As the United States approaches the 250^th anniversary of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society presents a special issue on the role of Illinois in the broader American story. Rather than attempting a full state history, this collection of 27 essays provides snapshots of the people, events, challenges, and achievements that have shaped both Illinois and the nation over the past two and a half centuries. And, for the month of July 2026 in celebration of America250, the entire issue will be free to read.

 Free Access to Vol. 119, Iss. 1, on the Scholarly Publishing Collective

(July 2026 only, membership required afterward)

Readers will encounter individuals whose lives illuminate unexpected corners of history, including Minnie Vautrin, an Illinois-born humanitarian honored in China for saving thousands during the Rape of Nanking, and Governor John Peter Altgeld, whose perspectives on immigration continue to resonate today. Familiar figures, such as Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln, appear alongside articles tracing the growth of cities and industries through examinations of Chicago’s street design, the stockyards, the 1934 World’s Fair, and the coal industry. Additional essays explore agricultural, cultural, political, and labor history. They reflect on the displacement of Indigenous communities and the struggles for equality led by early free Black Illinoisans and women. This special issue showcases Illinois history and its ongoing contributions to American ideals of freedom, community, and identity.

Editor’s Note from Bob Sampson

Essays on Illinois and America250

• “Stephen A. Douglas and a Nation of Law” by Reg Ankrom
• “Rivers, Rails, and Rich Soil: Agricultural Innovations in Illinois” by Jenny Barker-Devine
• “America at 250: Illinois Labor” by James R. Barrett
• “Lincoln in the Middle of the American Experiment” by James M. Cornelius
• “America 250: Scientific Illinois” by Timothy Dean Draper with Lincoln Dean Kershisnik Draper
• “The Illinois & Michigan Canal” by Wayne Duerkes
• “‘A Mysterious Fragment of Jetsam from the Lord Knows Where’: John Peter Altgeld and the Question of Citizenship” by James A. Edstrom
• “Illinois Coal Miners Fight for Democracy” by Rosemary Feurer
• “Minnie’s Marker” by William Furry
• “Illinois: The Folk Music Center of America” by Bucky Halker
• “Clyde Choate and the Medal of Honor” by Robert E. Hartley
• “Liberty Is the Object of All Men” by David Joens
• “Illinois and the Saving of the American Republic” by Theodore J. Karamanski
• “Lincoln’s ‘Lost Speech,’ May 29, 1856” by Bill Kemp
• “Geology of Illinois” by Elizabeth I. Kershisnik
• “Journeys of Freedom Seekers in Illinois” by Caroline M. Kisiel
• “Chicago’s 1934 World’s Fair” by Cate LiaBraaten
• “Jane Addams” by Stacy Lynn
• “Women Artists Shaping Culture” by Kristan H. McKinsey
• “Fighting for Women’s Rights in Illinois” by Eileen M. McMahon
• “The Chicago Union Stock Yard” by Dominic A. Pacyga
• “The Fine Arts in Illinois” by Mark B. Pohlad
• “Lines on Paper, Land as Commodity” by Patrick T. Reardon
• “Dorothy Day—Servant of the Poor” by Christine Sipula
• “A Laboratory for Democracy: Illinois Education at 250” by Megan VanGorder
• “H. Ford Douglas and the Emergence of Radical Activism in Illinois During the Civil War Era” by Alonzo M. Ward
• “Independence for Some at the Cost of Independence for Others” by Michael D. Wiant

Plus, if you’re looking for a longer Illinois read, Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society book reviewers have you covered! These reviews are also free to read during July 2026.

Start with two great books from the University of Illinois Press:

 Lincoln’s Rise to Eloquence: How He Gained the Presidential Nomination by D. Leigh Henson, review by Brian Dirck

Lincoln’s Rise to Eloquence successfully meets the daunting challenge of saying something new about Lincoln documents that have been analyzed and interpreted many times over by many historians and Lincoln biographers. Henson sees in the antebellum years the necessary groundwork for what Lincoln would become during the Civil War: the greatest of presidential speechmakers. Concluding his book with the Cooper Union Address, he writes, “Lincoln stepped onto a national stage leading to the presidency and literary statesmanship achieved in such works as the Inaugural addresses, the Gettysburg address, and the Last speech. Those imperishable compositions contribute immeasurably to the classical heritage of American and world literature” (p. 241). Lincoln’s Rise to Eloquence offers an interesting and valuable window into how his prewar career made this possible.

Dream Books and Gamblers: Black Women’s Work in Chicago’s Policy Game by Elizabeth  Schroeder Schlabach, review by Alonzo M. Ward

Dream Books and Gamblers is a major contribution to the study of Black American women in the informal economy. This fascinating study adds much-needed complexity to the overarching narrative of the Black working class by paying closer attention to the agency of the once-voiceless worker. As Schlabach notes in her introduction: “It focuses on African American women actors, their anxieties, and how they used policy gambling to make a better life for themselves” (p. 16). Dream Books and Gamblers moves the proverbial needle in labor studies and will further inform scholars on methods for researching the Black American experience.

Additional Book Reviews

• Chorus of the Union: How Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas Set Aside Their Rivalry to Save the Nation by Edward Robert McClelland, review by Dan Monroe
• Pulling off the Sheets: The Second Ku Klux Klan in Deep Southern Illinois by Darrel Dexter and John A. Beadles, review by Michael Tow

Learn More About Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society

The Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, established in 1908, is the scholarly publication of the Illinois State Historical Society, a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and publishing the latest research about the Prairie State. The peer-reviewed Journal welcomes articles, essays, and documents about history, literature, art, technology, law, and other subjects related to Illinois and the Midwest.

• Ready to become a member? The ISHS membership period is from January 1 through December 31. Click here to become a member for all individual and student memberships, as well as for print-only memberships for public libraries and other institutions. (Institutional ‘Online Only’ and ‘Print + Online’ subscriptions must be purchased through the Scholarly Publishing Collective.)
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• Want to see your work featured in Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society? Submit original scholarly work here.

You may also enjoy… Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association (Open Access!)

The Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association (JALA) is the only peer-reviewed journal devoted exclusively to Lincoln scholarship. In addition to selected scholarly articles—on Lincoln in the popular media, for example, or British reactions to the War— the journal also features photographs and newly discovered Lincoln letters and other unpublished primary source documents. JALA is the official journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association.

Didn’t get enough America250? Check out our video with Utah Historical Quarterly!