Legacy 250 Comes to the Art Institute of Chicago, Revealing Nearly 250 Years of India–America Connections

September 13 program explores a shared history from the American Revolution
and Vivekananda to science, education, civil rights and innovation
CHICAGO — August 2026 — As the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of
American independence, a special program at the Art Institute of Chicago will explore a lesser-
known story: nearly 250 years of connections between India and America.
US–India Legacy 250 will be presented on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at Fullerton Hall at
the Art Institute of Chicago. The program will feature a historical exhibition, short
documentary screening, multimedia presentation, keynote addresses and a panel discussion with
scholars and civic, business and community leaders.
The initiative traces connections beginning around the era of the American Revolution and early
trade between the newly independent United States and India. It follows the exchange of ideas
that influenced American writers and thinkers including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry
David Thoreau, and highlights Swami Vivekananda's historic 1893 appearance in Chicago
at the World's Parliament of Religions.
The story continues through science, education and social change—including Mahatma
Gandhi's influence on Martin Luther King Jr. and the American Civil Rights Movement,

cooperation between American and Indian educational institutions, and the growing role of
Indian Americans in U.S. science, medicine, technology, business and public life.
Today, the relationship has entered a new phase, with American and Indian researchers and
institutions collaborating in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors,
biotechnology, medicine, clean energy and advanced technology.
“This is not simply a story about what America did for India or what India contributed to
America,” said Kanchan Banerjee, Founder and Convenor of Legacy 250. “It is the story of
two societies influencing one another across generations. America's 250th anniversary gives us a
unique opportunity to rediscover that shared legacy and pass it on to the next generation.”
Chicago holds a particularly important place in that history because of Vivekananda's 1893
appearance and the city's continuing role as a center of Indian-American academic, cultural,
business and civic life.
Legacy 250 is a national educational and cultural initiative using exhibitions, documentary films,
public programs, research and student engagement to uncover overlooked stories connecting
India and the United States.
US–India Legacy 250 — Chicago
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Art Institute of Chicago — Fullerton Hall
Admission is free; advance registration is required.
Media Contact:
Kanchan Banerjee
Founding Convenor, US–India Legacy 250
IndiaUSLegacy250.org
Phone: 617 306 6609
Legacy 250 — Strong Roots. Shared Future.