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The Spring 2021 issue of the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society is printed and in the mail. The Journal, the scholarly publication of the ISHS, is published quarterly and is a benefit of membership in the Illinois State Historical Society. Each issue includes articles, essays, book reviews, and documents about history, literature, art technology, law, and other subjects related to Illinois and the Midwest. Visit our Membership page for membership options and information. Click on the “Read More” button for a list of articles and reviews included in this issue.

Summer in Illinois. Cicadas, hummingbirds, mosquitos, daylilies, day trips, watermelon, sweetcorn, and the Illinois State Fair. Whatever makes your Prairie State summer special, I hope the season is full of wonders and surprises.

This issue is packed with articles guaranteed to expand your Illinois horizon. I am forever delighted with what our contributors deliver in variety and diversity, and how generous they are with their research. My hope is that you share your Illinois Heritage with family and friends, and with anyone interested in our state’s marvelous history. Our contributors deserve the broadest possible audience we can deliver. It’s small compensation for such tremendous effort.

If you are looking for an opportunity to support and sustain our publications, this is a good time to make a contribution to the Illinois Heritage Fund, or to the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. Please send your donations to:

Illinois Heritage Fund
Illinois State Historical Society
P.O. Box 1800
Springfield, IL 62705-1800

As always, thanks for sharing your history and heritage. The Illinois prairie blossoms in the summer, and more so when we tell our stories.

William Furry
Executive Director

The Illinois State Historical Society’s 2021 Centennial Business Awards luncheon has been postponed until 2022. Unfortunately, the resurgence of the COVID 19 virus and its Delta variant has forced us to reconsider a public gathering that could impact the health of your employees, our membership, and the public at large.

Illinois Humanities is excited to announce two new traveling exhibitions, Voices and Votes: Democracy in America — which highlights America’s history of civic action and the results of that action — and the Illinois Freedom Project — an exhibition highlighting the pursuit of civil rights by and for African Americans in Illinois. These concurrent, complementary exhibitions, sponsored by Illinois Humanities, will visit six Illinois communities starting this July!

Four projects recently received grants from the Sangamon County Historical Society to fund special projects that help preserve and promote local history.