Category Archives: African American history

Labor Exploitation, Exclusion, and Racial Terrorism, 1874–1924

Posted on 01/09/2026 by Sundiata Keita Cha-Jua

This article is adapted from Dr. Cha-Jua’s address “Stolen Labor, and Hindered Opportunity,” presented at the African Descent–Citizens Reparations Commission (ADCRC) public meeting on October 4 at the Krannert Center in Urbana. All of the presentations from that gathering are … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, African Americans, African Americans, labor, labor history, Labor/Economics, Racism, Reparations, Section, Violence, Voices, Voices of Color | Tagged African American, African American history, exploitation, Labor, nadir, racial terrorism, racism, reparations | Comments Off

Don’t Ask Me to Mourn Kirk: White Grief, Black Truth

Posted on 01/09/2026 by Reverend Terrance Thomas

Charlie Kirk is dead. For some, that sentence alone stirs discomfort, because you’ve already been trained to mourn. But not all deaths are tragic. Sometimes people live in such a way that when they die, the earth exhales. Kirk was … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, African Americans, African Americans, Alt-Right, Politics, Politics, Racism, Section, Voices | Tagged African Americans, alt-Right, Black church, Charlie Kirk, political hypocrisy, racism | Comments Off

The Negro/Black Cultural, History, and Art Museum of Urbana

Posted on 12/23/2024 by Mrs. Marilynn Dean Cleveland

I would like to see this museum established here in our town of Urbana for the purpose of educating our people, especially our Black children: to teach them about our history and what Black people have contributed to this country, … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, African American women, African American Women in Champaign-Urbana, African Americans, African Americans, Arts, Local Arts, Racism, Remembering, Section, Voices, Women | Tagged African American history, local culture, museum, racism, Slavery | Comments Off

The Case for Reparations: Champaign County

Posted on 04/01/2024 by Jeff Trask

According to the Descendants Truth and Reconciliation Foundation, Black people in America own 10 cents of wealth for every dollar a white person owns, have lower life expectancies and higher unemployment, will earn $1 million less during their lifetimes, are … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, African Americans, African Americans, Inequality, Labor/Economics, Racism, Section, Voices, Voices of Color | Tagged African American history, discrimination, inequality, racism, reparations, Slavery, wealth gap | Comments Off

A Road Map for Repairing the Harm: The History of Racially Restrictive Covenants

Posted on 04/01/2024 by Aaron Ammons and Grant Chassy

Can you imagine, as a resident of Champaign County, being told you aren’t allowed to live in a neighborhood because you’re Black? By today’s standards, such blatant racism would be met with disgust and rejection—at least by the majority of … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, African Americans, Champaign County, Housing, Justice, racial segregation in Champaign/Urbana, Racism | Tagged Champaign County, housing discrimination, racial segregation, racism | Comments Off

What is the Radical Black Church?

Posted on 04/01/2024 by Reverend Terrance Thomas

How Do We Define the “Black” Church? In some sense, the Black Church can be readily defined by its music, style of preaching and sounds. Yet these are only surface definitions—it is so much more. The Black Church was born … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African American history, African Americans, African Americans, civil rights, Justice, Religious radicalism, Section, Voices, Voices of Color | Tagged African American history, Black church, liberation theology, religious radicalism, resistance, Slavery | Comments Off

Genealogy Program Aims to Restore Absent African American Histories

Posted on 04/01/2024 by Brian Graves

“Visiting Ghana had a significant impact on me, both personally and professionally. It solidified my perspective on the importance of building bridges between African nations and the African diaspora. My visit home inspired me to integrate these newfound insights into … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African American history, African Americans, DNA Testing, Uncategorized | Tagged African American history, family history, genetic testing, heritage, identity, restorative justice, roots | Comments Off

Black History: Is This Really 2024?

Posted on 04/01/2024 by Mrs. Marilynn Dean Cleveland

I am a mother of three sons and a grandmother of 83 years of age. This incident happened on Wednesday, January 31, in the middle of the afternoon. I was going to visit a friend and on the way, I … Continue reading →

Posted in African American, African American history, African American women, African Americans, Section, Voices, Voices of Color, Women | Tagged African American women, local stories, Memory, trauma | Comments Off

Slaves—Our Ancestors

Posted on 05/01/2023 by Mrs. Marilynn Dean Cleveland

We give praise to those who came before us, fighting for the right to be free. Who were they? They are our ancestors, who suffered unendurable pain. Pain, from the snake-like whip that mutilated their flesh as it bit into … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, African American Women in Champaign-Urbana, African Americans, Arts, Local Arts, Section, Violence, Voices, Women | Tagged African American history, African American women, local African American voices, local arts, Slavery | Comments Off

Growing Up “Unlucky”: Putting a Human Face on Bureau of Labor Statistics

Posted on 05/01/2023 by C. Owen

Numerous options for employment abound in our small metropolitan area nestled amid the farmland of eastern central Illinois. From warehouses to food establishments to car repair shops, job seekers have many a choice for offering their time and effort. Yet, … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, African Americans, Economics, Labor, Labor/Economics, Racism, Section | Tagged economic racism, economics, inequality, Labor, unemployment | Comments Off

Juneteenth Freedom Day

Posted on 09/18/2022 by Aaron Ammons

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, African Americans, African Americans, Racism, Remembering, Voices of Color | Tagged African American traditions, holidays, Juneteenth, Memory, Slavery | Comments Off

Juneteenth 2022 at Randolph Street Garden

Posted on 09/18/2022 by Public i

Seitu Ken Jones, a multidisciplinary artist who believes in the power of public art to link the past and present, spent 2020–21 as a visiting artist at the UIUC Center for Advanced Study. He returned this past June to work … Continue reading →

Posted in African American, African American history, African Americans, Community, Local Arts, Voices of Color, Youth | Tagged African American history, Juneteenth, local community, youth | Comments Off