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A guide to Juneteenth
As Juneteenth becomes more widely recognized beyond the Black community, there are an increasing number of activities and events happening in Springfield. For the first time, we’ve put together a guide to Juneteenth, and explained some of the history and culture behind the holiday, so all may join in the celebration of emancipation. We invited…
Reimagining the east side
Despite the handful of businesses near the intersection of South Grand Avenue East and 11th Street – restaurants, a beauty supply store, a furniture shop – the sidewalks are mostly empty on an average weekday afternoon. Dominic Watson imagines a different future for the area known as South Town and the east side at large.…
Beyond standardized testing
TaRael Kee is Collinsville High School’s assistant principal and president-elect of the Illinois School Counselor Association. During his 10-year career as a school counselor, Kee has watched students struggle with standardized evaluations like the ACT and the Scholastic Assessment (SAT). “We’ve had kids puke during testing and have had to step out because of anxiety,”…
Ron Dougan writes his grown kids # 2
“To: All of you. RE: Damned if I know. I should go look at the little mudhole I confuse with a pond and see who’s stopped by – it has been so dry that the pond is almost as big as a modest living room – ours for instance, which is three telephone rings across.…
Letters to the editor 6/10/21
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to letters@illinoistimes.com. —- A WELCOME VISIT Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend was an extraordinary day for me. I was visited by three very special Marine veterans who served with my son, Marine Lance Corporal Christian Porter, during…
Juneteenth music and more
Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends as we explore, examine, promote and promulgate the provocative and extraordinary music happening each week in our Springfield community. As the pandemic mitigations go away after doing what they were meant to do, we officially begin Phase 5 on June 11, allowing businesses in general…
An interview with Gov. JB Pritzker
I interviewed both House Speaker Chris Welch and Gov. JB Pritzker last week, so I thought I’d tell you about one of the overlaps. Welch followed a man who had been in office for decades, so comparisons are unavoidable. When former House Speaker Michael Madigan was around, we were always playing endless guessing games. What…
The sights and sounds of summer
The folks at the Sangamon County Fair are in high gear right now getting ready to kick off the five-day gem that is one of the highlights of summer in these parts. The fair crew does a great job of producing events and attractions that are the quintessence of classic Midwestern county fairs – livestock…
Casino would siphon cash from our community
The following remarks were delivered to the Springfield city council May 25, as the council prepared to consider a resolution to support bringing casino gambling to the city. After McGill and other citizens voiced opposition, the council did not proceed with a vote on the resolution. We are considering whether a casino might be added…
10 years gone by
The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space is celebrating 10 years of contributions to the local art scene. Since its inception, when it was tucked away at South Grand and Pasfield streets, through today, The Pharmacy has strived to cultivate and celebrate expressions of multidimensional artists. It has worked diligently to be a catalyst and forum…
Making Juneteenth happen
“Free…ish since 1865.” So goes the slogan you may see on some T-shirts if you celebrate Juneteenth in Springfield this year. While June 19, 1865, is celebrated as Freedom Day, the struggle for equality continues. Juneteenth organizers in Springfield are still lobbying for state, city and county recognition of the day. The state legislature passed…
Exhibit spotlights first Black churches in Springfield
For centuries now, the entity known as the “Black church” has been a pillar of Black society. Many traditions such as singing styles and joyous reverberations like call-and-response have deep roots in Western Africa. Even the way in which some Black Christian churchgoers – particularly those who were raised in Baptist or Pentecostal traditions –…
Art exhibit celebrates Juneteenth and Black culture
More than 140 years since its founding, the Illinois State Museum in Springfield is featuring its first exhibit by Black curators. In collaboration with Springfield’s Juneteenth, Inc., the museum is hosting an exhibit titled “NOIR,” the French word for the color black. Korbin “Kas” King, 32, is one of the curators. He said the art…
Route History to reopen on July 9
While COVID restrictions forced Route History to remain closed throughout the 2020 tourist season, the new business was able to use the downtime to expand its offerings, as well as purchase and improve the building it occupies. The museum and visitors center, located in a former gas station at 737 E. Cook St., opened in…
Don’t miss these movies
Thrilling Devil a worthy franchise entry The Conjuring films are built around two things – elaborate set pieces and the relationship between Ed and Lorraine Warren, the paranormal investigators at their center. Both are mined for maximum effect in the franchise’s latest entry, The Devil Made Me Do It, as the Warrens try to defend…
Juneteenth in the kitchen
News of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, signed in 1863, did not reach Galveston, Texas, for two years, five months and 15 days. News arrived via horseback and contained the following: The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an…
Teaching Black history better
Teaching Black history is more than just learning about it in a textbook, it’s also about experiencing it in real life. For me, learning about Black history did not start in school, it started at the Springfield Urban League’s Adolescent Responsibility Program (ARP) under the guidance of Ms. Doris Chambers. At ARP we learned that…
217 Buy Black Directory
#Supportyourlocalartist Online Alyssa Farmer Arts 217-971-8519 A.LoreNails 3455 Smythberry Lane Anthony Pettit Health and Beauty 217-414-9680 Ace of Fadez Barbershop 210 W. Laurel St. Barbershop 217-361-4237 Adams Heating & Cooling 1017 S. 25th St. Roy L. Adams HVAC 217-503-6800 Agape Love Spa and Salon by Laurie Private appointments only Laurie Grady Health and Beauty 217-725-6785…
Publisher’s note 6/10/21
As Juneteenth becomes more widely recognized beyond the Black community, there are an increasing number of activities and events happening in Springfield. For the first time, we’ve put together a guide to Juneteenth, and explained some of the history and culture behind the holiday, so all may join in the celebration of emancipation. We invited…
Three fine Black-owned restaurants
For the second year in a row, the Illinois Times 217 Black Restaurant weekend is highlighting Black-owned businesses and the delicious flavors that they bring to the capital city. This event is anchored by Springfield’s annual weekend-long Juneteenth celebration, which recognizes the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Texas received word of…
