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* SIU Press…
Pulling off the Sheets tells the previously obscured history of the Second Ku Klux Klan which formed in deep southern Illinois in the early 1920s. Through meticulous research into both public and private records, Darrel Dexter and John A. Beadles recount the Klan’s mythical origins, reemergence, and swift disappearance. This important historical account sets out to expose the lasting impact of the Klan on race relations today.
The ideation of the Klan as a savior of the white race and protector of white womanhood was perpetuated by books, plays, and local news sources of the time. The very real but misplaced fear of Black violence on whites created an environment in which the Second Klan thrived, and recruitment ran rampant in communities such as the Protestant church. Events like the murder of Daisy Wilson intensified the climate of racial segregation and white supremacy in the region, and despite attempts at bringing justice to the perpetrators, most failed. The Second Klan’s presence may have been short-lived, but the violence and fear it inflicted continues to linger.
This disturbing historical account challenges readers to “pull back the sheet” and confront the darkest corners of their past. Dexter and Beadles emphasize the importance of acknowledging the damage that white supremacy and racism cause and how we can move toward healing.
After a year of locking herself in her office at night, [Arionne Nettles] emerged with her city tale, “We Are The Culture: Black Chicago’s Influence on Everything” (Lawrence Hill Books). It hits shelves Tuesday.
Nettles’ debut is an ode to the city that raised her, and a history lesson in the culture that molded her and the world, she said.
She explores moments that shaped pop culture worldwide, not just in Chicago, from the “Oprah Winfrey Show” to the founding of “Soul Train” and Drill music. There are sections dedicated to Chicago’s Black Media Powerhouse, fashion and haircare. […]
“As a journalist, you’re always told not to put yourself in the story. But I was connected to a lot of these things, and I think it’s important for people to know why I might have landed on certain themes,” Nettles said. “I’m just a Chicago girl, and I think my experiences I talk about in my essays are very familiar to so many other Chicagoans I know.”
Kimberly France, the author of “Black Settlements in Southern Illinois,” will discuss her research for the book during a program from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library. The public is invited.
France — a native of Carbondale, Illinois, and a graduate of Howard University and Southern Illinois University — said in a March interview with WPSD television that she wants to encourage others to research Black history in their own communities. […]
The book, from Arcadia Publishing, was released in January.
“Never before has there been a published record that identifies the Black settlements in each of the lower sixteen counties of Southern Illinois,” states a description from Arcadia. “Few are aware of this legacy, which dates back to the early founding of the Illinois territory, but these communities are an essential part of the region’s heritage. Author Kimberly France identifies these historic institutions by the pillars that anchored them. She describes how Black settlement began, how it ended and the untold history that lies between.”
* Greg Pratt sat down with WGN earlier this month to discuss his book “The City Is Up for Grabs.” Click here to check it out.
Do you have any recommendations?
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 11:02 am
Previous Post: Illinois Hospitals Are Driving Economic Activity Across Illinois: $117.7B Annually And 445K Jobs
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I know it is on the list but I don’t care: The City Is Up for Grabs is phenomenal.
5/5 stars and will be the seminal text of this era of Chicago politics for decades.
Comment by Wowie Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 11:07 am
Excellent addition, Isabel. Excellent.
Comment by H-W Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 11:08 am
If Illinois territory and early Illinois count, I found “A Compendium of the Early History of Chicago: To the Year 1835 When the Indians Left” to be well researched and a good read
Comment by jimbo Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 11:17 am
Mentioned it earlier but Down Ballot about the Penny Pullen Rosemary Mulligan primary that ended in a tie and was used in Bush v Gore is a great read. By Patrick Wohl
Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 11:17 am
A bit late to the party here but “The Burning of the World: The Great Chicago Fire and the War for a City’s Soul” was the best book about Chicago that I have read in probably 20 years.
Comment by Du Sable Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 11:26 am
“Benjamin Banneker and Us” by Rachel Jameson Webster. Rachel is a professor of poetry and Creative Writing at Northwestern. It is the story of her discovered shared ancestry as a white person with the descendants of Benjamin Banneker. Benjamin Banneker (November 9, 1731 – October 19, 1806) was an African-American naturalist, mathematician, astronomer and almanac author. A landowner, he also worked as a surveyor and farmer.
Comment by don the legend Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 11:37 am
Not a new book, but one I recommend to everyone: Thomas Dyja’s “The third coast : when Chicago built the American Dream”.
Comment by JoanP Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 11:50 am
“Country and Midwestern: Chicago in the History of Country Music and the Folk Revival” by Mark Guarino.
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo189272905.html
While not explicitly political, if you think folk and country music have ever been not political, you need to listen again with open ears.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 12:03 pm
LOVE this, make it a regular feature, please [banned punctuation]
Comment by Suburban Mom Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 12:38 pm
@ Suburban Mom - Good idea, though it might be dangerous to my “books to read” pile(s).
Comment by JoanP Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 1:10 pm
“The Great Chicago Fire:The Southern Rationale” by Robert Hillman. He presents evidence to show the fire was set by Confederate sympathizers using incendiary devices known as “Greek fire” at various locations throughout the city.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 2:30 pm
Black Americans have (Historically) been denied freedom…as well as (Systematically) denied the acquisition of property/wealth…and denied a true recounting of history…until now?
Fair reparations are long overdue…truthfully.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 2:59 pm
The Klan never died…it lingers on…sickly.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 3:19 pm
Shelton Brothers Gang in Southern Illinois and a Knight of Another Sort, about Charlie Birger Herrin, Illinois, the last man hung in Illinois in 1929. All great reading.
Comment by Mitch1959 Thursday, Apr 25, 24 @ 4:04 pm