Illinois became a state in 1818, 42 years after the formation of the United States of America and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. What role does it play in the founding of our country?

About the Commission
Commission Members

Thousands of years before statehood and continuing today, Native communities and peoples called this land home.

Illinois figured prominently in the physical and economic expansion of the United States of America, through French and British exploration and the booming fur trade.

Illinois was a frontier boundary for Westward expansion, and as a place of forced removal of Native Americans.

Illinois was a place that furthered historic and contemporary systems of inequality through the enslavement of African American people. It was a key state in the American Civil War and the first State to ratify the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. 

More than 110,000 African Americans came to Illinois during the Great Migration.

Millions of people have immigrated to Illinois or sought refuge in our State, bringing with them their culture, lifeways, knowledge, and labor, which has shaped Illinois into one of the nation's most diverse states.

Illinois has proudly been made home by immigrants and their descendants from Ireland, Italy, China, Poland, Eastern Europe, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Japan, Central and South America, Russia, Somalia, Eritrea, and across the continents of Africa and Asia, the Caribbean, Vietnam, Thailand, India, and many other parts of the world.

Illinois is responsible for social and economic movements and innovations that helped to shape the infrastructure and social fabric of our nation.

The 250th anniversary of America’s founding presents an opportunity for Illinoisans to revisit our state’s complex legacy and diversity of perspectives by sharing familiar stories – and those often left untold. 

About the Commission

The Illinois America 250 Commission has selected three themes for the 250th commemoration:

  • Power of Place

  • We the People

  • Doing History

Illinois America 250 is an inclusive, statewide effort that uplifts local stories, places and programs, builds pride and showcases how Illinoisians bring the ideals of Declaration of Independence to life. 

Read the Illinois America Commission Act here.

The priorities for the Illinois America 250 Commission are:

  • Promoting local commemorations

  • Uplifting local stories and places

  • Recognizing service

  • Youth engagement

 “Illinois has always stood at the heart of the American story, and our communities have continually worked to fulfill the promise of the Declaration of Independence. From advancing equality and expanding freedom to challenging tyranny in all its forms, generations of Illinoisans have pushed our nation closer to the ideals we cherish.

As we mark the 250th anniversary, we honor not only our history but the people across this state who continue striving every day to ensure that the pursuit of happiness is a reality for all.”

– Gabrielle Lyon, PhD
Chair, Illinois America Commission 

Commission Members

Gabrielle H. Lyon, Ph.D., Chair
Executive Director, Illinois Humanities 

Ada Cheng
Educator, Artist, Storyteller 

Brad Cole
CEO, Illinois Municipal League 

Michelle Donahoe
Executive Director, DeKalb County History Center 

Jennifer Edginton, Ed.D.
Director, Illinois State Museum 

Rep. Edgar Gonzalez
Illinois House of Representatives, 23rd District  

Judy Hackett

Andrew Johnson
Executive Director, Native American Chamber of Commerce Illinois

Lindsay Laren
Assistant Commissioner, Collections, Content and Access, Chicago Public Library

Elisa Marcus
International Marketing Manager,  Illinois Office of Tourism 

Illinois America 250 Commissioners are volunteers who represent civic, nonprofit, educational and business sectors, as well as Native and tribal organizations, museums, higher education, and arts organizations.

Sara Phalen, J.D., M.A.
Director, West Chicago City Museum; Director, Warrenville Historical Museum & Art Gallery; Board President, Kane DuPage Regional Museum Association

Kayla Pilgrim
Founder, The Civic Success Project; Member, Youth 250 Bureau

Gerald Savage
Chief White Winnebago, Ho-Chunk Nation Elder

Christina Shutt
Executive Director, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 

Dick Simpson
Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois, Chicago 

Sen. Doris Turner
Illinois State Senate, 48th District

Andy Van Meter
Sangamon County Board Chair; President, Design Ideas 

Dorene Wiese
Chief Executive Officer, American Indian Association of Illinois