Native American History Program Starts Illinois Humanities Series At Isle A La Cache

ROMEOVILLE, IL — Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville will host a three-part Illinois Humanities Road Scholars series in 2026 starting with "We the Native People," the Forest Preserve District of Will County shared in a news release.

The program is set for 1 to 2 p.m. March 14, at at the museum in Romeoville and will feature award-winning author Kim Sigafus, whose family is from the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota, the preserve said in a news release. She will explore how the nation’s founding affected Native American communities.

Registration for this Forest Preserve District program is required by March 12; register online or call 815-722-9301.

According to the preserve, Sigafus will discuss what was happening in the country regarding Native Americans when the Declaration of Independence was signed and how the document and views surrounding it affected Native communities. Her presentation will also examine how Native people viewed their land, how they lived and worked, and what was lost as western expansion moved forward.

The program will include storytelling, music and audience participation with Native instruments, along with a discussion of traditional Native foods and a recipe to take home, the preserve said. There will also be a question-and-answer session.

The program highlights perspectives that are frequently overlooked, said Jen Guest, facility supervisor at Isle a la Cache Museum.

“It’s an opportunity for everyone, including students, families and history enthusiasts to engage with the past, ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of the Native communities whose voices and contributions were often left out of the nation’s story,” she said in a release.

The March 14 program is one of three that the museum will host this year as part of the Illinois Humanities Road Scholars program. The museum is the only site in Will County to be selected by Illinois Humanities as one of 12 Priority Partners in 2026, the preserve shared.

Guest said she is honored that the museum was chosen because it will allow Isle a la Cache to host two additional Road Scholars presentations later this year.

The programs are:

July 18, Native Illinois History & Contemporary Issues
Nov. 14, You are a Story: Memoir & Illinois Novelists

“A key part of this initiative is inclusive reflection, which examines who has historically been excluded from ‘We the People’ and how diverse communities have shaped American democracy,” Guest said in a release. “That is why we have invited several speakers from Native American communities to share their stories and perspectives, helping to show how Indigenous cultures are an essential part of the nation’s history.”