Press Release

Final Stop of Illinois Humanities’ Illinois Freedom Project Tour Opens at the African American Museum of Southern Illinois

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February, 2022
CONTACT: COMMUNICATIONS@ILHUMANITIES.ORG | 773.251.4772

The project – affiliated with Looking For Lincoln – examines the pursuit of civil rights by and for African Americans in Illinois.
It complements Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, currently in nearby Murphysboro.

CHICAGO, FEBRUARY 11, 2022 – Illinois Humanities is excited to announce that the African American Museum of Southern Illinois will host the final tour stop of the Illinois Freedom Project, a traveling exhibition that examines the pursuit of civil rights by and for African Americans in Illinois. The exhibit opens on February 12, during Black History Month, and will be at the museum at 1237 E Main St, Carbondale, IL through March 19.

The Illinois Freedom Project exhibition is an outgrowth of an educational program that engages young people with African American history in Illinois. The exhibition traces Black Illinoisans’ struggles for freedom from the French Colonial era to early-20th-century Chicago. Tim Townsend, a historian with the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield and one of the coordinators of the Illinois Freedom Project, comments, “The Illinois Freedom Project provides a glimpse into the struggles and victories of African Americans in Illinois.”

The exhibition is touring the state in conjunction with Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, the latest Museum on Main Street exhibit from the Smithsonian which highlights America’s history of civic action and results of that action. Voices and Votes: Democracy in America opens at its final stop on February 12, at the General John A. Logan Museum, Murphysboro.

The General John A. Logan Museum in Murphysboro has produced a companion exhibition discussing the work of social commentator Mary Logan, who was married to political and military leader John A. Logan, and her views on Women’s Suffrage, which seem to have been complex and variable. It also examines various aspects of the Women’s Suffrage era in southern Illinois, including visits to the region by promoters of enfranchisement for women from Chicago, illustrating the intricacies of regional dynamics within our state.

Additionally, the Logan Museum will present four free public programs in conjunction with Voices and Votes, all of which will take place at the Liberty Theater in downtown Murphysboro:

  • Saturday, February 19, 4 PM: Movie, “1776,” with an introduction and a discussion led by museum director Mike Jones.
  • Saturday, February 26, 4 PM: Movie, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” with an introduction and a discussion led by museum director Mike Jones.
  • Saturday, March 5, 4 PM: “Meet Mrs. Logan,” featuring Jessica Michna, a nationally known impressionist who specializes in portrayals of female historical figures of the 19th and 20th centuries, as Mary Logan.
  • Saturday, March 12, 4 PM: “Reminiscing,” a play written by Betsy Brown, education programs coordinator for the Logan Museum. Local high school students will portray women from Jackson County and surrounding areas who were involved in the pursuit of Women’s Suffrage.

The General John A. Logan Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM and Saturday from 1 to 4 PM. The African American Museum of Southern Illinois is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE* // View exhibitions map here.

Illinois Freedom Project

  • July 17 – August 21, 2021: Wood River Museum, Wood River
  • August 28 – October 2, 2021: Bryan-Bennett Library, Salem
  • October 9 – November 13, 2021: York Township Public Library, Thomson
  • November 20 – December 18, 2021: Old School Museum, Winchester
  • January 3 – February 5, 2022: Vespasian Warner Public Library District, Clinton
  • February 12 – March 19, 2022: African American Museum of Southern Illinois, Carbondale

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America:

  • July 19 – August 21, 2021: Madison County Historical Society, Edwardsville
  • August 28 – October 2, 2021: Bryan-Bennett Library, Salem
  • October 9 – November 13, 2021: Savanna Museum and Cultural Center, Savanna
  • November 20 – December 23, 2021: Jacksonville Area Museum, Jacksonville
  • January 3 – February 5, 2022: Vespasian Warner Public Library District, Clinton
  • February 12 – March 19, 2022: General John A. Logan Museum, Murphysboro

*Please consult host organizations’ websites to confirm schedules.

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About Illinois Humanities

Illinois Humanities, the Illinois affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is a statewide nonprofit organization that activates the humanities through free public programs, grants, and educational opportunities that foster reflection, spark conversation, build community, and strengthen civic engagement. We provide free, high-quality humanities experiences throughout Illinois, particularly for communities of color, individuals living on low incomes, counties and towns in rural areas, small arts and cultural organizations, and communities highly impacted by mass incarceration. Founded in 1974, Illinois Humanities is supported by state, federal, and private funds.

Learn more about Illinois Humanities at ilhumanities.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ILHumanities.