Sangamon Experience and the Diversity Center at the University of Illinois Springfield will host two Black History Month events that are free and open to the public.

Upcoming events include:

• “Memories of State Government: Springfield’s Doc Helm and his Photo Collection 1941 – 1992” at Noon Wednesday, Feb. 15 in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of the library. Eddie Winfred "Doc" Helm worked as the official state photographer of Illinois for over fifty years. He left behind a collection of over 45,000 photo negatives, documenting the political, social and cultural life of Springfield and Illinois. David Joens and Catheryne Popovitch of the Illinois State Archives will discuss Doc’s legacy and the task of making his work accessible to a broader audience.
• “Untold African American Stories” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of the library. Mary Frances, documentarian and independent historian, searched institutional and individual collections of photographs depicting the history of black life in Springfield. “Untold African American Stories” is told through photography and the stories of African American life in Springfield, Illinois. This event is sponsored by Illinois Humanities.

For more information, visit the Sangamon Experience website.