Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party Landmarking Documentation Approved by National Park Service
Chicago (December 22, 2023)–This morning, an email announcement from the National Park Service listed its approval for a Thematic Listing for the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party.
The documentation, available at this link, successfully adds the historical context of the Black Panther Party to the Illinois record and sets the criteria for properties affiliated with the chapter to be added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The first property under the Thematic Listing is the Church of the Epiphany, affectionately called the People’s Church. The Church of the Epiphany was landmarked for its stunning architecture in 1998, and the Historical Preservation Society is seeking an amendment to add the ILBPP’s history to the listing.
A decision from the National Park Service on the Church of the Epiphany is expected next week.
HPS Executive Director Leila Wills: “Our Landmarking Committee could not have accomplished this without the Illinois Chapter. We thank them for their participation and involvement in this three-year process. We also thank Amy Hathaway from the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office for her dedication in helping us cross the finish line. She felt this was an important project and spent countless hours on our documentation. Lisa DiChiera (now retired) of Landmarks Illinois was the first to partner with us and was a powerful ally. The Illinois Historic Advisory Council enthusiastically passed our nomination unanimously, sending it to the National Park Service. We thank them for their passionate and encouraging words during the vote. ”
The Landmarking Committee of the Historical Preservation Society is Leila Wills, Mikey Spehn, and Adam Yunis. When they came on board, Mikey and Adam were Loyola University Public History students. Both have since graduated and are still actively involved in the process.