Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Foundation and Museum

   The Springfield African American History Foundation (SIAAHF) began communicating with Springfield natives in October 2003, hoping to gather oral histories of local African Americans. Interviewers were trained and a total of 31 tapes revealing African American history were transcribed. From these first interviews, those involved in the SIAAHF gained enthusiasm and determination concerning this compelling part of Springfield's history that had, until then, been relatively unnoticed.