The Honorable Abner and Zoe Mikva will be honored on Thursday, April 28, 2005.
University of Chicago Law Professor Geoffrey R. Stone will give 2005 Humanities Lecture on "Free Speech in Wartime" before the Gala dinner.
CHICAGO – The Illinois Humanities Council will celebrate its 30th anniversary at a Gala at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago on Thursday, April 28, 2005 . At the Gala, The Honorable Abner and Zoe Mikva will receive the Council’s 2005 Public Humanities Award . They will be honored for their lifelong commitment to civic education, to public understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and for a partnership that is more than the sum of two distinguished careers in public service.
"We are delighted to be honoring Judge Abner and Zoe Mikva. All of us who care about civic participation value what the Mikvas have done for the Chicago community and other communities they have called home," said Arthur Sussman, Illinois Humanities Council Board Chair.
The Illinois Humanities Council broadens intellectual horizons by creating educational opportunities in the humanities for all Illinoisans. Whether deepening our understanding of the history right under our feet, or of the culture and experiences of our neighbors, Council programs bring scholars together with Illinoisans from all walks-of-life to reflect, think critically, and actively exchange ideas about what is important to all of us. Through film, performance, exhibitions, lectures, seminars, and discussions, the Council is a catalyst for imaginative ventures of the mind and heart. Organized in 1973 as a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Councilis an independent, nonprofit educational organization, 501 [c] 3.
"Free Speech in Wartime," the 2005 Humanities Lecture, will be given by Geoffrey R. Stone, Harry J. Kalven, Jr. Distinguished Service Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School. Professor Stone will provide a historical perspective on the threat to civil liberties, drawn from his recent book, Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime From the Sedition Act of 1798 to the War on Terrorism . This lecture is free and open to the public and will take place at 5:00 p.m. in the Red Lacquer Room, Palmer House Hilton.
For those who have purchased tickets to the Gala, a reception will be held from 5:45-6:30 in the Grand & State Ballroom , followed by the dinner and award presentation from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Individual tickets for the Gala honoring the Mikvas are $250. Please call (312) 422-5580 for reservations. For sponsorship opportunities, including the purchase of tables, please call Kate Anderson at (312) 422-5585 x235. All proceeds from the Gala will support the Council’sFuture Fund, which will seed start-up ventures, experimental or model humanities programs, and innovative, special projects needing immediate project support.
The Council’s Chairman is Arthur Sussman. Other Board officers include: Cheryl Johnson-Odim, Frank Cizon, and Gayl S. Pyatt. The Council’s Executive Director is Kristina A. Valaitis. Leadership for the 30th anniversary campaign includes Council Board members Jack Wing, IHC Gala Chairman and past IHC Board Chair; and Alton Harris, Partner, Ungaretti & Harris. Also serving on the Benefit Committee is Jerold S. Solovy, Chairman of Jenner & Block LLP and the Council’s Fundraising Chair for the 2003-2004 Brown v. Board program.
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