The springfield and central illinois african american history museum will plan and design a permanent exhibit focused on the springfield race riot of 1908

The Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum received a $152,284 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Museums for America (MFA) program (CFDA 45.301). The grant will fund the planning and design of a permanent exhibit focused on the 1908 Springfield Race Riot. The museum will partner with the Illinois State Museum and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library to build upon the library's previous exhibition with new material objects, updated scholarship, and newly developed themes. The project aims to reconcile the events of the 1908 race riot, update existing interpretation, and create a permanent, public commemoration within Springfield, with the goal of having an impact beyond the local community. The grant period runs from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2026.

The museum will partner with the illinois state museum and the abraham lincoln presidential library to build upon the library's 2008 exhibition on the riot with new material objects, updated scholarship, and newly developed themes. The project team will review research and conduct community focus sessions to inform the interpretation. The museum will contract with an exhibit design firm to create a design plan that incorporates community feedback. The goal of the exhibition is to reconcile the events of the 1908 race riot, update existing interpretation, and create a permanent, public commemoration within springfield. The project will have an impact beyond the city of springfield, benefiting local, state, and national communities.