SPRINGFIELD — Leaders from Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a Springfield, Ill.-based nonprofit network of Catholic community hospitals in Illinois and Wisconsin, applaud President Biden for signing a proclamation today establishing the archeological site associated with the 1908 Springfield Race Riot as a National Monument.
The new monument, managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and located near Madison Street and the 10th Street Rail Corridor, commemorates one of the most violent racial incidents in United States history. HSHS had partnered with the Park Service, Springfield NAACP and City of Springfield in support of a site study and plan that took multiple years.
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“This monument memorializes a tragic event that is an unfortunate part of our nation’s history,” said Damond W. Boatwright, President and CEO of HSHS. “Our founding Hospital Sisters, in the aftermath of the riot, cared for the injured at St. John’s while homes and businesses burned nearby. Their commitment to care for all of God’s people, regardless of race, set an example that continues to inspire us today to promote peace and racial justice.”
Boatwright noted he hopes the outdoor historic site will become a national attraction and serve as a powerful educational opportunity, as well as a place of healing.
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