Springfield museum to open exhibit on New Philadelphia

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A temporary museum exhibit is to open in Springfield showcasing New Philadelphia - the first U.S. town to be founded and registered by an African-American.

The exhibit will be at the Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum through the end of July. The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports (http://bit.ly/2kEVp99 ) that the exhibit is a partnership between the Illinois State Museum and the African American History Museum.

A display case will have artifacts excavated from New Philadelphia during an archaeological project a few years ago. The site is near Barry in Pike County and is a National Historic Landmark.

Freed slave Frank McWorter founded the town. Fifth-generation members of his family are to speak at the museum in coming months.

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com