May 06, 2021

Duckworth Tours Cahokia Mounds and Discusses National Historic Site Designation

 

[COLLINSVILLE, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today toured the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and met with the site’s superintendent, Lori Belknap, and HeartLands Concervancy to learn more about the history of the site and discuss designating Cahokia Mounds as a National Historic Park. Duckworth recently helped introduce legislation to designate the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site as a National Historic Park to help preserve the historic, cultural and natural resources associated with the life of the Mississippian Culture, which is central to the heritage of many Native American nations and tribes. Photos from today’s visit are available here.

“The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is of extraordinary cultural and historical importance to our state and to this country,” Duckworth said. “Making our national parks better reflect our nation’s people and history—and making these lands accessible to all—is long overdue. I’m glad I was able to tour the site today and learn more about its history, and I’ll continue working to make sure we properly recognize this site at the federal level.”

Duckworth is a co-sponsor with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) of the Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park Act, which would designate the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site as a National Historic Park. This would elevate the site beyond its current designation as a National Historic Landmark and offer additional protections for the ancient mounds in St. Clair and Madison counties.

Duckworth has been a longtime supporter of making public lands and national parks devoted to better reflecting the history and people of our country. Earlier this year she re-introduced legislation to designate the sites of the 1908 Race Riot in Springfield, Illinois, as a national monument, as well as legislation to designate the church that held Chicagoan Emmett Till’s pivotal funeral in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood as a national historic site.

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