Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans voiced their demand for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. In Chicago, thousands gathered in Civic Center Plaza (now the Richard J. Daley Center) and colleges, universities, and schools held demonstrations, protests, and talks opposing the deterioration of More
Restaurants share stories and cultures through the ultimate human experience—breaking bread together. At first glance, one may equate Chicago with hot dogs, deep-dish pizza, and Italian beef sandwiches, but throughout the city, you can find Michelin-starred restaurants, innovative culinary experiences, and revolutionary cocktail bars. We’re even the host city for the James Beard Awards. Trace our More
While there may be a curfew on liquor sales now, history has taught us not to get between Chicago and its booze. On this day in 1855, the Lager Beer Riot ensued after mayor Levi Boone renewed enforcement of an old local ordinance mandating that taverns be closed on Sundays, which was seen as targeting More
Nicknamed the “The King of Fashion,” Paul Poiret was known for turning nineteenth-century couture tradition on its head and ushering in the modern era of garment design. Born on this day in 1879 in Paris, he is notable for using Asian, Eastern European, and North African design elements, emphasizing draping rather than tailoring, and moving More
Today marks Easter for Eastern Orthodox Christians—those who adhere to the liturgies and customs of the ancient Byzantine church, including using the Julian calendar, which places Easter at a later date. In Chicago, Greek, Russian, and Serbian believers were among the first to establish permanent Eastern Orthodox churches. One example is the Holy Trinity Orthodox More
This one’s for all the parents and caregivers out there juggling working from home, digital learning, and just trying to make it through the day. In this article, Richard Cahan, former Chicago Sun-Times photo editor and guest curator for our upcoming exhibition Millions of Moments: The Chicago Sun-Times Photo Collection, reflects on how his late More
On This Day in 1970, an estimated 40 million people watched on television as Apollo 13 splashed down safely in the South Pacific. The lunar module was supposed to be the third mission to land on the moon, but an explosion in one of the oxygen tanks during the flight forced astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack More
The Chicago History Museum is excited to launch In This Together, our community-based initiative to collect digital records that capture personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Diaries, journals, oral histories, images, recordings, and similar materials are all essential for documenting history. They provide depth and context for what an event or era was like for More
On this day 155 years ago, Abraham Lincoln took his last breath in this bed. After he was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre the night before, Lincoln was carried across the street to a boarding house operated by William and Anna Petersen. His deathbed is on display at CHM in our permanent More
Need some motivation for working from home? We’re finding inspiration in Robert Ford, a Chicago writer, DJ, publisher, advocate, and cultural documentarian who published Thing magazine out of his apartment from 1989 to 1993. The magazine was a platform for black LGBTQ+ life and its issues were filled with art, music, poetry, and articles about More