# King Drive

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For the station, see [King Drive station](/source/King_Drive_station).

**Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive**, commonly referred to as **King Drive**, is a major north–south street on the [South Side of Chicago](/source/South_Side_of_Chicago). It was formerly named South Park Way, and originally called Grand Boulevard. [Chicago](/source/Chicago) became the first city in the world to name a street after [Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.](/source/Dr._Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.) in 1968 following his [assassination](/source/Assassination_of_Martin_Luther_King_Jr.).[1] The street runs continuously from [Cermak Road](/source/Cermak_Road) (22nd Street) on the north to 115th Street on the south. It runs at 400 East or four blocks east of [State Street](/source/State_Street_(Chicago)) in [Chicago's city grid](/source/Roads_and_expressways_in_Chicago). The street is a major corridor of [Black history](/source/African-American_history) and [culture](/source/African-American_culture) in Chicago.

## Route description

### McCormick Place and Bronzeville

King Drive begins at [Cermak Road](/source/Cermak_Road) (22nd Street) by [McCormick Place](/source/McCormick_Place) in the [Near South Side](/source/Near_South_Side,_Chicago) [community area](/source/Community_areas_in_Chicago). Just south of McCormick Place, the street runs underneath the [Stevenson Expressway](/source/Stevenson_Expressway) (Interstate 55). Here, King Drive enters the [Douglas](/source/Douglas,_Chicago) community area, The northern half of the historic [Bronzeville](/source/Black_Metropolis%E2%80%93Bronzeville_District) neighborhood, a focal point of Black History and culture in Chicago. At 25th Street, just south of the expressway, there is the Monument to the [Great Northern Migration](/source/Great_Migration_(African_American)).[2] a statue honoring the [African Americans](/source/African_Americans) who migrated from the [Southern United States](/source/Southern_United_States) north to [Chicago](/source/Chicago). From here to 35th Street, King Drive is a wide commercial thoughofare with [walk of fame](/source/Walk_of_fame) to African-American pioneers who made their impact on American history along the sidewalks.[3] At 30th Street is [Dunbar High School](/source/Dunbar_Vocational_High_School). At 31st Street is the historic [Olivet Baptist Church](/source/Olivet_Baptist_Church), the oldest operating African American Baptist church in Chicago and the second oldest African American congregation in the city. At 33rd Street is the site of [Camp Douglas](/source/Camp_Douglas_(Chicago)), a [Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War) [POW Camp](/source/POW_Camp) marked by a historic marker.[4] At, 35th Street, is the [Victory Monument](/source/Victory_Monument_(Chicago)) dedicated to the Black [WWI](/source/World_War_I) soldiers of the [Eight Regiment](/source/370th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)). The road from here to 51st Street is a wide [historic boulevard](/source/Chicago_park_and_boulevard_system) in the middle with many historic homes and churches along residential side streets including the [Ida B. Wells-Barnett House](/source/Ida_B._Wells-Barnett_House) at 36th & King Drive where the civil rights activist lived.[5]

From [Pershing Road](/source/Pershing_Road_(Chicago)) (3900 South) to 51st Street, King Drive runs through the [Grand Boulevard](/source/Grand_Boulevard,_Chicago) community area which makes up the southern half of the historic [Bronzeville](/source/Black_Metropolis%E2%80%93Bronzeville_District) neighborhood. Notable landmarks in this section include the [Oscar Stanton De Priest House](/source/Oscar_Stanton_De_Priest_House),[6] [Chicago Defender](/source/The_Chicago_Defender) newspaper office of the prominent Black Chicago newspaper, [Harold Washington Cultural Center](/source/Harold_Washington_Cultural_Center) and the [Robert S. Abbott House](/source/Robert_S._Abbott_House) where the founder of the Chicago Defender lived.[7]

### From Washington Park to Woodlawn

From 51st Street to 60th Street, King drive runs through the [Washington Park](/source/Washington_Park_(community_area),_Chicago) community area and runs parallel to the large park of the [same name](/source/Washington_Park_(Chicago_park)). A [statue of President George Washington](/source/Equestrian_statue_of_George_Washington_(Chicago)), the namesake of the park and neighborhood is present in the median of 51st Street and King Drive.[8] At 59th Street is the former home of [Jesse Binga](/source/Jesse_Binga), an early Black businessman and banker.[9] At, 63rd Street The road crosses under the [King Drive station](/source/King_Drive_station) on the [East 63rd branch](/source/East_63rd_branch) of the [CTA Green Line](/source/Green_Line_(CTA)). From 63rd Street to Marquette Road (6700 South), King Drive runs along the edge [Parkway Garden Homes](/source/Parkway_Garden_Homes), where First Lady [Michelle Obama](/source/Michelle_Obama) lived early on as a child.[10]

### From Marquette Road south to 115th Street

Just south of Marquette Road, King Drive crosses under the [Chicago Skyway](/source/Interstate_90_in_Illinois) (Interstate 90) and under a large section of freight tracks. From here on south the road runs as a larger street through a more residential area. At the southeast corner of King Drive and 95th Street in the [Roseland](/source/Roseland,_Chicago) community area is [Chicago State University](/source/Chicago_State_University) a [historic Black university](/source/Historically_black_colleges_and_universities). At 99th Street, King Drive crosses over the [Bishop Ford Freeway](/source/Interstate_94_in_Illinois) (Interstate 94). It continues south to 115th Street where it dead ends along the border between the [Roseland](/source/Roseland,_Chicago) and [West Pullman](/source/West_Pullman,_Chicago) community areas near the [Kensington/115th Street station](/source/Kensington/115th_Street_station) on the [Metra Electric District](/source/Metra_Electric_District).

## Transportation

King Drive is served by two [Chicago Transit Authority](/source/Chicago_Transit_Authority) [bus routes](/source/CTA_bus_routes): routes 3 and 111.

The **3 King Drive** runs daily from [Northwestern Memorial Hospital](/source/Northwestern_Memorial_Hospital) on the [Near North Side](/source/Near_North_Side,_Chicago) to [95th/Dan Ryan](/source/95th/Dan_Ryan_station) [Red Line](/source/Red_Line_(CTA)) station. After departing from the said hospital, the route travels south along [Michigan Avenue](/source/Michigan_Avenue_(Chicago)) in [Downtown](/source/Chicago_Loop) and the [Near South Side](/source/Near_South_Side,_Chicago) before turning east along [Cermak Road](/source/Cermak_Road) near [Wintrust Arena](/source/Wintrust_Arena). The route curves south toward King Drive at [McCormick Place](/source/McCormick_Place) and continues toward 95th Street. The route turns west along 95th Street toward the aforementioned Red Line station.[11][12]

The **111 King Drive/111th Street** runs daily between the [95th/Dan Ryan](/source/95th/Dan_Ryan_station) to Marshfield Plaza, a shopping center at 117th Street/Marshfield via 95th Street, King Drive 111th Street and Marshfield.[11]

There is a [CTA train station at King Drive](/source/King_Drive_station) on the [Green Line](/source/Green_Line_(CTA))'s [East 63rd branch](/source/East_63rd_branch). The [Metra Electric District](/source/Metra_Electric_District)'s [Kensington/115th Street station](/source/Kensington/115th_Street_station) is near the southern end of King Drive at 115th Street.[11]

## References

1. Kogan, Rich (January 16, 2019). ["Chicago was the first of many cities to name a street for MLK. Now a Detroit filmmaker wants to make a movie about them."](https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ae-martin-luther-king-streets-movie-0120-story.html). *Chicago Tribune*. Retrieved January 15, 2024.

1. ["Alison Saar's Monument to the Great Northern Migration"](https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicart-alisonsaarsmonumenttothegreatnorthernmigrati.html). *City of Chicago Public Art Program*. City of Chicago. Retrieved January 15, 2024.

1. ["Bronzeville Walk of Fame"](https://www.enjoyillinois.com/explore/listing/bronzeville-walk-of-fame/). *Enjoy Illinois*. Retrieved January 15, 2024.

1. ["Camp Douglas Marker information"](https://www.historyillinois.org/FindAMarker/MarkerDetails.aspx?MarkerID=451). Illinois State Historical Society. Retrieved January 15, 2024.

1. ["Ida B. Wells - Barnett House"](https://webapps1.chicago.gov/landmarksweb/web/landmarkdetails.htm?lanId=1453&counter=159). *Chicago Landmarks*. Retrieved 17 February 2025.

1. ["DePriest"](https://www.chicagotribute.org/Markers/DePriest.htm). *Chicago Tribute*. Retrieved 17 February 2025.

1. ["Abbott"](https://www.chicagotribute.org/Markers/Abbott.htm). *Chicago Tribute*. Retrieved 17 February 2025..

1. ["Washington (George Washington Monument)"](https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/washington-george-washington-monument). *Chicago Park District*. Retrieved 17 February 2025.

1. ["Binga"](https://www.chicagotribute.org/Markers/Binga.htm). *Chicago Tribute*. Retrieved 17 February 2025.

1. ["The most dangerous block in Chicago, once home to Michelle Obama: 'O block'"](https://chicago.suntimes.com/2014/11/2/18458059/o-block-most-dangerous-block-in-chicago-michelle-obama-chief-keef-parkway-gardens-south-king-drive). *Chicago Sun-Times*. 2014-11-02. Retrieved 2024-11-15.

1. ["RTA System Map"](https://www.rtachicago.org/uploads/images/general/RTA-System-Map.pdf). Regional Transportation Authority. February 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.

1. ["3 King Drive (Bus Route Info)"](https://www.transitchicago.com/bus/3/). *Chicago Transit Authority*. Retrieved 25 August 2024.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [King Drive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Drive) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Drive?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.