Chicago Metro History Fair & National History Day
Archives aren't just for professional historians. These institutions contain valuable remnants of the past which students, teachers, researchers, and other individuals with an interest in history can use in a wide range of projects including National History Day and Chicago Metro History Fair projects.
The Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) collects, maintains, and makes available materials of enduring value to researchers studying women's contributions to society. As the accompanying digital exhibit Activist Mundelein signifies, the WLA's collections are as diverse as their potential uses. Collection strengths include second wave feminism, Catholic women, social justice activism, women artists, and more broadly, women in leadership in business, the arts, academics, community, and politics. Not limited to individual women, the WLA possesses the records of many women's organizations, mainly from Chicago or the Midwest. In addition, the WLA holds the records of Mundelein College, the last four year Catholic women's college in Illinois. Mundelein was renowned for its rigorous liberal arts curriculum and emphasis on nurturing women's individual skills and talents. This collection scope lends itself well to National History Day themes including this year's.
This section contains resources to assist students and teachers to learn how to use primary sources in History Fair projects. However, the same principles apply to all original historical research. Utilizing these resources and the WLA collections to create original scholarship in any format will complement students’ social studies conceptual and content competency and help develop analytical, critical thinking, and verbal skills.