‘Our identity has been frozen in time’: How Native American advocates are influencing Springfield

‘Our identity has been frozen in time’: How Native American Advocates are Influencing Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Amid the annual bustle at the Illinois Capitol during the legislative session’s midpoint, a sea of color and singing filled the rotunda on a sunny March day. Editor's Note: This article was originally published in Capitol News Illinois...

‘Our identity has been frozen in time’: How Native American advocates are influencing Springfield

Illinois has a well-documented history as a removal state, meaning Native Americans were forcibly removed multiple times, including through the Trail of Tears.

How Native American advocates are influencing Springfield – Muddy River News

SPRINGFIELD — Amid the annual bustle at the Illinois Capitol during the legislative session’s midpoint, a sea of color and singing filled the rotunda on a sunny March day. Attendees of the 2025 Native American Summit, organized by the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative, were draped in regalia and leading a drum ceremony for the first time in an Illinois that was home to a federally recognized tribe. And it was happening amid a backd…