Known as “the Heartland,” the Midwest is often characterized as a homogeneous space between the American coasts. But for centuries, the Midwest has been a region in demographic flux, as migrations—both forced and voluntary—have transformed it time and again. Indigenous peoples moved across the Midwest for thousands of years before (and for hundreds of years after) Europeans arrived. The forced removal of Indigenous nations from the region corresponded to an increased European/American presence, as waves of settlers from England, France, Germany, and elsewhere displaced—often violently—the original inhabitants. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the Midwest drew African American migrants from the southern United States, Japanese-American migrants from the West, and migrant populations from Mexico and other Central and South American countries. Today, the Midwest continues to draw migrants from across the country and around the world.

Drawing on historical material from cultural organizations across the Midwest, this digital exhibit presents representative stories of the many migrations that have transformed the Midwest—and continue to do so to this day. Learn more about the collaborative creation of this digital exhibition.

The Newberry Library is situated on the aboriginal homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi Nations, and the Illinois Confederacy: the Peoria and Kaskaskia Nations. Many other nations including the Myaamia, Wea, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Thakiwaki, Meskwaki, Kiikaapoi, and Mascouten peoples also call this region home. Indigenous people continue to live in this area and celebrate their traditional teachings and lifeways. Today, Chicago is home to one of the largest urban Indigenous communities in the United States and this land remains an important place for Indigenous peoples. As a Chicago institution, it is our responsibility to acknowledge this historical context and build reciprocal relationships with the tribal nations on whose lands we are situated.