…this movement to document, preserve, and interpret music’s existence, is a growing interest in music’s material culture, the tangible objects that are the evidence of its existence. This musical material…
Read More from Musical Crossroads: Interpreting the Material Culture of African American Music
…over 11 years. Mark has researched and preserved the history of the original members of the Tuskegee airmen during his time at the Chanute Air Museum. In his current position,…
Read More from Researching the Tuskegee Airmen and Preserving the Doris Hoskins Archive
…they make Black girlhood with those who love them. Her previous work has explored how Black girl’s conceptualize freedom, creativity, and relationships in Saving Our Lives Hear Our Truths (SOLHOT)….
Read More from CultureTalk | Nikky Finney and Ruth Nicole Brown
Frederick Douglass visited Champaign on February 15, 1869, at Barrett Hall, located above what was Henry Swannell's Drug Store, now One Main Plaza. His topic was Self-Made Men. It was reported that, “His wit was keen and sparkling, his humor dry and effective, and his logic and argument as clear as that of the most polished orator in the land.” Champaign County Gazette, February 17, 1869, page 1
Chartered in 1851, the Illinois Central Railroad was lobbied for by both Steven A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. Completed by 1856, it was considered the longest railroad in the world. From 1857 through the Civil War, the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) was said to carry fugitives from slavery, along with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, and the Chicago and Rock Island Railroads. Fugitives travelled by box cars and passenger cars, by day and by night. With the assistance of railroad porters, sympathetic conductors, laborers, freedmen, and abolitionists, they managed to travel mostly without arrest.
Read More from African Americans and the Illinois Central Railroad
…place in the world. As you explore the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail, we hope the experience will illuminate your understanding of yourself, our community, and American history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-MlChUJ3Mw…
…enthusiasm with people throughout the state, enabling local nonprofit organizations to present free-admission cultural programs to their communities. The Library is committed to making programs accessible for all. If you…
…wild. The new decade is here and so is Nikky’s new book. Love Child’s Hotbed of Occasional Poetry (pub date April 15, 2020) is her first poetry collection since winning…
Read More from Food for the Soul/Inside Scoop with Nikky Finney
On March 22, 1941, the first all-Black fighter squadron, known as the 99th Pursuit Squadron, was activated at Chanute Field. “Pursuit” was the pre-World War II term for “fighter.” At the time, the U.S. armed forces maintained segregated units. Over 250 enlisted men were trained at Chanute Field in aircraft ground support—airplane mechanics, supply clerks, weather forecasters and armorers. When the men of the 99th left Chanute to go to Tuskegee in November, they left behind the highest collective Grade Point Average ever earned at the base, before or since their stay. These men would become the core of the Black squadrons forming at Tuskegee and Maxwell Fields in Alabama where Black flyers were being trained—later known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
Read More from Former Chanute Air Force Base and the 99th Pursuit Squadron
In 1965, two neighbors and University of Illinois mailmen, Carlos Donaldson and Paul Hursey, learned of a dissertation that identified achievement gaps between African American students who attended James Wellen Hays Elementary School and the other schools in Urbana School District 116. Realizing that their children were not receiving an equal education, Donaldson and Hursey, along with Willeta Donaldson, Shirley Hursey, Jo Ann Jackson, and Rev. Dr. Evelyn Underwood, formed the Hays School Neighborhood Association. They lived in the Dr. Ellis Subdivision—the first subdivision of single-family homes in Urbana developed for African Americans—and met, researched, and strategized about meeting with the Urbana School Board to address educational disparities and advocate for school integration in 1966. These neighbors became known as the Ellis Drive Six.
…Siobhan McKissic, Visiting Design & Materials Research Librarian, Ricker Library of Architecture and Art in the KAM cafe 6:15 pm | DJ set with DJ lovenloops begins in the Link…
Homer, Illinois, has a rich history as a village where many early African Americans in Champaign County could gather, work, recreate, and build successful lives for themselves and their families. Many prominent African American businesspeople, intellectuals, and community leaders passed through or came from Homer.
Read More from Early Achievements in Homer & Southeastern Champaign County
…Urbana-Champaign. Food and drinks will be provided. This event is free and open to students in grades 5 through 8, but space is limited. To register, follow this link: https://www.ilhumanities.org/events/celebrating-gwendolyn-brooks-a-workshop-for-young-poets/#register…
Read More from Celebrating Gwendolyn Brooks: A Workshop for Young Poets
…and young adults to be Community Health Workers and Citizen/Community Scientists. She is also developing Wellness Stores/Spaces in schools and other locations in communities. Florence Adibu is a Research Scientist…
…still as powerful and relevant as it was when first delivered. In honor of Black History Month, the Urbana Park District is asking the community to submit paper quilt squares…
The Special Educational Opportunities Program, commonly referred to as Project 500, was designed by the University of Illinois in 1968 to ensure equality of educational access and opportunities for all students, including those from underrepresented or disadvantaged communities. In 1967, fewer than 400 of the university’s approximately 30,400 students were Black. The program was the University’s response to demands from students and community residents, led by the Black Students Association and fueled by the community’s response to the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., to recruit and enroll more Black students. The first Project 500 cohort in 1968 had 565 students, most of whom were Black, though some Hispanic and Native American students also enrolled in the program.
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In July 1862, President Abraham Lincoln and Congress authorized the use of African Americans as military combatants; however, they were not actually able to serve until after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863. Later the same year, Illinois Governor Richard Yates Sr. authorized the organization of the Illinois 29th Colored Infantry Regiment, better known as the 29th United States Colored Troops (USCT). Formed in Quincy, Illinois, on April 24, 1864, by Lieutenant Colonel John Boss, the 29th USCT was the only African American regiment raised in Illinois. The regiment was comprised of ten companies. Companies A through E were comprised primarily of men from Illinois, while companies F through K were mostly made up of men from outside the state. At least nine Black men from Champaign County enlisted into the 29th USCT at the Urbana Courthouse with four others enlisting in other “colored regiments” outside of Illinois.
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The impact of poverty in any community can be both devastating and hastening. It is a reality for many individuals and families; it’s difficult to truly understand poverty unless you…
Read More from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Social Work Poverty Simulation
…Donate a brick to recognize someone special, leave a lasting impression with your name, or share a message of support. Order a commemorative 8” x 8” brick and inscribe up…
…difficult-to-find additions that elude him during research to connect golden-age hip-hop samples to their source material. His collection ultimately fuels the series that incorporates animation and comic book illustrations ignited…
…Black JOY visible in our communities and museum spaces. The project celebrates the beauty, joy, and resilience of Black women and girls and their lived experiences during COVID-19 and the…
Read More from The Black Joy Project: Public Launch Celebration
Located west of Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mount Hope Cemetery (611 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Champaign, IL) was plotted and internment began in 1856. Sitting on the dividing line between the two cities, it’s the oldest operating cemetery in Champaign-Urbana. Throughout its 150 years, it has been the final resting place for many local African Americans and their families, including most of those who fought in the Civil War. The majority of these veterans were buried in what was the Grand Army of the Republic’s (G.A.R.) section, now known as the “old” veteran's section, found as you enter the cemetery. It is represented by the Civil War Memorial and a 32-pound canon built in 1851. However, many of the original markers no longer exist for many of these and other Civil War veterans, or they were moved to other locations in the cemetery.
African Americans veterans from various wars including World War I and II are also buried in this section.
Read More from African American Civil War Burials and Mt. Hope Cemetery
…anticipated latest novel, Crook Manifesto, is a darkly funny tale of a city under siege, but also a sneakily searching portrait of the meaning of family. His reviews, essays, and…
…complexion isn’t dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white-her complexion is dark because she is African American. The Personal Librarian tells the story of…
…as they advocate to keep their school, a community safe-haven, intact. For more: Official Website: https://www.lightshinefilm.com/ Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LightShineFilm/ Official Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/lightshinedoc Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/light_shine_film/?hl=en WILL/Illinois Public Media: https://will.illinois.edu/…
…assist abolitionists–white and Black–to guide enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad to Canada. During this presentation, Connie shares eighteen different quilt patterns in replica quilts and refers to…
Read More from Quilts: Secret Codes to Freedom on the Underground Railroad
Before the famous Texas Cattle Drives, there were Black cowboys herding cattle in East Central Illinois. One of the largest cattle farms in the United States was located in southeast Champaign County: Ohioan Michael Sullivant's farm, Broadlands. Many African Americans filled the essential roles of cattle herding and farm maintenance on Sullivant's Broadlands Farm and other large cattle farms in southeastern Champaign and southwestern Vermilion Counties, as well as at Sullivant's holdings in Ford County. At their height, these farms sold cattle to the East, to the stockyard of Chicago, and to the Union Army during the Civil War. Additionally, African Americans were hired as cooks, standard farmhands and laborers, hostlers (caring and handling of horses and mules), and domestics. Farm and stock help were highly intermittent—with workers coming and going depending on the farms' needs—so the actual number of African American cowboys in Champaign County was unknown. However, the 1865 Illinois Census recorded nine African Americans working at Broadlands Farm: four women working as cooks and domestics, and five men working with the livestock and living in the large bunkhouse along with other “hands”.
Read More from Black Cowboys in Southeastern Champaign County
The Black & Latinx Summit (BLS) is an annual forum for individuals who are interested in and/or committed to learning and growing their understanding and capacity around solidarity. The summit…
The University of Illinois Human Research Institute and Department of History present the Un/Doing Lecture, “Black Freedom on Native Land: Reconsidering Reconstruction,” by Dr. Alaina E. Roberts from the University…
Read More from Un/Doing Lecture: “Black Freedom on Native Land: Reconsidering Reconstruction”
…necessary tools to become president? Will Jabari learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community? Using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and…
Read More from Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Krannert Center Youth Series)
…necessary tools to become president? Will Jabari learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community? Using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and…
Read More from Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Krannert Center Youth Series)
…necessary tools to become president? Will Jabari learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community? Using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and…
Read More from Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Krannert Center Youth Series)
…necessary tools to become president? Will Jabari learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community? Using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and…
Read More from Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Krannert Center Youth Series)
…necessary tools to become president? Will Jabari learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community? Using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and…
Read More from Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Krannert Center Youth Series)
…necessary tools to become president? Will Jabari learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community? Using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and…
Read More from Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Krannert Center Youth Series)
Since 1900, when William Walter Smith became the first African American to graduate from the University of Illinois, many African Americans who attended the University have gone on to become important leaders, innovators, artists, and thinkers. This page features some notable University alumni. Please check back periodically as we continue to include more information.
…Sponsored by the University of Illinois Police Department, Community Outreach and Support Team, Illini Union, and the 2023 MLK Commemorative Planning Committee. For more information contact Dementro “Debo” Powell, dementro@illinois.edu….
…Cook-Off Contest, Family, Friendly, Diverse Atmosphere and More. Celebrating the legacy of the late Mrs. Jettie Rhodes and her commitment to serve her community. Help us pack King Park!! https://www.facebook.com/events/965484594430125/?ref=newsfeed…
Read More from 25th Annual MLK Jettie Rhodes Neighborhood Day
…E. Church St., Savoy). Free food, shopping, music, poetry, and more! The event will take place on June 19, from 12:00–6:00 p.m. For more information, visit this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/3352338645004923/…
Read More from Juneteenth Celebration at Colbert Park (Savoy)
…has written for Time.com and the LA Review of Books, and shared her expertise on the History Channel, Al Jazeera America, Vox.com, NPR, and international radio outlets including the BBC…
…and our community partners have created a space to connect with one another and support the observance of Juneteenth through local art, poetry, and history. This event is free to…
…welcome to attend! Media wishing to cover the Peace March before or during the event may contact Jameel Jones, Outreach and Wellness Manager, at (217) 367-1544. Learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1347739896189178/?ref=newsfeed…
This free event will include self-care services, lunch will be provided and an open mic will be facilitated. For more information, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-love-day-celebration-tickets-772582825027…
…welcomed with new challenges like segregation. IMC webpage: https://www.ucimc.org/cleveland Open Hours Come by for a tour, visit the art gallery, read a zine in the zine library, use a public…
…Croix de Guerre. Come hear more about this important fighting unit, the local men who fought with it, and their community contributions after the war. Register to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-story-of-the-370th-infantry-unit-and-its-impact-on-champaign-county-tickets-810829913097?aff=oddtdtcreator…
Read More from The Story of the 370th Infantry Unit and Its Impact on Champaign County
…10pm $10 cover till 11pm Security and dress code enforced Kitchen open 21+ to enter Only at Neil St Blues! 301 N. Neil St, #106 Champaign, IL, 61820 217-531-1150 www.neilstblues.com…
…and refreshments, fishing, UrVANa Mobile Recreation Unit games and activities, community resources, and more as we celebrate Black freedom and achievements in Urbana and beyond. Sunday, June 16, 2024 01:00…
Read More from Juneteenth Celebration (Urbana Park District)
Food is a cultural artifact in the lives of Black people. But what happens when food is transformed into a weapon to oppress them? What happens when Black people in…
…different aspects of the gun violence crisis and what individuals and community groups are doing to combat it. News, Brews & Beatz events are free and open to the public….
Read More from News, Brews & Beatz: Parenting Black Children & Teens Today
Come join us and see history come to life with our final event in the 16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series! The theme of this year’s series is “Voices of Our…
Read More from 16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series — Voices of Our Past: Sojourner Truth
…kinds of work to do, and an opportunity to view a short introduction video about Books to Prisoners if you are interested in that. Sign up to volunteer here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4ca9ae2aa1f5c16-sign#/…
Come to the Library for a storytime and craft celebrating Black culture, accomplishments, and joy. Recommended Ages: 0-5 For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/278802411443465/…
Read More from Storytime & a Craft Celebrating Black History Month
…which is American history, at Boomerangs Bar & Grill on February 25 from 7–9 PM. The show will include comedy, poetry, live music, and more. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1083892879499686….
In partnership with the City of Urbana, the Jettie Rhodes Neighborhood Committee is excited to invite you to join us for the 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jettie Rhodes Neighborhood…
Read More from 26th Annual MLK Jettie Rhodes Neighborhood Day
…by Anchor Church, but we are also asking people to make and bring their favorite dish(es) to have it as more of a potluck style dinner. Questions? Please visit: https://www.anchorchurchil.com/…
Parkland College is hosting a Community Education African American Film Series on Thursday, February 9, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Room U140. Contact the office of Student Life…
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Located at 401 E. Park Street in Champaign, Bethel A.M.E. Church is the oldest African American led church in Champaign County. It was organized in 1863 and predates the establishment of the University of Illinois. During the early part of the century when segregation was a fact of life, Bethel established a library and had a church orchestra. The church served as a meeting place for Black students attending the University of Illinois, establishing monthly lyceum meetings where students and members of the congregation came together for lectures, discussions, debates, and musical performances. In 1915 it was the site of the founding of the Twin Cities Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Spiritual, community and educational development have continued to be a mission for the church.
Archivist Steven Booth joins the RBML virtually to discuss the Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) archive: acquired in 2019 by a consortium of philanthropic and cultural heritage organizations, the Johnson Publishing…
…Sunday of most months and are made possible by the generous support of The Urbana Free Library Foundation. The Library is committed to making programs accessible for all. If you…
Read More from UFLive! presents Afro D & the Global Soundwaves
…don’t have them, we will work on bios and take photos during the session) Be ready to make selections for competition areas. New applications will be available to complete –…
The Park and Center are named for the great African American orator and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass. In 1941, the Douglass Community Service Committee began an effort to raise funds for a new complex, to be built on two empty lots. Ground broke in 1944 and the Center was completed in 1946. The Center held classes in art, music, and sewing, among other activities. Athletics included adult softball, baseball, basketball, track, and tennis. The Center hosted many social events. One of the groups that brought national recognition to the Center was its Drum and Bugle Corps and Drill Team. In 1975, 200 residents protested the decision by the Park Board to demolish the old Douglass Center and replace it with a new gym. The group advocated for the old Center to be replaced with a new, full-service, comprehensive Center. After much discussion between the community and the Park Board, the “old” Center was torn down and a new Center was constructed. It opened on December 12, 1976. In March 1978, the Douglass Annex opened with a focus on senior citizens, and in 1997 the Douglass Branch Library moved into its current site.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Subdivision, located between North Fourth Street and the Canadian National railroad tracks in Champaign, Illinois, was a part of urban renewal that took place in the late 1960s, eventually replacing the old Oak-Ash neighborhood. It began in the 1980s and was the only urban renewal project that was not replaced with public or subsidized housing. The names of the streets in the subdivision were chosen to recognize African Americans who were historically significant for the community and submitted to the city council by J. W. Pirtle.
A nature-based community building event for BIPOC community members of Champaign County! Join us for a community, nature-based community wellness event intentionally for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community…
…Wu-Tang Clan told you that tears come after laughter. Relief comes only from opening every emotional and psychological wound. Open Mike Eagle spent the 2010s finding comedy in rap music…
…to community in all its forms.” [Kirkus Reviews] Books will be available to purchase at the reading. This event is generously funded by The Urbana Free Library Foundation. The Library…
Read More from Francesca T. Royster Discussion & Book Signing
…18, from 2:00–4:00 p.m. Enjoy music, food and refreshments, fishing, Urvana Mobile Recreation Unit games and activities, community resources, and more as we celebrate Black freedom, culture, contributions, and achievements…
Read More from Juneteenth Celebration at Crystal Lake Park (Urbana)
…between 1pm and 3pm on Saturday, December 3. This event is free and open to the public. Pictured is Black Santa from 2019. Event organized by Buy Black Chambana: https://www.facebook.com/buyblackchambana/…
The History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library invites the community to The Blaxtravaganza, a series of events highlighting the research, creativity, and brilliance of Black professors on the University of Illinois…
Read More from Blaxstravaganza: Reading by Professor David Wright Faladé
The History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library invites the community to The Blaxtravaganza, a series of events highlighting the research, creativity, and brilliance of Black professors on the University of Illinois…
Read More from Blaxtravaganza: Alexandra Barbier and “Stations of Black Loss – Work(s) in Progress”
The History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library invites the community to The Blaxtravaganza, a series of events highlighting the research, creativity, and brilliance of Black professors on the University of Illinois…
Read More from Blaxtravaganza: Table Reading with Courtney Becks
The History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library invites the community to The Blaxtravaganza, a series of events highlighting the research, creativity, and brilliance of Black professors on the University of Illinois…
Read More from Blaxtravaganza: Reiko Huffman Presents “Scenic Design and the Process”
The History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library invites the community to The Blaxtravaganza, a series of events highlighting the research, creativity, and brilliance of Black professors on the University of Illinois…
The History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library invites the community to The Blaxtravaganza, a series of events highlighting the research, creativity, and brilliance of Black professors on the University of Illinois…
Albert R. Lee was born on June 26, 1874, on a farm outside of Champaign, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois in 1894, and in 1895 he became the second African American hired at the university. He started as a messenger, but then became the clerk for the Office of the President. Lee served under six university Presidents. At a time when African Americans were not allowed to live on campus, he took it upon himself to assist them with housing and maneuvering through school, becoming known as the unofficial Dean of African American Students.
Despite increasing numbers of African Americans matriculating into the University of Illinois in the 1930s and 1940s, discrimination was rampant on campus and in Campustown. Black students were prohibited from eating in dining halls and local eateries, forcing many students to walk 30 minutes each way for meals in the North End, Champaign-Urbana’s African American neighborhood.
…the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art (Rutgers) and cofounder/organizer of The Schomburg Center’s Black Comic Book Festival in Harlem. He is cofounder and organizer of…
In the fall of 1969, the University of Illinois’ Afro-American Cultural Program opened on campus to provide a safe space for Black students to gather and grow, to help Black students feel proud and welcome, and to educate the campus community about the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans. The Program was created in response to the Project 500 protest in September 1968, in which Black students demonstrated against inequitable treatment by the University. In 2004, the University rededicated the space as the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center, named after a former director of the center.
Read More from The Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center
…the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com. The Library is committed to making programs accessible for all….
…programs combined to serve children of the community. Students from local schools and home school programs participate in our Saturday ensemble to further their musical development. The Library is committed…
Read More from Music with Banks, Bridgewater, & Lewis Fine Arts Academy
…by the New Souls, and other information about future Poet Laureate programming. The event is free and open to the public. Inauguration Celebration Spurlock Museum 600 S Gregory Urbana Su…
Read More from Inauguration Celebration for Urbana Poet Laureate Ja Nelle Davenport-Pleasure
…open at 4:00pm Community Choir begins TBD Featured Keynote Speaker – Rev. BJ Tatum During the ceremony, three community members will be honored with prestigious awards in recognition of…
Read More from Martin Luther King, Jr. Countywide Celebration
…Switzerland (2019) and PRAISE N PAY IT/ PULL UP, COME INTO THE RISE, South London Gallery, London, (2018). Shenece was recently commissioned to make a new work in response to…
Read More from Shenece Oretha with Blair Ebony Smith | Artist Performance Lecture
…collaborators have nurtured a community of thinkers and artists grounded in the resources that normative institutions ignore. All of Alexis’s work is grounded in a community building ethic and would…
Read More from Food for the Soul/Inside Scoop with Alexis Pauline Gumbs
MacArthur “Genius” award-winner Kyle Abraham brings his unique choreography and internationally renowned dance company, A.I.M, to perform a repertory of new and exciting works for Urbana Champaign audiences. Considered “one…
Read More from A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham Presents Repertory Works
Edward A. Green, a freeman, became one of the first African Americans to settle in Champaign County in 1856. Born in North Carolina, he moved to West Urbana (now Champaign) from Union County, Ohio, with his first wife, Georgia Anne, and daughters, Anna A. and Florence E. Green. A carpenter by trade, in 1858 he began purchasing parcels of land throughout what would become Champaign and into northwestern Urbana, ending up with approximately 14 lots. Six lots were located in Urbana between Wright and Goodwin Streets, along Eads and Champaign (now Vine) Streets.
Activist-artist-educator Dr. Amira Davis joins The Urbana Free Library for this special event on Black Motherhood. This program will be a combination performance and presentation based on Davis’ book, Jalimusa:…
Read More from Jalimusa: An Epic Tale of Black Women’s Mothering
Join other community members for a walk celebrating peace. The walk will begin and end at Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Parking is available at King School and along Wascher…
…preserving the essence of jazz for generations to come. Come celebrate Black History Month at this special performance. The Library is committed to making programs accessible for all. If you…
…Chicago Tribune, host of the Society for American Baseball Research’s (SABR) monthly interview series “Ballpark Figures,” and a member of the Negro Leagues and Teams Committee, a special committee convened…
Read More from Sporting Publics Symposium | Conversation with Shakeia Taylor
The C-U Black & African Arts Festival mission is to expose and give a culturally diverse experience to the Champaign-Urbana, IL community by expressing both Black and African heritage. This…
Everybody has stories to tell, and we’d love to hear yours. In connection with the ongoing Black Joy Project at the Spurlock Museum, we invite members of the community to…
The C-U Black & African Arts Festival mission is to expose and give a culturally diverse experience to the Champaign-Urbana, IL community by expressing both Black and African heritage. This…
Come out to celebrate and support CU’s youth! The program is full of performances by local artists and DREAAMers….
Read More from Let Our Light Shine: Black History Month Youth Celebration
…in 2019 to “recognize a resident poet who honors and serves our diverse community and elevates the importance of the creative writing art form.” The program includes a youth component…
Dr. Hector Adames and Dr. Nayeli Chavez-Dueñas will be presenting a public Zoom lecture titled, Joy is Our Superpower: Healing and Therapy with Communities of Color. This is part of…
Read More from Joy is Our Superpower: Healing and Therapy with Communities of Color
The Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center and Illinites Present the “Just Joy Black History Month Comedy Show” on Friday, February 17. Doors open at 8 p.m. The show…
The Dr. Ellis Subdivision is the third single-family subdivision created for African Americans in Champaign-Urbana after Carver Park in 1951 and Crispus Attucks Place in 1953. The subdivision was developed by John Goodell of Goodell Engineering and built in three phases, from 1961-1966. It was originally just outside city limits on undeveloped farmland. Today, the subdivision is located in Urbana, IL, in what is considered the historically African American North End neighborhood.
…Martin Luther King, Jr. Advocacy for Justice Committee, MLK County-wide Committee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. For additional questions or to…
African Americans from Champaign County fought bravely, and died, in World War I. Those who served did so with courage, honor, and distinction. Many of those who returned home found community and services at the William F. Earnest American Legion Post 559. Originally located at Fifth and Hill Streets, the Post is now located at 704 N. Hickory in Champaign. It was chartered in 1932 by African American World War I veterans and named for a fallen comrade who was a University of Illinois student-athlete from Homer, Illinois. Earnest served as a sergeant in the all-Black 370th Infantry Regiment from Illinois. One of the columns at Memorial Stadium also bears his name. The founding members of Post 559 were Clifford Caldwell, Robert H. Earnest (brother of William F. Earnest), Dr. L.P. Diffay, Dr. Henry Ellis, Alvin Foxwell, Raymond Hines, Thomas Macklin, Cecil D. Nelson, and George Ray.
…and begin to pinpoint your ancestry. This event is co-sponsored by the Champaign County Genealogical Society. The Urbana Free Library is committed to making programs accessible for all. If you…
Read More from Google My Maps: Visualizing Your Ancestors’ Lives (Zoom)
…committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com. The Library is committed to making programs accessible for all. If you need an accommodation to attend a program,…
North First Street Corridor is the oldest business district in Champaign, dating to the 1850s. A triangular area that originally included East Main Street, University Avenue, and the first two blocks of North First Street, it bordered an integrated working-class neighborhood called Germantown.
Harriet J. Lawhead School, built in 1907, was a small, four-room building. During its early years, it served German and Italian immigrants in the neighborhood. As African Americans moved into the area, the school was integrated for a period of time, but by the 1940s it was attended only by Black students. White children who lived in the area were sent to Columbia School. During World War II, two rooms in the basement of the school were used as a Servicemen’s Club, organized by community members for African American soldiers who were not welcomed in the USO at Chanute Field. The school was closed in 1952, prior to the opening of the new Booker T. Washington School and razed in 1990. It is now a parking lot.
Make your day off count! Join the Museum of the Grand Prairie as we explore the rich cultural heritage of the African American community in Champaign County on this Martin…
…campus and community partners in recognizing the power of community action and civic engagement as local partners and students convene to honor the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. vision…
Read More from Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Reflection & Service
…for freedom. Free books available! To participate, register her by November 5: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/408766198 Meeting time: Mondays at 6:00–7:00 P.M., October 9–December 11 Location: Douglass Branch Library – Douglass Meeting Room,…
Read More from Book Club: Dark Princess by W. E. B. Du Bois (October 9–December 11)
Join us for ANCHOR – a free concert dedicated to the music, message, and movement of Black American Artists. This special evening is set to take place on Wednesday, February…
Read More from ANCHOR: The Music, the Message, and the Movement of Black American Artists
…a friend! DETAILS Date: February 24 Day: Friday Time: 1-3p Fee (M/NM): Free/$3 Location: Douglass Annex Deadline: Must register by February 17. Visit https://champaignparks.com/event/50-plus-black-history-soul-food-potluck-3/ for more details. ORGANIZER Robert White…
Join Parkland College for RACE Talks: Thursday, February 16 Noon–12:50 pm Room U140 Facilitators: Donna Tanner-Harold, Counseling Services (retired), and Dr. Marsh Jones, Social Sciences and Human Services…
Join Parkland College for a panel discussion on race: Monday, February 20 10–10:50 am Room U140…
“Dress Codes and Other Exclusionary Practices in Urban Nightlife” Wednesday, February 22 Noon–12:50 pm Room U140 Dr. May, the Florian Znaniecki Professorial Scholar and Sociology department head at the University…
Walking with My Ancestors: Cape Coast Castle (2019), the award-winning and nationally recognized performance piece, is about a mother’s search for guidance from the spirits of her ancestors in the…
Read More from Walking With My Ancestors: Cape Coast Castle by Ama Oforiwaa Aduonum
Join the Bethel A.M.E. Church by reading excerpts from the works of your favorite Black writers! Sunday, February 4, at 2:00 p.m. at Bethel A.M.E. Church (401 E. Park Street,…
Read More from Bethel A.M.E. Church: National African American Read-In
Presented in partnership with The City of Champaign, The City of Urbana, Campus-Community Compact To Accelerate Social Justice, and Champaign Community Coalition – Walk As One In February 2023, the…
Read More from Understanding the State of Illinois’ Black Business Survey
The Douglass Center Library was organized in 1970 to serve both Urbana and Champaign, a joint project of the two cities’ libraries, Lincoln Trail Libraries System, and the Champaign Park District. The Library was named for Frederick Douglass, the American abolitionist and journalist who escaped from slavery and became an influential lecturer — including at least one stop in Champaign.
…safety, a return of long-forgotten diseases, and the profit-making machine that runs the medical industry. Written by singer, composer, and producer Toshi Reagon in collaboration with her mother, Dr. Bernice…
Read More from Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower (Krannert Center for the Performing Arts)
…safety, a return of long-forgotten diseases, and the profit-making machine that runs the medical industry. Written by singer, composer, and producer Toshi Reagon in collaboration with her mother, Dr. Bernice…
Read More from Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower (Krannert Center for the Performing Arts)
…offers great exposure to the community. Celebrate the Chambana community with us! Enjoy live music, tasty food, children’s activities, senior activities, and more! Friday, August 11, 2023 – 5-8p Saturday,…
…Rotary Foundation, are working on an ambitious plan to transform Skelton Park (101 E. Washington Street, Champaign) into a state-of the-art park, community plaza, performance space, and play area as…
…offers great exposure to the community. Celebrate the Chambana community with us! Enjoy live music, tasty food, children’s activities, senior activities, and more! Friday, August 11, 2023 – 5-8p Saturday,…
…and previously programmed for the Brooklyn Academy of Music. ABOUT THE HIGH DESERT A Memoir by James Spooner From James Spooner, the creator of Afro-Punk, comes a stunning graphic memoir…
Read More from Screening of Afro-Punk and Conversation with Director James Spooner
President Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. For many years afterward, in or around September, African Americans would congregate at parks and other community spaces for Emancipation Day celebrations. These celebrations were held in Champaign, Homer, Tolono, Sidney, and other parts of Champaign County. Celebrations often included food, music, and dancing.
…present and future. This performance, featuring women from our community, is designed to promote creativity and connection! Our featured poet this month is Danyla Nash, Urbana’s inaugural Youth Poet Laureate!…
Museum of the Grand Prairie, Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, 2 p.m. Join us as history comes to life with another event in the 16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series!…
Read More from 16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series — Voices of Our Past: Ann Bradford Stokes
Allen A. Rivers, Sr. was hired as the first and, at the time, only African American in the Champaign Police Department on August 1, 1935. He worked for 33 years as a policeman rising from a “beat cop” to a motorcycle cop, and then to Sergeant before retiring. He was known as never having to fire his gun in pursuit of a criminal or during an arrest.
…survival and endurance, grace and resilience, thriving and testifying, freedom and independence, solidarity and speaking truth to power. It reveals how Black people have worshipped, and through their spiritual journeys,…
Read More from THE BLACK CHURCH: THIS IS OUR STORY, THIS IS OUR SONG
…pm Contact Carrie Lingscheit E-Mail carriel@illinois.edu Come and celebrate the birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000), former Illinois Poet Laureate and the first African American writer to win the Pulitzer Prize….
Community members are invited to attend the 38th Annual Unity Breakfast sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Advocacy for Justice Committee and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign…
In 1951, African American civic leader Charles Phillips saw a need for quality single-family housing in the Black Community. So, he put together a “grass roots” coalition of friends and acquaintances to buy ten acres of farmland and hired developer Ozier-Weller Homes. Each family put up $350.00 to develop the 70-home subdivision named after African American scientist and inventor George Washington Carver. It was Champaign-Urbana’s first subdivision financed and built by African Americans.
The first Black Greek letter organizations began in the early 1900s when African American students were excluded from dormitories (as was the case at the University of Illinois), study groups and social organizations at predominantly white institutions. Often ostracized, Black students began to organize themselves for mutual academic and social support. As these organizations evolved, they developed the values of scholarship, friendship, service, leadership, and philanthropy. Today, all nine historically Black sororities and fraternities have chapters, commonly known as the “Divine 9,” on the University of Illinois’ campus. Two of the earliest Black Greek organizations, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, were the first such organizations on the University’s campus to provide housing for their chapter members. The first residence for Alpha Kappa Alpha (Gamma House) was located at 1201 W. Stoughton in Urbana and the first home for Kappa Alpha Psi was at 707 S. Third Street, in Champaign.
The young women pictured on the steps in 1915 are members of the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority which was established at the University in 1914.
Read More from The Presence of the “Divine 9” at the University of Illinois
Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States, is one event you don’t want to miss. Enjoy music and visit different vendors while learning…
Read More from Juneteenth Celebration at Douglass Park (Champaign)
…Moxie Events. To purchase tickets, please visit: https://thevirginia.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=909 FEATURING WINE AND BEER SERVICE IN OUR EAST LOBBY The Champaign Park District is proud to welcome Farren’s Pub & Eatery to…
…Musical styles come and go, but there’s one sound that has been a constant source of strength, courage, and wisdom from the pulpit to the choir lofts on any given…
…community, from pre-Civil War to present day. Note that the Timeline is a work in progress. History from 1960–today is in progress and will be updated as it is compiled….
…Blues. This event is free; however, registration is encouraged to ensure that we have enough food and seating: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1667773653 If you have any questions, please contact Cathy McArthur at mcarthur@illinois.edu….
Read More from Black History Month Luncheon at Research Park
Join the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center on the following dates for their Quench series as part of the Cultural & Resource Center Lunch on Us programming. Free food provided!…
Read More from Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud: Black LGBTQ+ History
Walter Thomas Bailey was the first African American to graduate with a degree in architectural engineering from the University of Illinois in 1904, and he was the first licensed African American architect in Illinois. He contributed to the Colonel Wolfe School in Champaign as a young man, and later enjoyed a successful and influential career leading architectural projects throughout the United States. Bailey assisted with the design of the Colonel Wolfe School at 403 E. Healey in Champaign. The Colonel Wolfe School was constructed in 1905 as a public elementary school. Named after Colonel John S. Wolfe, captain of the 20th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War, the building was designed by the architectural firm Spencer & Temple from Champaign.
Read More from Walter T. Bailey and the Colonel Wolfe School
…interactive and engaging presentation portraying the notable abolitionist and orator. FREE. For more info: (217) 586-2612 or pcain@ccfpd.org. Website Event Listing – Frederick Douglass Facebook Event Listing – Frederick Douglass…
Read More from 16th Annual Lincoln Lecture Series — Voices of Our Past: Frederick Douglass
…Arts. The chorus will be conducted by Ollie Watts Davis. Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, January 25, at 10 a.m., online only. More information is available here: https://krannertcenter.com/events/ui-black-chorus-0. …
…of the same name to the screen. For tickets, visit the Virginia Theatre’s website here: https://thevirginia.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=900 THE ARTHOUSE EXPERIENCE Film Series Described as limited-release, high-quality titles that have captured the…
Please register here (https://form.jotform.com/223406851908964) for a virtual talk by Kumasi J. Barnett, presented in conjunction with In Blackest Shade, In Darkest Light exhibition at Giertz Gallery at Parkland College and…
…an intentional understanding of the traumas that communities of color in the United States have faced both historically and contemporarily. It is also cognizant of the strides we take each…
…Summerville (1944-2017), she describes him as Urbana-Champaign-University of Illinois’ unique musical and spiritual force who brought people together through song and service to the community. She wrote, Mr. Summerville graduated…
Read More from Willie Summerville: A Life of Music, Faith, and Service
…back often as we continue to share history as it is uncovered in the community. Points of Pride are categorized by Visual Arts, Community, Education, Military, Government, and Social Life….
…community in Champaign County. Note: Trail stops with a physical location or marker will include this icon next to their title below. The remaining share detailed history relevant to people,…
…of our local students through essay, poems, and art. Sponsored by the College of Education, and the 2023 MLK Commemorative Planning Committee. For additional information contact Victor H. Perez, vhperez@illinois.edu….
Read More from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. K-12 Creative Expressions Contest
The historic colonnades that grace the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium, dedicated in 1924, bear the names of Illinois students who died in World War I. One of those students was William Frank Earnest, the first African American from Champaign County to die in the war.
…to make meaningful connections with the extended family he never knew existed. A thoughtful meditation on biracial identity, intimacy, and finding true community; MY LIFE IN THE SUNSHINE upends our…
…University. A curator, educator, and social justice activist who specializes in American art and visual culture, her scholarly commitment to the investigation of anti-blackness within those fields has demonstrated how…
…frontman of the number one funk band in the Midwest, Dexter O’Neal and The Funk Yard. Dexter is pure excitement and an explosive talent. Come prepared for an amazing experience….
Read More from Krannert Center Uncorked with Dexter O’Neal and the Funk Yard
…competence requirement for licensure* This event will interrogate discourses around the psychosocial construct of resilience and explore its potentially negative impact on Black women’s mental health and wellbeing through research,…