PEORIA — The Peoria Riverfront Museum says it has zero partisan intentions and will not be engaging in any partisan political activity during its participation in the Freedom 250 celebration in Washington, D.C., this month.
Riverfront Museum CEO John Morris emphasized to the Journal Star that the museum’s representation of Illinois in the event, which Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and other Democratic governors backed out of, is in no way an endorsement of any political party over another.
“We are a nonpartisan organization. We are not interested in any of the partisan activities or partisanship of what’s going on,” Morris said. “We are interested in proudly representing the greatest state in the Union — Illinois — and doing so in the same values and same multi-disciplinary mission that the museum as a nonpartisan enterprise has had since day one and will continue to have.”
Freedom 250, which is a different entity than the congressionally created America250 celebration, is a White House-connected nonprofit organization hosting a “Great American State Fair” on the National Mall which included UFC fights on the White House lawn.
A group of Democratic governors, including Pritzker, and multiple scheduled performers for Freedom 250, including Martina McBride and Bret Michaels, have backed out of the events.
The Riverfront Museum’s participation was first reported by NOTUS and then later by the Chicago Tribune, placing the museum in the wake of the rift between Pritzker and Trump over the event. Morris said he recognizes we live in a society where people will have a lot of opinions, but the museum’s job is not politics.
“Our job is not the politics here, our job is the mission to unleash the full talent and genius of every individual and to represent Illinois and Illinois values, especially our central Illinois values,” Morris said.
The Peoria Riverfront Museum privately raised $500,000 to attend the fair in Washington, D.C. None of the donors are partisan donors, Morris said. No member dollars are going toward the event, either, Morris said.
“I have no interest or intent on partisanship. We are committed to nonpartisanship and telling our story,” Morris said. “There is no endorsement of partisanship by this museum. There never has been, there never will be. But if America is having an official celebration, and we volunteered ourselves to America’s 250 commission, we’re proud to fill that space.”
What is the Peoria Riverfront Museum taking to Washington, D.C.?
A hologram of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, who lived in central Illinois and gave a famous speech in Peoria, will be traveling to Washington, D.C., from the Peoria Riverfront Museum, Morris said.
Other Illinois facts and exhibits will also be going, including recognition of Illinois as the birthplace of the skyscraper and the internet.
“There will be no political stuff going on, this is about the pride in Illinois,” Morris said. “It was presented to us as the official America 250 celebration on the National Mall and it was exciting to us to think Peoria could tell our story on a national basis.”
The museum has also been playing host to the nationally renowned “Promise of Liberty” exhibit, which celebrates the founding of the country.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Riverfront Museum explains participation in Freedom 250 events
Reporting by JJ Bullock, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By JJ Bullock, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
