150 Years Ago The Great Chicago Fire Past Exhibit … The Great Chicago Fire is one of the most famous fires in American history. Although Mrs. O’Leary’s legendary cow has been exonerated, the fire’s exact origin on the night of October 8, 1871, remains unknown. Once ignited, the fire quickly raged out of control thanks to ferocious winds, extremely dry conditions, and plenty of fuel. By the time rain extinguished the final flames on October 10, the conflagration had consumed The Loop (Chicago’s central …

Jackie RobinsonFreedom Fighter Past Exhibit … Jackie Robinson refused to move to the back of the bus Jackie Robinson was as fierce and determined about fighting injustice as he was about hitting home runs and stealing bases. He took stands against discrimination throughout his life. In fact, a decade before Rosa Parks’s legendary refusal to give up her seat, Jackie Robinson refused to move to the back of a bus.  Drafted into the Army during World War II, 2nd Lt. Jack R. Robinson was stationed at Camp Hood, …

Mathew Brady A Pioneering Photographer Past Exhibit … Renowned photographer of the notable Credited by many as the father of photojournalism, Mathew Brady is synonymous with the Civil War even though he did not make many of the photographs that bear his name. His ambitious effort to comprehensively document the conflict required Brady to employ a staff of field photographers and make purchases from private individuals. Although Brady was rarely the photographer behind the camera in the field, the historic …

Remembering the Hollywood 10 Screenwriter Ring Lardner Jr Past Exhibit … Early in the Cold War, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigated allegations of Communist activity in the film industry. The committee’s mandate was to “protect the form of government guaranteed by the Constitution.” However, the investigations contributed to a repressive and fearful atmosphere.  On October 30, 1947, HUAC called Ring Lardner, Jr., Academy Award winning screenwriter, to testify before the …

70th Anniversary of Brown v Board of Education of Topeka Past Exhibit … Equity in Education: 70 Years Later On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that “separate but equal” was unconstitutional in public schools. Overturning the 1896 decision in Plessy v. Ferguson that allowed for school segregation , this landmark decision made it clear that racial discrimination in public schools was a violation of the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court …

The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth Past Exhibit … Milestones in the long struggle for American freedom Emancipation Proclamation President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached the third year of the Civil War. Lincoln's proclamation, which declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free,” was “a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing rebellion.” The Proclamation also …

Freedmens Bureau Marriage Records Ongoing Exhibit … The Freedmen’s Bureau helped newly freed people legalize their marriages. After the Civil War, the federal government established a War Department agency to help Americans transition from slavery to freedom. The Freedmen’s Bureau (1865–72) issued rations, operated hospitals and helped establish schools and unite families. It worked to resolve labor disputes and negotiate labor contracts. It also presided over and documented marriages between freed …

Betty Ford Raising Breast Cancer Awareness Past Exhibit … Cancer wherever it strikes the body, also strikes the spirit, and the best doctors in the world can't cure the spirit, only love and understanding can.  — Betty Ford, November 7, 1975 View Gallery Betty Ford's remarks to the American Cancer Society Just weeks after she became First Lady, Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer. On September 26, 1974, doctors discovered a lump in her breast during a routine medical examination. She underwent a …