Preserving the past Emily Lanter Hillsboro High School I’m 9 years old, standing just behind a velvet rope, and I’m staring up at the skeleton of a dinosaur that is inconceivably old. I’m 11, unable to tear my eyes away from the soft colors in a gilded-framed landscape. I’m 14, the farthest away from home […]
Culture
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Emerald and onyx
Emerald and onyx Mia Gephart Southeast High School I believe in those bright green eyes peering through the window, floating through the darkness of summer nights. I believe in walking barefoot through dirt, searching under the roof, by the wood pile, for her little black ears, her sleeping form. Walking outside in the summer heat, […]
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Surprisingly welcoming
When a jobless migrant – a “hobo” or “tramp” – wandered into Springfield during the Great Depression, he might have been in for a surprise: a well-stocked shelter offering meals, a bed, work opportunities and even recreation. Springfield’s transient-aid program was part of the Federal Transient Service, set up in 1933 to help communities deal with the hordes […]
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Echoes of Yesteryear at Oak Ridge Cemetery
On Sept. 29, come to Oak Ridge Cemetery for the Sangamon County Historical Society’s annual cemetery walk. Hear about seven Springfield citizens who now rest in Oak Ridge’s beautiful grounds. Meet a blind woman, Springfield’s first rabbi, a Black civil rights activist, our State Capitol’s architect, a woman business entrepreneur, a swindler and a singer. […]
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Realizing the past and reimagining the future
The nonprofit Juneteenth, Inc. was established four years ago by Springfield natives Shymeka Kerr-Gregory and Cherena Douglass to focus on preserving and continuing Springfield’s Juneteenth celebration legacy. “Juneteenth is the true Independence Day for all of us, and eradicating racism through education comes in many forms: arts and culture, history and sociology, music and entertainment […]
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More than just a party in the park
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill in 2021 to commemorate June 19, 1865, the date when the last enslaved Black people in the U.S. learned that they were free. It is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, and it is celebrated in most cities and many smaller […]
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Juneteenth
This year is the 30th anniversary of the official Juneteenth celebrations in Springfield, although the holiday itself dates back to 1865. Locally, it has grown from a one-day event to more than a week’s worth of activities taking place citywide: live music, art exhibitions, panel discussions, presentations, kids’ activities and more. Organizations such as the […]
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Historical site
Want to know when Springfield got its first snowplow? Or find a reference to a relative? Maybe read about crimes and gambling dens in the early 1900s? Or learn more about the 1918 Spanish flu and the 1940s polio epidemic? You can find out about the last hanging in the county, the first person who […]
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The 39 Steps, hilarity with a side of espionage
The 39 Steps is a fast-paced, funny stage parody of the classic novel by John Buchan and the subsequent Alfred Hitchcock film. The spy-thriller plot points are all there but the vibe has been replaced with a frantic commedia dell’arte, a theatrical form characterized by improvised dialogue and a cast of colorful characters. Set in […]
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Liturgical Arts Festival returns to Springfield
The study of religion is fascinating because it is inherently the study of all the social sciences. But it is the many living, breathing faith traditions that show us the beauty of belief and our shared commonalities in life. These vibrant faith traditions help us to understand the relationship between human life and the natural […]
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Ways to celebrate Juneteenth citywide
Illinois’ newest state holiday is a 158-year-old celebration of freedom. Although Juneteenth has been celebrated in Springfield for over 20 years, it did not become an official state holiday until 2021 when Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill to commemorate June 19, 1865, the date when the last enslaved Black people in the U.S. learned […]
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Celebration focuses on progress
Education and community development are longstanding priorities for organizers of this year’s expanded Juneteenth Day celebration. “Galveston is the home of Juneteenth, but Springfield is the home of Lincoln. This is why we want to make (this year’s) celebration big,” said Shymeka Kerr-Gregory, who serves as co-director of Juneteenth, Inc., which organizes Springfield’s Juneteenth Day […]
