A memorial honoring the victims of gun violence in the city of Chicago and across the United States was installed at The Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park in late November. Covering much of the church’s exterior space on 55th Street, the memorial includes hundreds of photographs, quotes from elected officials, and a signboard where individuals who lost friends and family to a shooting in Lewiston, Maine in October 2023 shared memories of their loved ones. The memorial also recognizes other national tragedies, including the 2022 shootings in Highland Park, Illinois, and Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The memorial was installed in partnership with national and community organizations devoted to ending gun violence, including One Aim Illinois, Moms Demand Action, and Chicago Survivors. Its introduction to Hyde Park coincided with the 11th annual National Vigil for Victims of Gun Violence–Chicago, which took place on December 1 and was hosted at Augustana Lutheran. Although the memorial is in the process of being taken down, the church plans to continue hosting the vigil and memorial annually.
