Documenting Day-to-day Life in Chicago

What do the office files of Claude A. Barnett, director of the Associated Negro Press from 1918 to 1967, and the Marshall Field and Company Archives have in common? They are both part of the extensive archives and manuscripts collection at the Chicago History Museum.

The Museum's holdings include written, typewritten, and electronic records produced by individuals, businesses, and organizations in the Chicago metropolitan area. They document life in Chicago, telling the diverse stories of the men and women who shaped and continue to shape the city we know today.

A Diversity of Stories

The Museum makes it a goal to assemble and maintain a collection that reflects the rich diversity of Chicago.

Our current holdings include archives from community organizations and religious-centered social action as well as documents related to politics, labor unions, civil rights, civil liberties, and school reform.