1/15/2024 | Mark Hanson, Curator of Collections and Exhibits

Annually, Champaign, Urbana, Champaign County, Rantoul, Parkland College, and the University of Illinois unite for a countywide celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy. Community members receive prestigious awards for their dedication to Dr. King's ideals. The ceremony is held at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts). Learn more: http://tinyurl.com/4dfmd6sn. One award, the Doris Hoskins Prestigious Community Service Award, recognizes individuals improving Champaign County's well-being.

Born on October 18, 1911, in Champaign, Illinois, Mrs. Doris K. Wylie Hoskins dedicated years to volunteering and community development. As the archivist for the Committee on African American History in Champaign County, she collaborated with various communities and created the Doris K. Wylie Hoskins Archive for Cultural Diversity.

Proudly preserved at the Museum of the Grand Prairie, the archive is in the midst of a multi-year processing and digitization project! The Hoskins archive has supported many museum exhibits and the new Champaign County African American Heritage Trail project (https://ccafricanamericanheritage.org/).

Explore this rich community resource by contacting 217-586-2612 or emailing Mhanson@ccfpd.org.