Author: Heidi Samuelson

As the weather warms up, many Chicagoans’ minds turn to baseball. Despite injuries, contract negotiations, and other issues, Sox and Cubs fans always have hope this time of year as a new season stretches out before them. Harry Caray, longtime Sox and Cubs broadcaster, often spread this early season cheer. Whether handing out beer, taking a shower in the More

On March 31, 1927, Césario Estrada Chávez was born in Yuma, Arizona, to a Mexican American family. They moved to California in 1938 after his father was swindled out of some land. Both he and his family did field work all around California. Growing up, Chávez and his brother Richard attended thirty-seven different schools through More

Today is World Theatre Day, which unites theatre professionals, theatre organizations, theatre universities, and theatre lovers all over the world. First celebrated in 1962, the day is a celebration for those who can see the value and importance of the art form “theatre” and “acts as a wake-up call for governments, politicians, and institutions which have not yet recognized its value to the people and to the More

“In all of the major struggles and minor struggles of the organized labor movement, even though history doesn’t always record it, women were there.” —Reverend Addie L. Wyatt On this day in 1974, the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) was formed at a founding conference held in Chicago and attended by more than 3,000 union More

Today is National Quilting Day, which celebrates all quiltmakers and quilt lovers. The first one was observed in 1992 and since then it has grown into a global day of appreciation for this special art form. In our exhibition American Medina: Stories of Muslim Chicago, we feature a quilt by Chicago South Sider Hanifah Ibrahim.  A Pennsylvania native and convert to Islam, Hanifah Ibrahim expresses her faith and More

St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago is a renowned event rooted in cherished traditions. With not one but two St. Patrick’s Day parades, dyeing the Chicago River, and enjoying a green beer or two, Chicagoans know how to celebrate this beloved holiday. While our celebrations will likely look different this year, we’re not missing the chance to honor the rich history behind one of our More

It’s almost time to spring forward! Daylight saving time begins at 2:00 a.m. local time tomorrow, March 14, which means your nonsmart clocks will need to be reset to 3:00 a.m. at that point. This Golden Hour clock (1955) made by the Jefferson Electric Co. illustrates a blend of old and new modern design. It has a minimalist glass face set in cast zinc plated with 24-karat gold with More

Though this week’s Big Ten men’s basketball conference tournament was moved from Chicago to Indianapolis, there are many Chicago ties among the teams, players, and coaches. One such coach is the University of Michigan’s head coach, and Big Ten Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year, Juwan Howard. Howard was born in Chicago on February 7, More

Today marks International Women’s Day, which recognizes the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The first National Woman’s Day was organized by the Socialist Party of America and observed on February 28, 1909. The following year, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, it was proposed that there be More

On March 1, 1843, Naomi Bowman Talbert Anderson was born in Michigan City, Indiana, to Elijah and Guilly Ann Bowman. She was a writer, speaker, and advocate for women’s rights and racial equality. Her mother encouraged her education, and at twelve years old her poetry caught the attention of the mostly white community and she was invited to attend the previously More