Budzinski lobbies on Capitol Hill about recognizing 1908 Springfield Race Riot site

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The push to recognize the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot as a national monument has continued.

Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) held a news conference on Capitol Hill earlier this week, joined by the advocacy group Monuments For All.

“The 1908 Springfield Race Riot is an example of our nation’s deep history of racial violence – it’s also the story of strength and resilience that led to the creation of the NAACP and the fight for civil rights,” Budzinski said. “Since coming to Congress, I’ve been pushing for our history to be appropriately recognized by introducing bipartisan legislation to designate the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot as a national monument, and by leading the Illinois congressional delegation in a request for President Biden to memorialize the site by invoking the Antiquities Act.”

While working on the Springfield Rail Improvements Project, more parts of homes and artifacts destroyed during the riots were found.

A bipartisan group of Illinois lawmakers have proposed the federal government to step into protecting the site. The National Park Service also deemed the site ‘eligible’ for protection last year.

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