House...
(1804–1869), mayor of ChicagoMayor of ChicagoThe Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
Roland Burris tomb
Roland Burris
Roland Wallace Burris is a former United States Senator from the state of Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party....
, the U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
appointed by Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
, constructed a family tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
at 41.77122°N 87.60215°W in the Oak Woods cemetery, in preparation for his and his wife's eventual interment. The tomb has received considerable publicity (generally negative) since Burris' appointment by the indicted governor. The rear portion of the large stone structure resembles a triptych
Triptych
A triptych , from tri-= "three" + ptysso= "to fold") is a work of art which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works...
, forward of which are two burial vaults; the left one is engraved with Burris' name and birth date and the right vault with the name of Burris' wife. The central segment of the triptych includes a large inscription of the words "TRAIL BLAZER" along the top. The segments of the triptych also include accomplishments of Burris and his wife, both of whom are still living. These note that Burris was the first African-American to be Attorney General of Illinois
Illinois Attorney General
The Illinois Attorney General is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by election through universal suffrage...
, the first African-American exchange student from Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
to the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and the first non-CPA
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
to be on the board of the Illinois CPA Society.
External Links
Department of Veterans Affairs page on the Confederate moundSee also
Cemeteries in Chicago
- Acacia Park Cemetery
- Bohemian National CemeteryBohemian National CemeteryBohemian National Cemetery is a cemetery at 5255 North Pulaski Road on the north side of Chicago, Illinois.-History:The cemetery was established by members of Chicago's Czech community in 1877. The community had been outraged when a Czech Catholic woman named Marie Silhanek was denied burial at...
- Forest Home CemeteryForest Home CemeteryForest Home Cemetery located in the Lincoln Village neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the final resting place of many of the city's famed beer barons, politicians and social elite...
- German Waldheim CemeteryGerman Waldheim CemeteryGerman Waldheim Cemetery, also known as Waldheim Cemetery, was a cemetery in Forest Park, a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. It was originally founded in 1873 as a non-religion specific cemetery, where Freemasons, Roma, and German-speaking immigrants to Chicago could be buried without...
- Graceland CemeteryGraceland CemeteryGraceland Cemetery is a large Victorian era cemetery located in the north side community area of Uptown, in the city of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Established in 1860, its main entrance is at the intersection of Clark Street and Irving Park Road...
- Mount Olivet CemeteryMount Olivet Cemetery (Chicago)Mount Olivet Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery located in Chicago, Illinois. The cemetery is operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago. The cemetery is located at 2755 West 111th St.-History:...
- Rosehill Cemetery
- Westlawn CemeteryWestlawn CemeteryWestlawn Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery located in Norridge, Illinois. The cemetery covers and roughly 46,000 people are buried there.-Notable interments:*Jack Ruby, convicted of the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald...
External links
- Oak Woods Cemetery at graveyards.com
- Oakwoods Cemetery Corporate Site