Past Event

Illinois Turns 200 Podcast in Chicago

Illinois Turns 200 concludes on the day itself–the Illinois Bicentennial. The episode explores the past, present, and possible futures of the third-largest city in the country through interviews with author Tom Dyja, historian Ann Durkin Keating, and journalist Natalie Moore. Hear the sounds of Chicago’s past courtesy of Cultural Historian for the City of Chicago Tim Samuelson. Nora Brooks Blakely reads her mother Gwendolyn Brooks’s poem, “For Illinois,” written for the 150th anniversary of statehood, while poet Tara Betts gives us her take on the 200th. With live music by Dee Alexander; James Conway; Jon McLean; Chris Vallillo; a few special, secret guests; an Illinois-inspired DJ-set by Plastic Crimewave; bicentennial burgoo courtesy of  the Chicago Reader’s Mike Sula; and the Land of Lagers beer brewed exclusively for the event by the Goose Island Brewing Company–this is a night 200 years in the making!

For more information about this event, please contact Paul Durica at paul.durica@ilhumanities.org or (312) 422-5583.