I'm in northern Il.
My favorite shade flower is Astilbe. It likes 'woodsy soil' and needs a bit extra fertilizer to do well. Comes in a variety of colors.
Same thing for perennial Digitalis (Foxglove). I have both of these growing well.
If it's really wet, you may want to look at any of the ferns, hostas. I have a great deal of pachysandra for ground cover.

Yes, one often gets 'mixed messages' on plants. I'm only giving you what I grow here. The advantage, for me, on these plants too is that they love to be covered in leaves and mulch (the 'woodsy soil'), so they're easy to maintain.

These are all perennials that I have a lot of. I have little knowledge of annuals.

I found that hostas and japanese painted ferns do well in moist soils. Others may be heucherella or heuchera (I forget which of these likes sun), astilbe, and I also agree with pachysandra. Lamium, brunnera jack frost, pulmonaria, epimedium rubrum, mukdenia crimson fans,
Annabelle hydrangea does great in the shade.

I have these planted in moist shade.

I agree with the ferns and hostas. I know irises also do well in moist soils, but without sun probably won't do as well.

Also, daylilies are almost impossible to kill in my experience. They won't bloom as well in shade, but they will be nice and green.

Thanks Everyone! I'm going to take your suggestions and plant away. Hopefully, things will work out.

Easy shade perennials to start from seed outside are Bergenia and Pulmonaria.

tj

You can check out my list of trades/wants for seeds as a reference of what does well in our zone. I garden in shady moist garden.
You also welcome to come to plant swap I will be hosting at Skokie on Friday eve of Memorial day weekend if you live comfortable driving distance.