With more than 1.5 million images and 4 million feet of moving images, the Chicago History Museum’s prints and photographs collection is the single largest source of pictorial information for the Chicago metropolitan area from the early nineteenth century to the present. And thanks to our free backgrounds, you can Zoom from Chicago history wherever More
May is Haitian Heritage Month, and Chicago’s relationship with the country began with Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, its first non-native permanent resident. A Haitian trader of African and French descent, he arrived in the 1780s and is regarded as the founder of the city. After DuSable left in 1800, Chicago and Haiti remained connected through More
For 164 years, we have shared our city’s stories by preserving and caring for a massive collection of photographs, archives, and artifacts, and by creating exhibitions, programs, events, educational initiatives, and other experiences that help both residents and visitors make meaningful and personal connections to Chicago. With our country brought to a standstill by the COVID-19 pandemic and More
On this day in 1970, National Guard soldiers opened fire on unarmed anti-Vietnam war protesters at Kent State University in Ohio. Demonstrations began on campus on May 1, following President Nixon’s announcement of US military operations in the neutral country of Cambodia. Four students were killed, nine wounded, and the country was forever changed. In More
In April, we launched In This Together, our community-based initiative to collect digital records that capture personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every Sunday, we’ll be featuring stories submitted by area residents to share perspectives and remind us that we’re all in this together. “In the Chicago region, social distancing and stay-at-home orders hit right More