About Illinois History Day
Illinois History Day began in 1947 as a publication entitled Illinois Junior Historian and later Illinois History sponsored by the Illinois State Historical Society and the Illinois State Historical Library (now the Lincoln Presidential Library) and later the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The first history day fair was held in 1963, decades before the emergence of a National History Day.
Today, the Illinois History Day academic competition allows students to create a wide variety of projects (exhibits, research papers, websites, documentaries, or performances) about an aspect of Illinois history. Students from sixth grade through eighth grade participate in the Junior Division and students from ninth grade through twelfth grade participate in the Senior Division. Illinois History Day consists of four regions: Northern, Central, Southern, and Chicago Metro. Students will participate in their respective regional competitions in hopes of being selected to participate in the state competition held in Springfield on April 24, 2024 at the Bank of Springfield Convention Center.
Students must ensure that their projects meet the qualifications listed in the handbook. Projects will be assessed based on historical accuracy, clarity in argument, relevance to Illinois, and the overall quality of the presentation.
Setup Needed...
What to Expect During the contest
Setup Needed...
Judge Criteria
A text overview of the job and criteria of a contest judge.