IL HR0663

Recognizes February 2026 as the 100th anniversary of Black history commemorations in the United States, tracing back to Dr. Carter G. Woodson's founding of Negro History Week in 1926.

Honors Dr. Woodson's connection to Illinois through his master's degree from the University of Chicago and his 1915 founding of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.

Highlights 13 notable African American pioneers with Illinois connections, including Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (founder of Chicago), Ida B. Wells, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (first successful open heart surgery), Gwendolyn Brooks, Carol Moseley Braun, and Barack and Michelle Obama.

Affirms that Black history is American history and that its preservation is essential to democracy.

Encourages all Illinois citizens, schools, and cultural institutions to engage with the full, accurate truth of American history.