Celebration Honors Cultural & Civic Leaders in Chicago


Celebration Honors Cultural & Civic Leaders in Chicago

Landmarks Illinois will mark the 15th anniversary of the Legendary Landmarks Celebration on March 5, 2020, in Chicago. The annual event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Landmarks Illinois, the only statewide historic preservation nonprofit helping people all across Illinois save the treasured places in their communities.

Each year, the Legendary Landmarks Celebration attracts more than 750 people to honor cultural and civic leaders who make a positive impact on our city and state.

This year, Landmarks Illinois will pay tribute to 2020 Legendary Landmark Honorees Timuel D. Black Jr., civil rights leader and educator; Joseph P. Gromacki, senior partner of Jenner & Block LLP; and Matthew and Daniel Walsh, co-chairman of The Walsh Group.

“Whether it’s bringing forward stories of the struggle for civil rights, connecting people with resources or training them with new skills, our 2020 honorees shape our city — and its history — by investing in others,” said Bonnie McDonald, Landmarks Illinois president & CEO. “Landmarks Illinois is proud to honor their work as a model for others.”

The annual Legendary Landmarks Celebration is instrumental in funding Landmarks Illinois’ mission-driven advocacy programs, the heart of the organization’s work. Guests enjoy networking, dinner, drinks and an inspirational program that demonstrates Landmarks Illinois’ impact throughout the state, in addition to tributes to the Legendary Landmark Honorees.

Legendary

Landmark Honorees

Timuel D. Black Jr. is a noted civil rights leader, educator, historian, author and WWII veteran who has devoted his life to promoting Black history. At age 101, Black continues to give tours to young people in Bronzeville and share the stories of historic and culturally significant places on Chicago’s South Side, where he has spent most of his life.

Joseph P. Gromacki, a senior partner at the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP, is a civic leader and an active patron of the arts, serving on the boards of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Terra Foundation for American Art, the Richard H. Driehaus Museum, the Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association and several other organizations. A member of the National Trust Council and Landmarks Illinois Emeritus Board, he has championed many historic preservation efforts.

The Walsh Group, founded in 1898, is a fourth-generation family-owned, Chicago-based business providing services and finance for a wide variety of construction projects nationwide. The Walsh Group is the lead contractor on Chicago’s iconic Old Cook County Hospital project, a historic asset Landmarks Illinois advocated to save for 19 years. Co-Chairmen Matthew Walsh and Daniel J. will accept the honor on behalf of The Walsh Group.

Additional Event

Information

The Landmarks Illinois 2020 Legendary Landmarks Celebration will take place at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave., and begin at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception in the hotel’s Normandie Lounge. An awards program and dinner will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom, and an after party featuring live music and dessert will follow at 8:30 p.m. For the second year in a row, Landmarks Illinois will have Second City and Saturday Night Live alum Tim Kazurinsky serve as Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

Event Reservations

Individual reservations for the celebration begin at $500 per person. Table reservations for 10 people are available at $5,000, $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000 levels. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities and reservations at http://www.landmarks.org/events/legendary-landmarks-celebration

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