On this day in 1893, the first Ferris wheel opened to the public at the World’s Columbian Exposition. For 50 cents, fairgoers could see Chicago like they had never seen before–on a revolving 264-foot steel wheel overlooking the eclectic attractions of the Midway Plaisance and dazzling neoclassical White City. Now you can see the city More
World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to commemorate the strength, courage, and resilience of millions of refugees around the globe. The first World Refugee Day was observed on June 20, 2001, to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Since then, the More
The language we choose to use matters, and archives and museums can help do their part by using empowered, person-first language to reflect a viewpoint that is ethical, modern, and ultimately more humanizing. In our latest blog post, Chicago History Museum librarians Elizabeth McKinley and Gretchen Neidhardt outline how Research Center staff have been updating More
The story of the United States’ independence is well documented. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, asserting “all men are created equal” and are endowed with certain inalienable rights. However, these rights and the equality of citizenship were denied to those who were enslaved and of African More
As the Chicago area joins the rest of Illinois and moves into a new phase of reopening, it is more important than ever to stay vigilant and keep health and safety at top of mind. The not-so-distant history offers concrete clues as to how to open our cities while keeping people healthy—in fact, we can More