The Western Illinois Museum is pleased to announce a series of community conversations centered on the theme History Belongs to All of Us. Over four months, the series will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through primary sources, local scholarship, and shared community experiences. Programs will be held at the Western Illinois Museum on Thursdays, beginning April 16. The evening will start at 5:30 p.m. with a Larry A’s Pizza supper, followed by conversation and dessert at 6:30 p.m. A suggested $5 donation will be accepted at the door.

History Belongs to All of Us is a statewide initiative created and supported by Illinois Humanities, designed to invite Illinois residents to explore how local history connects to the national story and to see themselves reflected in the country’s broader history. Each conversation will bring together residents of west central Illinois to talk about where they come from, what they have inherited, and what they hope to pass on to future generations.

The series uses a toolkit created by Illinois Humanities, which also provided facilitator training to 12 organizations, including the Western Illinois Museum. Executive Director Sue Scott commented, “The training focused on using conversation to cultivate trust, empathy, and deeper connections to history and to one another. The Museum is proud to join humanities organizations across the state in finding meaningful, locally grounded ways to mark this national milestone.”