Ancestry, the global leader in family history, launched The Stories of US, a campaign honoring everyday people who helped shape the United States over the past 250 years. As part of the initiative, our paint team created two hand painted murals, one in Chicago and one in New York City, highlighting three individuals whose lives and actions helped move the country forward.

In Chicago, the murals connect to “The Women Who Built Chicago,” a public bus tour launched during Women’s History Month. The tour combines Ancestry records with physical historic sites across the city to spotlight nine women who advanced education, civil rights, the arts, and healthcare.

Two of the women honored in the Chicago mural include:

Margaret Hie Ding Lin – One of the first Chinese women doctors in the United States, Margaret passed the Illinois medical board at a time when very few women were permitted to practice medicine. While contemporary newspapers often focused on her appearance, historical records reveal decades of dedicated care she provided to women and children throughout the Chicagoland area.

Mary Emerson Haven – Though historical records often listed her occupation as simply “keeping house,” Mary founded the Chicago YWCA, creating safe housing, education, and leadership opportunities for women. Her vision continues to impact the city more than 150 years later.

In New York City, the mural tells the story of FDNY Officer Wesley A. Williams, who rescued Rachel Coffino and her three children from a devastating apartment fire nearly a century ago. As part of The Stories of US initiative, Ancestry reunited the descendants of Wesley Williams and Rachel Coffino, two families who had never met and were previously unaware of their shared history. During the gathering, Charles Williams, Cathy Guiga-Tubens, Rachelle Muraca, and Carmine Guiga learned new details about the life-saving rescue that connected their families nearly 100 years ago.

The reunion revealed how Wesley’s courage shaped not only his own family’s legacy, but also the future generations of those he saved. The reunion took place in front of the New York hand painted campaign, transforming the artwork into more than a visual tribute, it became a gathering point for memory, connection, and community. 

It was a powerful reminder that public art can do more than tell stories; it can bring people together to rediscover them.