Local Sports Calendar

Stories of Freedom in Central Illinois

New Lunchtime Series at the Lincoln Home in Springfield this Summer!

A new series of lunchtime events is launching this summer!  Stories of Freedom in Central Illinois will be presented each Wednesday from June 5 - July 31 at 12:30 pm at the Lincoln Home National Historic State Visitor Center in Springfield.

This series of events features stories of freedom and the challenges faced by African Americans living in Illinois.  Presenters will speak about a new topic each week connected to the African American experience throughout Central, Illinois.  

Some of the topics to be presented include New Philadelphia National Historic Site, Underground Railroad Conductor Jameson Jenkins, The Matson Slave Trial, the 29th United States Colored Troops, The 1908 Race Riot, and others.  A list of upcoming programs and descriptions can be found at www.lookingforlincoln.org/events.

These programs will be held at the Lincoln Home National Historic State Visitor Center in Theater 1.  The programs are facilitated by staff from Looking for Lincoln, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“We are excited to be partnering with the Springfield State Historic Sites to bring attention to these freedom stories,” says Sarah Watson, Executive Director of Looking for Lincoln.  These programs will highlight the struggles and triumphs of African Americans in Central Illinois.”  

“We invite everyone to come out and learn more about these compelling stories of freedom that helped shape central Illinois and the nation,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie.  “This partnership reflects our commitment to search for and share important stories that help us under-stand more about the past in Illinois.”

The Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition is the coordinating entity for the 43-county Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.  It is a partnership of organizations and individuals dedicated to enhancing the communities and landscapes of central Illinois through recognition and support of their significant natural, cultural and historical legacies.  Few individuals have so profoundly influenced American history as did Abraham Lincoln.  Millions around the world are inspired by the story of Lincoln’s rise from humble beginnings to President of the United States, his qualities of integrity and courage and his decisive leadership – traits that carried a fragile nation through one of its most trying periods.

For more information about the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition and the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, go to www.lookingforlincoln.org.