Welcome to our 2020 Conference on Illinois History Virtual Exhibit! Enjoy our extensive representation of the state of Illinois in our books, journals, blog posts, and more. From Oct. 5th […]
CILH Virtual Exhibit
Tag: Illinois history
“Sophonisba Breckinridge” Receives Illinois State Historical Society Award
We are pleased to announce Sophonisba Breckinridge: Championing Women’s Activism in Modern America by Anya Jabour has won an Illinois State Historical Society Award. The Illinois State Historical Society Awards […]
200 Years of Illinois: The Elwood Ordnance Plant explosion
On June 5, 1942, the Herald-News in Joliet reported on one of the deadliest industrial accidents in state history: the explosion at the Elwood Ordnance Plant. At 2:41 a.m., an explosion […]
200 Years of Illinois: Scott Field and the Balloon Man
On May 4, 1927, balloonist Hawthorne C. Gray, a captain in the Army Air Corps, reached new heights in human endeavor. Literally. Taking off from Scott Field near Belleville, Gray […]
200 Years of Illinois: Danville and the Trail of Death
The President does not know the truth. He, like me, has been imposed upon. He does not know that you made my young chiefs drunk and got their consent and […]
Throwbacklist Thursday: The Land Between the Coasts
Ninety-eight years ago, the founders of the University of Illinois Press considered its mission. Academics will disagree, of course. Debates raged. Memos were strongly worded. But it all worked out in […]
The fate of Mr. Pitner
In the new UIP release The Dumville Letters, Anne M. Heinz and John P. Heinz bring us the antebellum-era correspondence of Ann Dumville and her daughters Hepzibah, Jemima, and Elizabeth, as well as their […]
Noteworthy anniversary
Today marks the 196th anniversary of Illinois becoming a part of the United States. Not yet the Land of Lincoln—the Railsplitter had just turned nine the previous winter—Illinois forever left […]
Picturing Illinois authors featured on Chicago Tonight
Picturing Illinois authors John Jakle and Keith Sculle appeared on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” program on February 21st. “Chicago Tonight” also posted a gallery of some of the postcard art featured […]