Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum

The Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum will plan and design a permanent exhibit focused on the Springfield Race Riot of 1908. The museum will partner with the Illinois State Museum and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library to build upon the library’s 2008 exhibition on the Riot with new material objects, updated scholarship, and newly developed themes. The project team will review research and conduct community focus sessions to inform the interpretation. The museum will contract with an exhibit design firm to create a design plan that incorporates community feedback. The goal of the exhibition is to reconcile the events of the 1908 Race Riot, update existing interpretation, and create a permanent, public commemoration within Springfield. The project will have an impact beyond the City of Springfield, benefiting local, state, and national communities.