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== Death and legacy ==
On September 12, 1970, Soderstrom was named president emeritus of the Illinois AFL-CIO.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Proceedings of the 1970 Illinois AFL-CIO Convention|last=|first=|publisher=Illinois AFL-CIO|year=1970|isbn=|___location=Chicago, IL|pages=228}}</ref> He died three months later on December 15, 1970, in his hometown of Streator, Illinois, at the age of 82.<ref name="select.nytimes.com">[https://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F10712FC3F551B7493C4A81789D95F448785F9 "Reuben Soderstrom, Illinois Union Head," ''New York Times'', New York, December 16, 1970, p.50]</ref>
=== ''Forty Gavels'' Biography ===
[[File:Forty Gavels Series.jpg|left|thumb|381x381px|''Forty Gavels'', the three-volume biography of Reuben Soderstrom]]
Soderstrom's authoritative, three-volume biography ''[http://www.fortygavels.com Forty Gavels: The Life of Reuben Soderstrom and the Illinois AFL-CIO]'' was released on February 28, 2018. Named after the ceremonial gavels Soderstrom received at the annual state labor conventions, ''Forty Gavels'' spans a century of history and examines its subject in documented detail, year- by-year detailyear. The biography also features more than 2,250 photos and images from several historical archives. ''Forty Gavels'' was written by Carl W. Soderstrom, Robert W. Soderstrom, Chris M. Stevens, and Andrew W. Burt, with graphic design by Kevin Evans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fortygavels.com|title=Forty Gavels: The Life of Reuben Soderstrom and the Illinois AFL-CIO|last=|first=|date=|website=Forty Gavels|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 11, 2018}}</ref> To date, the biographical series has won several awards including the [https://www.indiebookawards.com/ 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards] for [https://www.indiebookawards.com/winners/list Biography and Overall Design], the [http://www.americanbookfest.com/home.html 2018 American BookFest Best Book Awards] for [http://www.americanbookfest.com/autobiography.html Biography] and [http://www.americanbookfest.com/nonfictionbooks.html Interior Design], and the [https://www.indieexcellence.com/ 2018 National Indie Indie Excellence Award] for [https://www.indieexcellence.com/12th-annual-winners Biography]. In 2019, the full text of the book was [https://www.ebook.fortygavels.com/ released online].{{clear}}
=== Reuben G. Soderstrom Plaza ===
[[File:Reuben Soderstrom Statue.jpg|thumb|Reuben G. Soderstrom statue in Streator, ILIllinois]]
[http://www.reubengsoderstromfoundation.com/tributes-plaza.html The Reuben G. Soderstrom Plaza] was dedicated in Streator, Illinois on September 2, 2012. The date, officially proclaimed “Reuben"Reuben Soderstrom Day”Day" by Illinois Governor [[Pat Quinn]], featured a day-long celebration and Labor Day Parade in which Soderstrom was posthumously honored as Grand Marshall.<ref>Quinn, Pat. Illinois Governor’s Proclamation. Signed August 16, 2016.</ref> The Plaza features a bronze statue of Soderstrom by Peoria sculptor Lonnie Stewart, and is adorned by [http://www.reubengsoderstromfoundation.com/downloads/rgs_quotes.pdf 12 plaques] containing selected quotes from Soderstrom. The plaza was built through labor donated by David Raikes and the men and women of Laborers’ Local #393, Bricklayers #6 and #21, Electricians #176, Plumbers #130, Operating Engineers #150, Cement Masons #11 and the Illinois Valley Building Trades. Landscaping was provided by Jeff Berfeld.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.reubengsoderstromfoundation.com/tributes-plaza.html|title=Statue Dedication: Streator Celebrates "Reuben G. Soderstrom Day" In Illinois|last=|first=|date=|website=Reuben G. Soderstrom Foundation|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 11, 2018}}</ref>
=== Reuben G. Soderstrom Foundation ===
[http://www.reubengsoderstromfoundation.com/ The Reuben G. Soderstrom Foundation], an organization “dedicated"dedicated to preserving and promoting the work and vision of Illinois AFL-CIO President Reuben G. Soderstrom,”" was founded in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.reubengsoderstromfoundation.com/|title=About the Reuben G. Soderstrom Foundation|last=|first=|date=|website=The Reuben G. Soderstrom Foundation|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 11, 2018}}</ref> The foundation hosts an expanding digital archive of textual and audiovisual records, and promotes works and endeavors commemorating the life and legacy of Reuben Soderstrom.
=== Streator Public Library ===
In 2017, the [[Streator Public Library]], where the unschooled Reuben educated himself as a teenager, received a generous donation from the [http://www.reubengsoderstromfoundation.com/tributes-library.html Reuben G. Soderstrom Foundation]. The funds are being used to finance an extensive renovation of the library's reading room.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.reubengsoderstromfoundation.com/tributes-library.html|title=Reading Room Dedication|last=|first=|date=|website=The Reuben G. Soderstrom Foundation|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 11, 2018}}</ref>
=== University of Illinois School of Labor Dedication ===
On September 13, 2019, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign officially opened the Soderstrom Plaza, an outdoor commons connected to the School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) featuring a statue of Reuben Soderstrom.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/7190/784988|title=LEP News|last=Madigan|first=Nell|date=May 9, 2019|work=|access-date=September 16, 2019}}</ref> The statue and the plaza, as well as an endowed professorship, were gifted by the Soderstrom Family Charitable Trust. The [https://www.petry-kuhne.com/ Petry Kuhne Co.] also donated their time and work to set the statue in the plaza.
==References==
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