More than 175 years after their reservation in Illinois was illegally sold at auction, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is now in line to get their land back.
Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Friday authorizing the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to hand over to the tribe the ownership title to Shabbona Lake State Park, a 1,500-acre tract in southern DeKalb County that largely overlaps the tribe’s original reservation.
“This moment reflects the power of collaboration and the shared desire to build a future rooted in justice and respect,” Prairie Band Potawatomi Chairman Joseph ‘Zeke” Rupnick said in a statement. “Illinois has shown true courage and vision by leading the way in the Land Back movement, demonstrating that healing and reconciliation are possible.”…