History Belongs to All of Us: From Many Lands - The Declaration's Immigration Legacy
When
Aug 13, 2026
6:00pm–7:30pm
Cost
Free. Registration is required.
Join us for a community conversation exploring the role immigration has played in shaping and growing our nation, and the Declaration of Independence’s themes of opportunity, self-determination, and inclusion. Participants are invited to share their immigrant roots and bring dishes that reflect their heritage.
This is the final event in the "History Belongs to All of Us" conversation series presented in partnership with the McHenry County Historical Society & Museum.
For more information, please visit mchenrycountyhistory.org.
More About...
Community Conversations: History Belongs to All of Us
“History Belongs to All of Us,” part of Illinois Humanities' Community Conversations program, explores treasures from Illinois archives and collections to uncover how the people who lived in Illinois before, during, and after the founding of the United States responded to this world-changing document. While Illinois would not be part of the United States until 1783, it was diverse with European immigrants from mostly France and Britain living alongside Native Kaskaskia, Peoria, Michigamea, Moingwena, Tamoroa, and Cahokia tribes. Enslaved Fulani, Ashanti, Yoruba, and Mandinka people -- immigrants against their will -- labored in salt mines, agriculture, and service in different parts of the territory even through early statehood. In this way, Illinois reflected the complex history of the nation itself as the Declaration of Independence and its influence spread across the globe.
Contact
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