Illinois Heritage

In this issue of Illinois Heritage we meet several interesting people from our Prairie State past—Studs Terkel, Milton Kimbler, Eve Josephson Garrison, ––and we revisit Eldorado, Illinois, at the turn of the last century when rioters shut down a Tuskegee model school for African American children and created a “sundown town” in southern Illinois. We also look at the Potawatomi Trail of Death, which came through central Illinois in 1837.

The Heritage is published six times per year and is available as a benefit of membership in the Illinois State Historical Society. Individual editions can also be purchased by contacting our office directly. Visit our Membership section for membership options and information. Click on the “Read More” button to see this issue’s Editor's Comments, Table of Contents, and sample articles.

With the Summer Solstice fast fading in the rearview mirror, we’re setting sights on Autumnal adventures, starting with the ISHS’s Sesquicentennial House of Worship luncheon, which takes place September 23 in Springfield. Next on the ISHS calendar is the Annual Conference on Illinois History, which takes place October 5–6 at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.

The July-August issue of Illinois Heritage includes Clifton Jackson’s article on the 1902 racially motivated attacks in Eldorado that shut down a Tuskegee-modeled school before it got off the ground, and Jim Ridings’ curious story about the Aurora mayor who appointed a parrot to run that city’s police force.

The Heritage is published six times per year and is available as a benefit of membership in the Illinois State Historical Society. Individual editions can also be purchased by contacting our office directly. Visit our Membership section for membership options and information.

Click on the “Read More” button to see this issue’s Editor's Comments, Table of Contents, and sample articles.

In this issue we meet another Illinois woman artist, learn about another “Forgotten Voice from Illinois History,” are unsettled by the history of lynching in Illinois, and challenged to explore the stories of Illinoisans (Minnie Vautrin) whose courage under fire humbly inspires us to selfless acts of heroism. We also meet the recipients of this year’s “Best of Illinois History” awards, including Glennette Tilley Turner and Greg Koos, our remarkable Lifetime Achievement award winners, whose passion for truth-telling will be paying dividends to all of us for years to come.

The Heritage is published six times per year and is available as a benefit of membership in the Illinois State Historical Society. Individual editions can also be purchased by contacting our office directly. Visit our Membership section for membership options and information.

Click on the “Read More” button to see this issue’s Editor's Comments, Table of Contents, and sample articles.

This issue of Illinois Heritage is full of fascinating stories about Illinoisans who have made a difference in Illinois and Midwestern history, starting with Robert Preston Taylor, a lawyer and scientist who worked at the Illinois State Museum; William Edgar Brotherton, WWI aviator who flew with famed pilot Eddie Rickenbacker; and the unveiling of a new ISHS public history initiative, “The Land and the People Hold Memories,” an opportunity for post WWII citizens to write about their experiences between 1946-1975.

The Heritage is published six times per year and is available as a benefit of membership in the Illinois State Historical Society. Individual editions can also be purchased by contacting our office directly. Visit our Membership section for membership options and information.

Click on the “Read More” button to see this issue’s Editor's Comments, Table of Contents, and sample articles.

Looking ahead to the new year, the 2023 calendar is filling fast, with historical happenings popping up across Illinois like mushrooms on a warm spring day. We’re already planning historical marker unveilings in East St. Louis, Peoria, Decatur, Secor, Bloomington, Mt. Vernon, and several other cities, thanks to a grant from the WilliamG. Pomeroy Foundation of Syracuse, New York, and the dedicated volunteers who promote local history in their communities. We’re also getting ready for the annual “Best of Illinois History” awards, which takes place in April and honors historians, archivists, exhibitors, museum curators, writers, and the lifetime achievements of individuals whose passion for local history has changed lives, attitudes, and neighbor- hoods. Watch for details in Illinois Heritage and make your reservations early to join us for the celebration in Springfield.