Aug 01 Thursday
Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics for a free, family-friendly outdoor concert on the lawn in the block adjacent to the Illinois Governor's Mansion.Come join us for the FINAL concert of the Levitt AMP SPI Music Series with Radio Free Honduras on August 1 with 🎆FIREWORKS🎆sponsored by the City of Springfield for the grand finale! The band is a diverse collective of Chicago musicians, all united under one goal – supporting the artistry of Charlie Baran and bringing this tremendous talent into the spotlight where it belongs. Before moving to the United States, Charlie was a founding member of the legendary Honduran musical group Banda Blanca, who’s song “Sopa de Caracol” became the #1 Billboard Top Latin Songs hit in 1992.The Jose Gobbo Trio, a central Illinois band, will be the opening act.
Sep 12 Thursday
The University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies in partnership with NPR Illinois invites you to attend the Mary and James Beaumont Endowed Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series featuring Steve Inskeep and Dr. Sarah E. Anderson speaking on the topic of Lincoln and Political Conflict.
Steve Inskeep is a cohost of NPR's Morning Edition. His search for the full story behind the news has led him to history. In his new book, "Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America," Inskeep explores how Lincoln navigated political conflict and repeatedly engaged with those who disagreed with him.
Dr. Sarah E. Anderson is a Professor and Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She studies how the public and politics influences policy. Her recent book, "Rejecting Compromise: Legislators’ Fear of Primary Voters," focuses on why legislators reject compromise.
Sep 17 Tuesday
The Springfield 'Un-Debate' and 'Ask a Voter' event will explore reproductive health.
Candidate debates rarely enlighten the electorate. Instead, NPR Illinois, the University of Illinois System Institute of Government and Public Affairs, and the League of Women Voters will explore critical issues likely to motivate voting in the 2024 presidential election.
The main event will be a panel discussion open to the public about the issue of reproductive health. Experts on the issue will lay out the facts and policies with opportunity for civil discourse with attendees with the goal of minimizing misinformation.
A select group of registrants will be selected to participate in the 'Ask a Voter' pre-event. Selected to diversely represent our regional population, invitees on all sides of the issue will civilly engage each other to explore why their vote may be determined by reproductive health. When registering, indicate your willingness to participate in 'Ask a Voter' and complete the questionnaire. A group for 8-12 from each side will be invited then asked to share their experience with during the panel session.
Additional Un-Debates include:Foreign Policy - Urbana - early September 2024Immigration - Chicago - October 3, 2024
Sep 25 Wednesday
Join the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership for its annual showcase of how it interacts with and affects policies. This year's event is moderated by NPR Illinois' Sean Crawford and will include a live version of State Week looking at the year in Illinois policy and how Illinois may be affected by the 2024 national elections. The Government Public Service Internship (GPSI) awards will also be featured.
Nov 07 Thursday
2024 marks the 19th class of high school seniors NPR Illinois will ask to share what they believe. This I Believe was started by radio journalist Edward R. Murrow in 1951 to allow anyone able to distil the guiding principles by which they lived.
This year, another culminating event will occur, details and location to be announced soon.
NPR Illinois will air the essays in their authors’ voices the last two weeks of October (at approximately 7:45 am and 4:45 pm). The audio will also be streamed at nprillinois.org. Previous essays are available on the website at nprillinois.org under the “Community Voices” tab.
The Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise has partnered with NPR Illinois since the program began and provides a monetary award to the selected authors. The Illinois Times also provides support to the program by printing the essays in the weekly paper.
Nov 26 Tuesday
Save the date for our annual celebration of you!
Venue, registration, and more posted soon!.
Jul 30 Tuesday
Two hundred years ago, on August 2, 1824, Illinois conducted the most consequential election in its history. The election would determine if Illinois became an unrestricted 'slave state'. The election came about when the legislature passed a joint resolution calling for the people, at the next general election, to approve holding a constitutional convention to modify the 1818 Constitution. The six-year-old constitution contained nebulose language regarding slavery, that was inserted to avoid congressional debate when reviewing Illinois petition for statehood. The proslavery elements were strong, contained the majority in the legislature, and felt confident the citizens would approve holding a convention. The opposition was organized, well-funded, and led by the new governor Edward Coles, a newly arrived easterner who have served both Presidents Madison and Monroe. The campaign lasted 18 months and was controversial and violent. The campaign also presented a challenge for the new self-rule democracy - the people deciding the direction of government.
You're invited to "brown bag it" and join Bernard Sieracki for his special lunch hour presentation on Tuesday, July 30, from Noon-1pm in the ALPLM library's multi-purpose room as he reviews the 1824 campaign, the colorful characters involved, and the future consequences for Illinois regarding slavery.
This is a free program. Advance registration is not required.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Bernard Sieracki was an Illinois lobbyist for forty years. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Upon retirement he taught as an adjunct professor at UIC. He is the author of "A Just Cause: The Impeachment and Removal of Governor Rod Blagojevich," and is currently finishing "Attempting Democracy" about the Illinois Legislature in the 19th Century.