Indigenous Chicago, a multifaceted public humanities project that presents and preserves the complex and dynamic experiences of Native peoples, has been selected by the Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS) as the recipient of the Best of Illinois History award. The ISHS was founded in 1899 to support the Illinois State Historical Library and to encourage research and writing on subjects of Illinois history.
Indigenous Chicago—co-directed by the Newberry’s Analú María López (Huachichil/Xi’úi) and Rose Miron, along with Blaire Morseau (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) and Meredith McCoy (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe descent)—is a community project that aims to center Indigenous voices. It began with community conversations about misrepresentations of Chicago Indigenous history and the invisibility that Native people in Chicago continue to feel, and the possibility of a centralized resource that would educate Native and non-Native communities alike about the Indigenous past, present, and future of Chicago.
From these conversations, community members identified five project components: an exhibition, a website with digital mapping and walking tours, educational curriculum, new oral histories with community members, and a series of public programs. The exhibition was on-view at the Newberry from September 12, 2024, through January 4, 2025. Project-related public programs and walking tours took place during this time, as well. New curriculum and oral histories continue to be available on the Indigenous Chicago project website.
The award was presented at the ISHS Annual Awards luncheon on April 26, 2025. According to the ISHS, the awards recognize achievements in historical research by outstanding scholars, teachers, students, and museum professionals. “We had so many projects, people, and programs to recognize this year,” ISHS Executive Director William Furry said. “That’s a great indicator of the stellar research taking place in the Prairie State and of the commitment of our institutions to support these scholars.”
Indigenous Chicago co-director Analú María López (Huachichil/Xi’úi) said of the project’s legacy, “Indigenous Chicago centers the voices and impacts of Indigenous community members, leaders, and artists to tell a history of Chicago often not reflected within the typical telling of the founding of the city. This project was created with care in collaboration with the community and will continue as a living project for many years to come.”