Judge: Prosecutors Can’t Show Rittenhouse Link To Proud Boys
MADISON, Wis. — A judge says prosecutors can’t argue a man who shot three people, killing two, during a protest against police brutality in Wisconsin is linked to the Proud Boys white nationalist group. Kyle Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, faces multiple charges in the August 2020 shootings in Kenosha. Prosecutors asked Judge Bruce Schroeder if […]
Organizers In Champaign County Prepare For Juneteenth
CHAMPAIGN – Organizers throughout Champaign County say Juneteenth is about history, but also about bringing attention to systemic issues that the African American community still faces. Juneteenth, which falls on June 19, is also now an official state holiday, after Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation on Wednesday. Rantoul resident Debbra Sweat was having coffee with […]
Because of COVID-19: AAPI Community Sees Rise In Violence
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. have reported an increase in their experiences of racism, hostility and outright violence. A recent study from California State University found anti-Asian hate crimes reported to police in major U.S. cities rose 150% last year — even as overall hate crimes dropped 7%. And […]
Video Shows Black Player Forced To Sit Near Banana Peels
MOLINE – A Black football player at a northwest Illinois high school is seen on video sitting down in a locker littered with banana peels after a teammate threatens to break his knees if he doesn’t comply. Moline Police Chief Darren Gault called the incident at Moline High School a “disturbing racist scene.” Detectives interviewed […]
Illinois’ Cockburn Targeted In Racist Post After NCAA Loss
INDIANAPOLIS — Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn is the second player to face racist comments on social media following a loss in the NCAA Tournament. Cockburn shared on Instagram a social media post directed at him after the top-seeded Illini lost to No. 8 Loyola Chicago on Sunday. Cockburn was born in Jamaica. He posted […]
Pritzker Issues ‘Call To Action’ On Race Following Georgia Killings
Gov. JB Pritzker says the shooting deaths of eight people at several Georgia massage parlors last week should serve as a call to action to address…
How Anti-Asian Hate Is Affecting Central Illinois’ Asian American Communities
URBANA – Anti-Asian hate appears to have worsened during the pandemic. A recent study from California State University finds anti-Asian hate crimes reported to police in major U.S. cities rose 150% last year — even as overall hate crimes dropped 7%. And an analysis released this month by the group Stop AAPI Hate found nearly […]
Champaign Neighborhood Shaken By Racist Flyers Left In Driveways
CHAMPAIGN – On the morning of January 16, Melanie Keil discovered a rock in the driveway of her home. Attached was a note with several websites under the title “No White Guilt.” Keil, who is white and married to a Black man, believes her mostly-Black Champaign neighborhood was targeted. “I do think this was a […]
In Atlanta, A Carving That Honors The Confederacy Is ‘Too Big To Ignore’
ATLANTA – A walk along the trails at Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta, Georgia can be peaceful. The sweeping views from the top of the mountain can be breathtaking, and a visit to a new dinosaur exhibit there can be educational. But looming over all of this natural beauty is a nearly 100 foot tall […]
Kansas Citians Reflect On Removing ‘Segregationist’ Nichols’ Name From Plaza He Built
KANSAS CITY, MO – Nearly 100 years after J.C. (Jesse Clyde) Nichols built Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza — an outdoor shopping center modeled after Spanish architecture — his name has been stripped from one of its streets and an iconic fountain. The debate to remove his name has long simmered, but the pressure mounted […]
The ‘Friendliest Small Town In America’ Can’t Agree On Removing Robert E. Lee Monument
MURRAY, KY – The sun was setting on the courthouse square in the rural college town of Murray, Kentucky, after another sweltering July day. The town bills itself as the “friendliest small town in America,” but recent controversy around the removal of a Confederate monument have complicated that image. The city of Murray had unanimously […]
How To Talk To Kids About Race And Racism, And The Risks Of Staying Silent
With police brutality in the news, parents may be wondering how to talk to their children about racism and White supremacy. These conversations are familiar to Black families, but University of Illinois Professors Shardé Smith and Helen Neville say all families should be having them. Illinois Newsroom education reporter Lee Gaines recently spoke with Smith, […]
Peaceful Protest In Champaign Draws Huge Crowd
CHAMPAIGN – Thousands gathered in the streets of downtown Champaign on Saturday afternoon for a peaceful march in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The march, which was organized by local nonprofit Paign To Peace, drew people from across the county. Protesters gathered in Hessel Park around noon to meet and make signs, and […]
Pritzker Responds To Minnesota Protests; Says Trump Is A Racist
CHICAGO – During his daily COVID-19 briefing, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker responded to protests in Minnesota over the killing of a black man by a white police officer. Pritzker also reiterated his belief that President Donald Trump is a racist. Pritzker expressed condolences to all African-Americans and in particular to the family of George Floyd. […]
News Around lllinois – May 13, 2020
COVID-19 Cases Top 4K In 1 Day, Pritzker Notes More Testing SPRINGFIELD — Illinois has recorded 4,014 new coronavirus cases, which is a one-day record high. The state also reported 144 new deaths Tuesday. But Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state also received results on 29,000 coronavirus tests in the past 24 hours, so the […]