The Illinois Humanities community event series, Kaskaskia and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union will kick-off this week. The series explores the demographic, cultural, and political shifts that shaped Kaskaskia, Illinois, and that carry significant relevance to shaping the democratic vision of the country. “The remarkably multilayered story of Kaskaskia is essential to the stories of our state and our country,” said Matt Meacham, program manager of statewide engagement at Illinois Humanities and Randolph County native. “This history involves many groups of people – Indigenous and Black people, both enslaved and free, French and British people, Anglo-Americans from the South and the North, and subsequent immigrants – and many dramatic social, governmental, and economic changes that reflect the landscape of the state and country throughout time.” The video premiere kicks off on October 6, and an in-person discussion will follow at Chester Public Library in Chester, Illinois on October 11.