National Park Service Illinois Freedom Project Civil Rights Statewide Youth Summit Series Grant

In 2014, Lincoln Home National Historic Site, in cooperation with the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, completed the “Illinois Freedom Project.” “The Illinois Freedom Project” is a web-based youth-focused multimedia project that provides resources to teach the interconnected story of slavery to freedom through the lens of people, places and events in Illinois from eighteenth century French colonial settlements through early twentieth century Chicago’s Bronzeville. The Illinois Freedom Project web site resides within the larger Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area web site. See www.lookingforlincoln.com/freedom.

This Illinois Freedom Project Statewide Civil Rights Youth Summit Series is designed to present the interconnected stories of history from the distant to more recent past through visits to “Illinois Freedom Project” locations throughout Illinois. Organized by Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Illinois Freedom Project Statewide Youth Summit Series will allow young people who are part of youth mentoring organizations to explore Civil Rights locations throughout Illinois, many of which are not very well known. This will be accomplished through a series of one and two day field trips from Springfield, Illinois to these locations, many of which are National Register or National Historic Landmark properties.

With Lincoln Home National Historic Site as the base, the Springfield area youth will be joined by young people from the destination locations and together they will learn about and explore the Civil Rights history of that region. The goal is to have approximately 60 young people attend each summit. Site tours, workshops, and conversations will be directed by historians, youth mentors, and other experts. Other National Park Service programs will be highlighted including the National UGRR Network to Freedom; the National Register of Historic Places; the National Historic Landmark Program; and, National Heritage Areas.

This will be a far reaching program that will be presented through 5 field trips that together will cover rural to urban areas from Chicago to St. Louis and present the Illinois Civil Rights Story from French Colonial slavery through Chicago’s 1920s Bronzeville and Carter G. Woodson’s founding of the Association for the story of African American Life and History.

NPS is substantially involved in this collaborative project including:
1. Substantial collaboration in carrying out the scope of work.
2. Provide historic, interpretive, and other technical guidance related to the places that will be visited and in the speakers and local guides selected to participate.
3. Work with the local youth organizations to select youth to participate in the program.
4. Provide guidance and technical assistance in the procurement of support services such as photographers, videographers, publication designers, etc.
5. Write the text for the follow up book, and select historic images and photos taken from the trips for use in the publication.
6. Approve travel itineraries and agendas prior to each trip.