The growing movement to secede from Illinois and become the 51st state

Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Declaration of Independence was signed, marking the birth of a new nation. But if you read the Declaration closely, it’s not just about creating something new;  it’s about ridding itself of something unwanted. It’s a break-up text, announcing secession from the British Crown. Today, that same spirit is fueling a modern-day movement in Illinois.

A growing number of rural counties want to secede from Illinois and create a  51st state called “New Illinois.”  Driven by frustration over the dominance of Chicago politics,  they are organizing for a new future. This week on The Sunday Story, reporter Connor Towne O'Neill takes us inside the movement to split Illinois, and the challenges facing a modern secessionist movement in the land of Lincoln.


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