ANNUAL REPORT JULY 2018–JUNE 2019 2019 ANNUAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Board of Trustees 4 Chair’s Message 5 President’s Message 7 Auxiliary Groups 9 Year in Review 23 Spark Awards 25 Making History Awards 27 Honor Roll of Donors 31 Donors to the Collection 32 Lincoln Honor Roll Society 33 This Is Chicago Campaign 35 Treasurer’s Report 37 Volunteers 38 Staff 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois 60614 chicagohistory.org 312.642.4600 The Chicago History Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Chicago Park District on behalf of the people of Chicago. From top: Radio Flyer Streak-O-Lite coaster wagon on display in Modern by Design, which opened in October 2018. CHM volunteers at the April 2019 Volunteer Recognition Reception. CHM members enjoying the Members Open House in June 2019. ChicagoHistoryMuseum 2 2018–19 Annual Report BOARD OF TRUSTEES Officers Trustees Life Trustees Walter C. Carlson James L. Alexander David P. Bolger THE J. YOUNG Chair Catherine Arias Laurence O. Booth SCAMMON David D. Hiller Gregory J. Besio Stanley J. Calderon AWARD Chair Emeritus Matthew J. Blakely John W. Croghan Daniel S. Jaffee Denise R. Cade Patrick W. Dolan In 2016, the Board of First Vice Chair Paul Carlisle Paul H. Dykstra Trustees established Mary Lou Gorno Walter C. Carlson Michael H. Ebner an award to recognize Second Vice Chair Warren K. Chapman Sallie L. Gaines members of the board Tobin E. Hopkins Rita Sola Cook Sharon Gist Gilliam who have exhibited Treasurer Keith L. Crandell Barbara A. Hamel substantial, exemplary, and Denise R. Cade Patrick F. Daly M. Hill Hammock consequential services on Secretary James P. Duff Susan S. Higinbotham behalf of the Museum in Gary T. Johnson A. Gabriel Esteban Dennis H. Holtschneider C.M. carrying out and fulfilling Edgar D. and Deborah R. Lafayette J. Ford Henry W. Howell, Jr. its mission. Jannotta President T. Bondurant French Philip W. Hummer Timothy J. Gilfoyle Edgar D. Jannotta The award is named for Honorary Trustee Gregory L. Goldner Falona Joy Jonathan Young Scammon The Honorable Mary Lou Gorno Barbara Levy Kipper (1812–90). A prominent Lori Lightfoot David A. Gupta W. Paul Krauss business and civic leader Mayor, City of Chicago Brad Henderson Fred A. Krehbiel and one of the founders David D. Hiller Josephine Louis of Marine Bank, Scammon Honorary Life Trustee Courtney Hopkins R. Eden Martin was among the Chicagoans The Honorable Tobin E. Hopkins Robert Meers who met in his law offices Richard M. Daley Philip Isom Josephine Baskin Minow to establish the Chicago The Honorable Daniel S. Jaffee Timothy P. Moen Historical Society on Rahm Emanuel Gary T. Johnson Potter Palmer April 24, 1856. Ronald G. Kaminski John W. Rowe Randye A. Kogan Jesse H. Ruiz 2019 Judith H. Konen Gordon I. Segal • Russell L. Lewis, Jr.D Michael J. Kupetis Larry C. Selander Robert C. Lee Paul L. Snyder D Deceased Ralph G. Moore Michael A. Nemeroff Trustees Emeritus Kelly Noll Bradford L. Ballast M. Bridget Reidy Paul J. Carbone, Jr. Joseph Seliga Jonathan Fanton Samuel J. Tinaglia Cynthia Greenleaf Mark D. Trembacki Cheryl L. Hyman Ali Velshi Nena Ivon Gail D. Ward Douglas Levy Jeffrey W. Yingling Erica C. Meyer Robert R. Yohanan Eboo Patel James Reynolds, Jr. Elizabeth Richter Nancy K. Robinson April T. Schink Jeff Semenchuk Kristin Noelle Smith Margaret Snorf Sarah D. Sprowl Noren Ungaretti Joan Werhane This list reflects the Board on June 30, 2019. ChicagoHistoryMuseum 3 2018–19 Annual Report CHAIR’S MESSAGE On behalf of the Chicago History Museum Board of Trustees, to place historic images in their contemporary context to I would like to report to you on our accomplishments during inspire new ways of thinking. I hope you will visit our website fiscal year 2018–19, particularly as they relate to the core (chicago00.org) to take a look. We also inspire curiosity aspects of our mission. Our mission is to “share Chicago’s about history when we are having fun, such as our programs stories, serving as a hub of scholarship and learning, on Chicago stories at the Hot Dog Fest that we host annually inspiration, and civic engagement.” in Lincoln Park, as well as our popular History Happy Hours. In fulfillment of our mission during the past calendar year, • Civic engagement—Our commitment to Chicago’s among other accomplishments, we hosted 59,285 students communities was recognized by the Institute for Museum on visits to the Museum, held workshops for more than 1,344 and Library Services (IMLS) when we received its national teachers, collaborated with the Chicago Park District on award in 2016. IMLS cited our long-standing engagement summer programs serving more than 3,400 youth, and hosted with communities, including Chinatown (where we created the Chicago Metro History Fair involving more than 18,930 an exhibition in conjunction with the community and then students. As you can see, it was a busy year. transferred it to the Chinese American Museum of Chicago) and the LGBTQ community (where our nationally recognized Here are just a few examples of how we serve each aspect of exhibition was just one highlight of an on-going fifteen- our mission, often in ways not visible to the public: year program). We also are proud of our new engagement in an area of civic need: the Chicago Police Department • Scholarship—Our Research Center is the front door to one has chosen the Chicago History Museum as its venue for of the top urban history collections in the world. Researchers teaching recruits about Chicago communities. access those riches both in person and, to a growing extent, online. Our collecting priorities are guided by the needs of We are able to make progress on our mission because of the scholars, and include preserving content from underserved dedicated service of our employees, our many volunteers, communities. Our recent acquisition of the Raeburn Flerlage our Board of Trustees, and our members and donors. Sadly, blues and jazz scene photography collection is an excellent Russell Lewis, our Executive Vice President and Chief example. As another example, the Museum continues to Historian, passed away unexpectedly this past year. Russell host the Urban History Seminar, where academic and public worked for the Museum for thirty-six years and had been at historians meet to discuss their latest research and to share the core of our institution. While Russell will be missed dearly, their experiences. We are honored to host these sessions he had well-trained successors ready to step up, including Dr. that attract national interest from urban historians. Peter Alter, who is now our Chief Historian, and John Russick, who is our new Senior Vice President. • Learning—Visitors to our Museum are familiar with the schoolchildren who arrive in buses during the school We have also commenced fiscal year 2020 with a great year and the Chicago Park District day-camp groups that sense of purpose. As this report is going to press, we have visit during the summer. What you may not know is that successfully completed our capital campaign and raised $50 a number of these are enhanced visits, where classes million to benefit the Museum for years to come. We have also receive supplemental instruction from our staff. In addition, opened our new exhibit, American Medina: Stories of Muslim our online curriculum resources are used by teachers and Chicago, and hope that you find it inspiring. classes throughout the region. We also provide online resources for lifelong learners, including the Encyclopedia of Thank you for all you do to help us to achieve our mission. Chicago, which we host on our website (www.chicagohistory. org). The Chicago Metro History Fair, which became part of the Museum in 2016, assists students throughout the region in learning how to study history and to research projects by using inquiry-based methods. • Inspiration—Our purpose is “to help people make meaningful and personal connections to history.” Exhibitions, programs, and tours are the most visible ways by which we Walter C. Carlson inspire those connections, but there are many others. Our Chair Chicago 00 projects use augmented reality and virtual reality Chicago History Museum Board of Trustees ChicagoHistoryMuseum 4 2018–19 Annual Report PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE What are the characteristics of an outstanding nonprofit, one Internal growth of mission-driven results. Actively sharing that merits the investment of time, talent, and treasure? collections is at the heart of our mission. What are the metrics to measure our success? We put the collection The business world offers a starting point. Fund managers to work in exhibitions we produce ourselves, such as the typically select outstanding companies for investment by two we opened this fiscal year, Modern by Design: Chicago looking for characteristics such as excellent management Streamlines America and Silver Screen to Mainstream: and governance, recurring revenues, internal revenue American Fashion in the 1930s and ’40s. We also experiment growth, and return on net capital. With some modifications, with new ways to interpret our collection, including with the characteristics such as these can be tailored to nonprofits. award-winning Chicago 00 virtual reality and augmented reality projects. We share our collection with the globe • “Excellent management and governance” and “recurring through virtual exhibitions—twelve so far, ten of which are revenues” are good tests for nonprofits and for businesses hosted by Google Arts & Culture. Our archival digitization alike. (For nonprofits, the talents, connections, and programs set national standards for their scale and generosity of the Board members are particularly importance. Working with ProQuest, we have about 500,000 important.) pages from our archives online and accessible 24/7 • For nonprofits, the counterpart to “internal revenue growth” through seventy university and research libraries around ought to be “internal growth of mission-driven results.” the country.