News and Updates

Demolished Panther Headquarters to Receive Historical Marker at Former Site
Historical Preservation Society Historical Preservation Society

Demolished Panther Headquarters to Receive Historical Marker at Former Site

As we announced last week, the City of Chicago has approved our first historical marker installation at 2350 W. Madison, the former location of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party headquarters. We will hold a dedication ceremony at 2350 W. Madison on Saturday, July 26, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Please join us!

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VIDEOS: Free Community Events Leading to Peoria Historical Marker Installation
Historical Preservation Society Historical Preservation Society

VIDEOS: Free Community Events Leading to Peoria Historical Marker Installation

The Historical Preservation Society of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party, Ward Chapel, A.M.E. and the Mark Clark family invite the community to participate in a series of public programs leading to the installation and dedication of Ward Chapel’s historical marker.

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PHOTOS: Heritage Trail Dedication and Celebration
Historical Preservation Society Historical Preservation Society

PHOTOS: Heritage Trail Dedication and Celebration

On Sunday, October 27, 2024, we invited our members, donors and friends to share the unveiling of all 13 historical markers marking the start of the Black Panther Party Heritage Trail in Illinois.

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PHOTOS: Black Panther Party Exhibit Reception
Historical Preservation Society Historical Preservation Society

PHOTOS: Black Panther Party Exhibit Reception

On August 7, 2024, we marked a significant moment in history with the opening reception for an Epiphany Center for the Arts exhibit dedicated to the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party. The exhibit, Preserving the Heritage of the Black Panther Party in Illinois, is a powerful testament to the chapter's enduring legacy, capturing its politics and programs.

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Bus Tour Success!
Historical Preservation Society Historical Preservation Society

Bus Tour Success!

We haven’t come down from our fantastic voyage on Saturday! We are so grateful for the turnout, the comradery, and all we learned to make it even better in the future. Thank you for sharing this special experience with us!

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Walter “Slim” Coleman: City-Wide Memorial May 30
Leila Wills Leila Wills

Walter “Slim” Coleman: City-Wide Memorial May 30

A special Sunday service dedicated to Rev.  Coleman will be held on April 21,  11:00 a.m., at Lincoln United Methodist Church, 2242 S. Damen Ave., Chicago. There will be a city-wide memorial honoring Rev. Coleman on May 30.  More details to come.

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Fred Hampton and Mark Clark Park
Historical Preservation Society Historical Preservation Society

Fred Hampton and Mark Clark Park

Franklin Park, 4320 W. 15th Street, is near several significant sites in North Lawndale, the most prominent Black Panther Party area.

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A Few Notes on the Rainbow Coalition and Chicago’s Near North Side
Jerry "Odinga" Dunigan Jerry "Odinga" Dunigan

A Few Notes on the Rainbow Coalition and Chicago’s Near North Side

​​It’s important to remember that besides the West and South Sides, a substantial community was on the Near North Side. Besides Cabrini-Green, which housed 15,000 people, African Americans then lived modestly (often in tenements) around Cleveland & Larrabee Streets, Old Town Gardens. 

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This is Black History: Help us Honor the Black Panther Party
Historical Preservation Society Historical Preservation Society

This is Black History: Help us Honor the Black Panther Party

We are commemorating, documenting, and preserving the history of the Black Panther Party in Illinois. This is Black History. Join the Historical Preservation Society to be a part of this movement. Your $25 membership fee will go to our Historical Markers Fund.

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