Thank you to all of the healthcare professionals, emergency services, volunteers, and everyone on the frontlines fighting COVID-19. We are grateful for your efforts to keep us all safe and healthy.

We’re living in unprecedented times, but Chicago has experienced hardship before. Explore how the city overcame epidemics of the past and how they ultimately helped improve public health, sanitation, and development. View the encyclopedia of Chicago.

Above: American Red Cross volunteers make face masks for Chicagoans during the deadly 1918 influenza epidemic. World War I offered women many new opportunities, both paid and volunteer, and the Red Cross was one of the most popular volunteer agencies. DN-0070539, Chicago Sun-Times/Chicago Daily News collection, CHM.

Explore CHM’s photo collection.

 

ABOUT THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM

The Chicago History Museum is situated on ancestral homelands of the Potawatomi people, who cared for the land until forced out by non-Native settlers. Established in 1856, the Museum is now at 1601 N. Clark Street in Lincoln Park, its third location. As a major museum and research center for Chicago and U.S. history, the Chicago History Museum strives to be a destination for learning, inspiration and civic engagement. Through dynamic exhibitions, tours, publications, special events and programming, the Museum connects people to Chicago’s history and to each other. To share Chicago stories, the Museum collects and preserves millions of artifacts, documents, images and other items that are relevant to the city’s history. The Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Chicago Park District on behalf of the people of Chicago.