Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park

Historical marker location:

185 West Trendley Avenue, East St. Louis, Illinois

( Marker is on West Trendley Avenue east of South Front Street, on the right when traveling west.)

Illinois was the first state in the country to ratify the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery. The amendment was ratified by Illinois on February 1, 1865, before it was ratified by any other state.