Categories: Press Releases

Chicago History Museum Unveils Third “US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago” Installation

Barrett Keithley’s “The People, We Are: A Living Reflection on the U.S. Constitution” now open to the public

CHICAGO (July 21, 2026) – As part of its “US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago” initiative, the Chicago History Museum unveiled the third of four rotating contemporary art installations responding to four important documents from U.S. history in the Museum’s collection: the Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance, U.S. Constitution, and the Thirteenth Amendment.

The work is on view in the Museum’s first-floor lobby through October 2026. “The People, We Are: A Living Reflection on the U.S. Constitution” by Barrett Keithley, a local multi-disciplinary artist, cultural strategist, and creative entrepreneur, is a mixed-media mural that visually and emotionally explores the impact of the U.S. Constitution and invites visitors to reflect on the living document that continues to shape and be shaped by the people it serves.

“At a time when our constitution is being tested, it is vital that we consider its history and future together,” said Chicago History Museum Curator of Civic Engagement and Social Justice Elena Gonzales. “Keithley’s piece invites us to commit to building justice and freedom for everyone by supporting our democracy, and to think creatively about how we can each do that in our own lives.”

“US at 250” is anchored in the Chicago History Museum’s collection materials relating to the United States’ founding and Chicago’s civic legacies. The project centers the city as a place of participatory action and the Museum as a space for making connections between past, present, and future. It highlights stories of people coming together to fight for equality, inclusion, and a voice in decisions that affect their lives. 

As part of the “US at 250” initiative, the purpose of these art installations is to explore the ongoing work of democracy throughout the nation’s complex history through letterpress prints, murals, altar monuments, and interactive experiences. Each work is on display in the Museum’s lobby for three months.

The first installation, “Self-Evident: A Letterpress Exploration of the Declaration of Independence,” on view from January to March 2026, featured artist Vida Sačić, whose work explored the language and legacy of the nation’s founding ideals, inviting visitors to consider how the promises of the Declaration of Independence continue to resonate and be contested today. From April to June 2026, artists Carlos Flores and Deon Reed presented “Porta(til),” a collaborative installation inspired by the Northwest Ordinance. Their work highlighted the Northwest Ordinance’s promises of freedom for formerly enslaved African Americans and land rights for Indigenous peoples, and reimagined its expansionist legacy through participatory, community-driven action.

Following Barret Keithley, the final installation from Dorian Sylvain, a local artist from the Bronzeville area, responding to the Thirteenth Amendment, will debut in October 2026, completing the four-part artistic exploration of America’s founding documents and how they connect with Chicago’s long history of civic action.

In addition to the responses by local artists, the broader “US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago” initiative includes updated stories and objects in the “Facing Freedom” exhibition, which reopened July 4, public and community engagement within and outside the Museum’s walls, Civic Circle discussions for teens and young adults, resources for grades 6–12 students and teachers, and conservation work and an exhibition, “Threads of a Nation: Preserving Presidential Clothing,” on historical clothing worn by some of the nation’s founders, opening in October 2026.

For more information about “US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago” visit chicagohistory.org/us-at-250-civic-action-in-chicago or contact Emily Miller, Public Communications Manager, at [email protected] or (312) 799-2161.

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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 located at 1601 N. Clark Street in Lincoln Park, its third location. 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. The Museum collects and preserves millions of artifacts, documents, and images to assist in sharing Chicago stories. The Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Chicago Park District on behalf of the people of Chicago.