We Voted Exhibit Opening at the Ethnic Heritage Museum

Celebrate the start of Black History Month with a special exhibit unveiling and live programming at Rockford’s Ethnic Heritage Museum. On Sunday, February 1, the museum’s African-American Gallery will debut its newest exhibit, “We Voted,” highlighting the history and impact of African-American civic participation at both the local and national level.

The exhibit unveiling will take place from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., featuring a full afternoon of engaging, time-specific experiences. Beginning at 2:00 p.m., visitors can explore the newly opened exhibit, which showcases local African-Americans elected to public office, national campaign history from both major political parties, and historic campaign materials—including rare buttons from the Hoover and Eisenhower presidential campaigns. Also on display is a President Barack Obama quilt, created in part by students from the Booker Washington Community Center.

At 3:00 p.m., guests are invited to attend a presentation titled “African-Americans in Rockford Politics” by historian Jean Lythgoe, recently retired from the Rockford Public Library’s Local History Room.

Throughout the event, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., the League of Women Voters will be on site to register new voters and answer questions about the voting process. During the same timeframe, former Rockford alderman Victory Bell—the city’s first African-American elected official and the longest-serving alderman in U.S. history—will be available to sign copies of his new book, Life and Trials of Victory Bell: Striving to Make a Positive Difference.

Following the opening day, the “We Voted” exhibit will remain on display through the end of April, offering visitors an extended opportunity to engage with this timely and meaningful exploration of history, leadership, and representation.