2026 Chicago History Museum Exhibit

The Chicago History Museum’s US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago includes local artist responses to four founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance, US Constitution, and the Thirteenth Amendment.

The latest and final #USat250 installation, Dorian Sylvain’s “We Weave Our Future,” explores the complex legacy of the 13th Amendment, which formally ended slavery outside prisons in 1865 and helped establish mass incarceration.  

As part of the Museum's "US at 250" initiative, Sylvain's artwork responds to one of four important documents from U.S. history in the Museum's collection. Featuring patterns inspired by quilts made by enslaved people in the 18th and 19th centuries, the artwork is displayed alongside materials highlighting the history and impact of the John Howard Association, Illinois' only independent citizen correctional oversight organization.  

Founded in 1901 by Illinois prison reformer Reverend Frank Emory Lyon, the John Howard Association continues to monitor and report on prison conditions and treatment.

The Chicago History Museum is proud to recognize John Howard Association of Illinois for 125 years of advancing transparency, dignity and independent oversight in Illinois prisons.

This installation is on display in the Museum’s first-floor lobby from October 6, 2026 through January 3, 2027.