1973
The Dirksen Congressional Center and the Pekin Public Library agree to build a new facility
1975
The Center’s exhibit hall opens to nearly 4,000 visitors in its first year
1976
A group of community-minded women and men forms The Dirksen Center Guild to support The Center’s educational and exhibit programs
1978
The Center receives an endowment grant of $2.5 million from the U.S. Congress, and over $100,000 from private foundations for program expansion
1980
The Center sponsors the first national conference on congressional leadership, resulting in Understanding Congressional Leadership: The State of the Art (Congressional Quarterly Press, 1982)
1981
The Center awards its first Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress
1984
The newly renovated exhibit, “Congress: The Voice of the People” opens
1985
The Center joins with the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to sponsor the Congressional Papers Conference in Harpers Ferry
1987
Ford Foundation awards $150,000 to The Center for a long-term study of congressional leadership
1989
Robert H. Michel designates The Center as the repository for his congressional papers
The Center awards its 100th Congressional Research Grant
1990
Former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield receives The Center’s first Award for Meritorious Service to Congress
Congressional Quarterly Press publishes Leading Congress: New Styles, New Strategies, a book commissioned by The Center
1991
Congressional Quarterly Press publishes First Among Equals: Outstanding Leaders of the 20th Century, a book commissioned by The Center
1992
The first “Congress in the Classroom” summer workshop for teachers is hosted by The Center, in cooperation with Bradley University
1994
The Congress, through the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, awards The Center a $2 million, four-year grant for the Robert H. and Corinne Michel Congressional Education Fund
1995
“Leaders of the House Over Two Centuries,” a conference sponsored by The Center, takes place in Washington, DC
1996
The centennial observance of Everett Dirksen’s birth leads to a renovated exhibit space now called the Robert H. Michel Civics Forum
CongressLink, a Web site for teachers, is launched, beginning a long-term investment in educational applications of emerging technology
1998
Westview Press publishes Masters of the House: Congressional Leaders Over Two Centuries, a book commissioned by The Center
The University Of Illinois Press publishes The Education of a Senator: Everett McKinley Dirksen, Everett Dirksen’s personal account of his life told through anecdotes, observations, and lessons learned
1999
The Robert H. Michel Civic Education Grants, a new program designed to assist teachers, makes eight awards
Westview Press publishes Congress and the Decline of Public Trust, a book of essays commissioned by The Center
The Center begins to explore the possibility of building its own facility and separating from the Pekin Public Library
2001
The Center co-sponsors a conference with Yale University and the University of Colorado, “The Macro-Politics of Congress”
2002
Groundbreaking
The Center breaks ground for its new building on October 24
2003
On September 26 and 28, The Center holds grand opening events for its new building at 2815 Broadway
Congressman Ray LaHood announces his decision to donate his papers to The Center
2004
The Center establishes the Ray LaHood Scholarships for the Study of American Government and awarded two in 2004
The Center is a founding member of the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress, a group of more than 40 institutions seeking to improve access to historical materials and to conduct public programs to enhance the appreciation of Congress
2005
The Center completes the Civil Rights Documentation Project
2006
The Center publishes The Long Hard Furrow: Everett Dirksen’s Part in the Civil Rights Act of 1964
2007
The Center joins with Bradley University to establish the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service
The Center publishes Campaign 1944: Everett Dirksen’s Bid for the White House
2008
The Center publishes Facing the Post-War World: Everett M. Dirksen Abroad, 1945
The Center receives major portions of the Ray LaHood Papers
2009
The Center joins with IPL and the Bipartisan Public Policy Center in Washington DC to sponsor a breakfast promoting civility for new Congress members
2011
The Center holds the 20th Congress in the Classroom® workshop for social studies teachers
The Center publishes Of Fakers, Flip-Floppers, Bunglers, and Cowards: Everett Dirksen’s Campaign for the U.S. Senate, 1950
2012
Version 2.0 of the Congressional Timeline appears on The Center’s websuite
This special project arrays more than 900 of the nation’s laws on a timeline, beginning with the first Congress in 1789 and continuing to the present
2013
50th anniversary of The Center receiving its charter
Ray LaHood and Frank Mackaman sign a contract with Cambria Press to publish Ray LaHood’s memoir, Seeking Bipartisanship: My Life in Politics
2014
The Center cosponsors with the Institute for Principled Leadership “Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Historic Civil Rights Act of 1964”
2015
Congressman Aaron Schock designates The Center as the repository for his papers
A nine-member National Advisory Council is formed
Reception and book-signing at Center for Ray LaHood’s Seeking Bipartisanship: My Life in Politics
2016
Congressional Research Grants program surpasses $1,000,000 awarded via the Congressional Research Grants, 1978-2016
The Center cosponsors with IPL “Returning Civility to Public Discourse”
Darin LaHood designates The Center as the repository for his papers
Center launches the Robert H. Michel Retrospective to produce a book documenting Michel’s contribution to congressional history
2017
Robert H. Michel dies in Washington DC on February 17
Center receives $20,000 grant from the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress for the Michel Retrospective
Center cosponsors with IPL “Restoring America’s Democracy: Inspiring a New Generation of Civic Engagement”
The University Press of Kansas agrees to publish Robert H. Michel: Leading the Republican House Minority
Board of Directors approves the “Dirksen Congressional Center Partnership Initiative”
2018
The Board of Directors approves the “Dirksen Center Partnership Initiative” to invest in the programs of like-minded organizations
2019
Tiffany White selected to replace Frank Mackaman as Executive Director. Mackaman continues as Historian.
The Center cosponsors with IPL the Bob Michel book talk, recorded by and aired on C-SPAN
2020
The Center initiates a book-length publication (to be later titled “Disruption?”) exploring the impact of Donald Trump’s presidency on the US Senate; selects Dr. Sean Theriault as the editor; commits to $75,000 total investment.
2021
Center cosponsors with IPL “Tackling Climate Change in the Rural Midwest”
Center commissions Wade Dooley to write a play about Everett Dirksen, later titled “The Honorable Mister Marigold”
2022
The Center cosponsors with IPL the Cheri Bustos Tribute Dinner
Center signs Deeds of Gift for three new collections: Rodney Davis (IL-13); Adam Kinzinger; (IL-16), and Cheri Bustos (IL-17)
2023
The Center joins its ACSC partners in launching the American Digital Archives Portal Project
The annual Michel – LaHood DC Internship Award Program, funded through the Ray LaHood Endowment Fund, begins
The Center cosponsors with IPL “What Leadership Means to Me”
The Center hosts Mansfield and Dirksen: Bipartisan Giants of the Senate book talk with Author Marc Johnson
“The Honorable Mister Marigold” conducts industry reading in New York City
2024
“Disruption?” published by Oxford University Press
The Center publishes children’s book “Everett McKinley Dirksen: a Gardener, a Baker, a National Law-Maker”