Reconstructing Heritage in Central Illinois The settlement of African Americans in Illinois is now widely recognized as a recent event dating back to the civil war era and the reconstruction period following the abolition of slavery. Although some studies have suggested slightly earlier dates for the settlement, these have yet to be confirmed by archaeological evidence. The cultural identity of the early black settlers of Illinois continues to be debated. Some have favored settlement by free Africans through New France, including historical figures like Jean Baptiste Dusable. Others have suggested that Illinois was a major route for the Underground Railroad that guided many escaped enslaved persons to their freedom in the north. Communities that are primarily African American, like Hopkins Park, are important for resolving these outstanding questions. Since 2005, Field Museum Curator Chap Kusimba and Adjunct Curator Scott Demel have been working at sites in Hopkins Park with a team of researchers, students, and members of the local community. The archaeological finds place these sites in the late 19th century, although the community settled on an area previously inhabited by Illinois Native Americans. Over the summers of 2007 and 2008, archaeological research will continue at these sites in Hopkins Park, Kankakee County, Illinois. As part of the team excavating the site, Kusimba and Demel also lead a team of middle-school students from Lorenzo R. Smith School who take part in the research project, and are trained in the processes involved in ethnoarchaeological research.