Hazel Johnson described her Southeast Side community as existing within a "toxic donut," surrounded by landfills, industrial facilities, incinerators, and more. Her activism on behalf of marginalized communities led her to the White House and the title of the "mother of environmental justice."
Playlist History
History
The Chicago Librarian Who Created a Lauded Collection of African American History and Literature
Vivian Harsh helped make Bronzeville's library a center for African American writers and intellectuals, hosting speakers such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Zora Neale Hurston and amassing a collection of books and manuscripts by the likes of Langston Hughes and Richard Wright.
'PBS NewsHour' Co-Founder Jim Lehrer Has Died
Jim Lehrer, the co-founder and anchor of PBS NewsHour, died Thursday, January 23 at the age of 85. He covered such earth-shaping events as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the Watergate hearings, and was admired by journalists of all sorts.
How Upton Sinclair’s 'The Jungle' Unintentionally Spurred Food Safety Laws
Muckraker journalist Upton Sinclair started a national movement for food safety after the publication of his 1906 novel, The Jungle, although that wasn't his aim. “I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach,” he said.
PBS's Coverage of the Impeachment Trial
The impeachment trial in the Senate has begun. Find all the ways to watch PBS NewsHour's special live coverage here.
'America's Great Divide' and the 2020 Election
"This is really the most important political year coming that I have ever experienced," says Michael Kirk, the producer of Frontline's new, two-part documentary America's Great Divide. "I thought these films could be a kind of overture as the curtain goes up on the political year."
A Decade in Review
As we approach a new year and a new decade, take a look back at what was yet to come in 2010, from changes in Chicago's built environment and restaurant industry to tech innovations and other developments.
The Killing of Fred Hampton
50 years ago, the promising young Black Panther leader Fred Hampton was killed during a police raid. Hampton's organizing and the outcry after his death helped lead to the election of Harold Washington and Bobby Rush, who was a Panther at the time of the raid.
PBS's Coverage of the Impeachment Hearings in December
Find all the ways you can watch the House Judiciary Committee's public impeachment hearings, either over-the-air or digitally, here.
PBS's Special Coverage of the Impeachment Hearings
Find all the ways you can watch, either over-the-air or digitally, here.
How Chicago Played a Major Role in Setting America’s Time Zones
Before our clocks fell back and sprung forward, there were dozens of time zones in the United States. Chicago, once a major railroad hub, played a key part in standardizing time across the country.
The Chicago Archaeologist Who Changed the Way We Study Civilization
In 1919, James Henry Breasted founded the Oriental Instiute with what was at the time "a radical idea," that scholars should look toward the ancient Middle East to understand western civilization. Now, 100 years later, OI is celebrating its past by looking toward its future.
Chicago's Forgotten 'Days of Rage'
50 years ago, a radical chapter of Students for a Democratic Society tried to "bring the war home" in protest of America's continuing involvement in Vietnam by staging militant demonstrations in Chicago that they called the Days of Rage.
A New Series Providing the History Behind the Headlines
The new series Retro Report on PBS goes behind the headlines to understand the historical roots of today's news. “If we don’t understand where we have been, it’s quite challenging for us to understand where we are fully,” says one of the hosts.
The American Mythology of the Black Sox Scandal
In the 100 years since the Chicago White Sox players fixed games to lose the World Series, lots of myths about the scandal have sprung up. Two experts clear them up, and discuss the scandal's enduring significance. “It’s the power of poetry and fiction to overwhelm history.”
