Illinois America 250 Commission to Lead Statewide Celebrations for Nation’s 250th Birthday

CHICAGO (WLS) — The main celebration may have wrapped up, but the commemoration continues as America marks 250 years since declaring independence.

In Illinois, that means shining a spotlight on the people, accomplishments, personal histories and lasting contributions that have helped shape the nation.

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Guiding those efforts is the Illinois America 250 Commission.

Commission Chair Gabrielle Lyon, who also serves as executive director of Illinois Humanities, said the goal is to ensure people across Illinois feel connected to the country’s history and see a place for themselves in that story. She added that the commission is also focused on making its work accessible and truly statewide.

For Lyon, one of the most meaningful parts of leading the commission has been continually seeing how closely Illinois history is woven into the broader American narrative.

Lyon noted that Illinois’ influence stretches back to the period before statehood in 1818 and continues through today, pointing to organizers, labor movements, artists and musicians as examples. She said the story of the United States cannot truly be told without recognizing the role of Illinoisans.

Among the commission’s key projects is the creation of a special passport.

Lyon said the passport features 60 people, places, historic sites and scenic highways, each connected to the ongoing effort to fulfill the ideals laid out in the Declaration of Independence.

Lyon says there are a couple of ways that families can tackle the passport as they hit the road to visit some of the landmarks this summer.

“You can be like kids get in the car and just pick something you like. Or you can find an interest that one of your kids has. If they’re young, go to the John Deere Historic Museum. That innovation changed the entire nature of agriculture,” Lyons said. “The truth is, the sweep of American history complex, fraught, amazing; it’s all right here in Illinois.”

And the initiative that Lyon says she’s probably most excited about is Illinois Voices 250 led by Illinois Humanities, “which is an invitation to record a story about this moment with someone you care about.”

“And those conversations are being preserved at the Library of Congress,” she added. “The idea that we’re just celebrating something that happened 250 years ago, to me, misses the point of this moment. The Declaration of Independence is a promise. But it’s a promise you have to actively make good on. And part of that is thinking about, what kind of place do you want to live in, what do you want for your children, what does equality, pursuit of happiness mean to you? And making a conversation that’s going to make a memory is kind of the best way to both imagine it and crystalize that.”