Skokie | wikipedia.org
Skokie | wikipedia.org
On November 17, 2025, the Skokie Village Board approved a statement acknowledging that the land currently occupied by the Village is the ancestral homeland of Native peoples. The statement, called a Land Acknowledgement, recognizes the Council of Three Fires—Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), Odawak (Odawa), and Bodéwadmik (Potawatomi) Nations—as well as more than a dozen other Nations such as the Hoocąk (Ho-Chunk), Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Menominee (Mamaceqtaw), Myaamiaki (Miami), Sac and Fox, and Inoka (Illini Confederacy – Peoria, Piankashaw, Wea, Kaskasia).
The Village’s Land Acknowledgement states: “The Village of Skokie acknowledges that the land that it occupies today is the unceded, ancestral homelands of the Council of Three Fires: the Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), Odawak (Odawa), and Bodéwadmik (Potawatomi) Nations. More than a dozen other Nations called this area home, including the Hoocąk (Ho-Chunk); Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo); Menominee (Mamaceqtaw); Myaamiaki (Miami), Sac and Fox; Inoka (Illini Confederacy – Peoria, Piankashaw, Wea, Kaskasia).”
The statement continues: “Despite the forced removal, displacement, and oppression of the original inhabitants of this land, Indigenous communities continue to live, work, and thrive in the Village of Skokie and Chicagoland area. We recognize their enduring presence, resilience, and ongoing relationship to this land and commit to learning and promoting a greater understanding on the Indigenous peoples who stewarded and continue to steward the lands that the Village occupies and to strive to cultivate a diverse, equitable and inclusive society for all.”
It also adds: “May our acknowledgement reaffirm our commitment to dismantling the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism from which we benefit and inspire education, reflection, and meaningful action—today and for generations to come.”
This action follows an earlier decision by Skokie's Board in March 2025 when they approved a new Village seal designed to honor both local Native history as well as reflect Skokie's multicultural community.
Alerts Sign-up