Chicago Public Library adds to the programming of CSOA’s America 250

As part of the America 250 programming planned at Symphony Center in June 2026, audiences can enhance their exploration of some of the featured artists and music through a new curated reading list created in partnership with staff at the Chicago Public Library.  Books on the reading list highlight the stories and music of American composers including John Adams, Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Wynton Marsalis and John Williams.

In addition to the reading list, Chicago Public Library archivists will be in Grainger Ballroom before the CSO concert and during intermission on June 12 to invite audience members to participate in the Library’s Letters to America initiative, which is a citywide letter-writing project to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Chicagoans are invited to reflect on their lives, communities, and experiences in Chicago, and how those stories connect to a broader American story. These letters will become part of a permanent archival collection at the Chicago Public Library, preserving contemporary voices for future generations.  The Letters to America initiative continues through August 31, 2026, including options for Chicagoans to submit their letter at their local Chicago Public Library branch. At the conclusion of the project, all letters will be transferred to the Northside Neighborhood History Collection at Sulzer Regional Library to become part of the Letters to America Collection.

The partnership between Chicago Public Library and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association for America 250 programming is part of a larger set of programs offered by more than 170 partner organizations participating in Illinois America 250: an inclusive, statewide effort that uplifts local stories, places and programs, builds pride and showcases how Illinoisians bring the ideals of Declaration of Independence to life.

Among the special activities supported by Illinois America 250 are a Passport to Illinois with plenty of America 250-themed ideas to explore for summer road trips and staycations, an Illinois America 250 events calendar and Illinois Voices 250, a partnership between Illinois Humanities, the Illinois America 250 Commission and StoryCorps Studios to create a statewide time capsule capturing stories from all 102 Illinois counties in honor of America’s 250th anniversary.