Two New Exhibits Travel to Small Towns Around Illinois to Pose the Question: How Do Citizens Create “a More Perfect Union?”

CHICAGO, JULY 8, 2021— Illinois Humanities is excited to announce the itinerary for two new traveling exhibitions: Voices and Votes: Democracy in America – which highlights America’s history of civic action and results of that action – and the Illinois Freedom Project – an exhibition highlighting the pursuit of civil rights by and for African Americans in Illinois. Museum on Main Street is a program of the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils that shares world-class exhibitions with small communities.

Voices and Votes, organized by the Smithsonian Museum to travel to towns with populations of under 25,000, includes historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games and additional footage, photos, and information; and historical objects such as campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.

These concurrent and complementary exhibitions sponsored by Illinois Humanities will visit six Illinois communities with fewer than 25,000 residents between July 2021 and March 2022.

“These exhibitions raise critical questions about how citizen participation – from revolution, to suffrage, to protests and organizing – has shaped democracy in America. The six host institutions are cultural anchors in their communities and are ideally situated to host conversations about what it takes — and has taken in Illinois — to form ‘a more perfect union,’” said Gabrielle Lyon, Executive Director at Illinois Humanities.

The exhibit tour kicks off July 19 with Voices and Votes: Democracy in America at the Madison County Historical Society, Edwardsville, and Illinois Freedom Project at the nearby Wood River Museum, Wood River. Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and State Humanities Councils nationwide. It is based on an exhibition by the National Museum of American History. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.