Illinois
Preserving history: Local group works to elevate stories of freedom seekers
A group of historians and educators is working to identify, preserve, and share the stories of freedom seekers who traveled through the Underground Railroad in Illinois.
The project comes amid efforts to erase or water down Black history, including recent actions by the National Park Service under the Trump administration. Last month, the National Park Service removed an exhibit in Philadelphia about nine people enslaved by George Washington. A federal judge ordered the exhibit to be restored. The Trump administration has appealed that ruling. In September, a photo showing an enslaved man’s scarred back from whippings was removed from a national monument in Georgia.
Members of the “Illinois Network to Freedom Collective” are focused on bringing attention to the stories of freedom seekers and sites connected to the Underground Railroad in Illinois.
According to the National Park Service, there are 28 recognized “Network to Freedom” sites in the state, including Graceland Cemetery and the Ton Farm site in Chicago.
Abdul Alkalimat, a member of the collective, said, “We found at least 429 places in Illinois that were directly connected to the Underground Railroad.”
The group is working to uncover and document these locations by analyzing written records, church documents, census data, and oral histories.
“We think the real story is the freedom seekers, the people who were daring enough to escape from slavery,” said Alkalimat.
Eric Krupa, curator and archivist at the St. Charles History Museum, recently helped add the Joseph Bartlett Farm in Kane County to the National Park Service’s list of recognized safehouses.
“This site is actually where Celia and Eliza were taken to,” said Krupa, referring to two freedom seekers whose journey passed through the area.
Krupa said there is evidence connecting another home in St. Charles to the same story, and he is working to get that home nationally recognized as well.
Larry McClellan, a historian with the collective, explained the challenges of researching this history.
“So, to begin with, this (the underground railroad) is all illegal, so what we have to do is find all kinds of ways to get into the information, and so we end up with family records, with church records, with census records,” said McClellan.
Alkalimat added, “There’s a lot of oral history. There’s a lot of family documentation.”
The collective’s work is not only about research, but also about public education.
“It’s getting the resources, the imagery, the narratives, the stories, those things that help students and teachers come alive in classrooms that bring those feelings up in classrooms,” said Asif Wilson, an educator and member of the group.
McClellan said, “There are efforts going on around the state, and having the commission will help us pull those efforts together in terms of developing curriculum, developing standards and guidelines.”
The group hopes that by teaching this history, they can inspire progress in the ongoing fight for civil rights.
“The Underground Railroad is an important aspect of the past, but we have to embrace the legacy of the freedom seekers all the way through the current time we live in today,” said Alkalimat, “Since we’ve arrived here, we’ve always found ways to build new home, place, to build new lives, to resist that oppression, and I hope to bring those legacies and those memories to folks who might not have them because we exist in a time and place right now where it seems like the world is literally on fire,” said Wilson, “We really need these moments to reconcile the past and what the past might mean for the future.”
The collective came together about a year ago, but Historians Glennette Turner and Larry McClellan have been doing this work for decades. They say the new collaborative project gives them hope.
“Part of why we’re so excited about the new collaborative is really completing the work that we started so long ago,” said McClellan.
Turner said, “I’m 92 years old, and I knew I wouldn’t live forever and just, you know, be able to continue this. It’s just so encouraging. It just means everything is going to be in good hands going forward.”
Last summer, Illinois passed the “Illinois Freedom Trails Commission Act,” which aims to explore, research, and commemorate the journeys of freedom seekers. Several members of the collective helped draft the legislation and are now working with the state. The official commission has yet to be announced and will be appointed by the governor.
Illinois
Residents, lawmakers oppose proposed Illinois American Water rate increase at Bolingbrook hearing
BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (WLS) — Dozens of southwest suburban residents and lawmakers voiced opposition Tuesday night to Illinois American Water’s proposed $142 million rate increase during an Illinois Commerce Commission hearing in Bolingbrook.
Nearly every speaker during the first hour of the hearing spoke against the proposal, with many concerns centered on affordability and the impact of higher utility costs on families and seniors.
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Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta urged regulators to reject the request.
“Water is not a luxury. It is not optional. It is a basic human necessity,” Alexander-Basta said.
Illinois American Water President Rebecca Losli defended the proposal, saying additional revenue is needed to support infrastructure improvements.
“We do this because of our customers. We are investing in this because of you. We want less water main breaks, and less constructions, less water boil orders. Simply put, continuing to invest in our water infrastructure is critical to ensuring that we provide reliable service to all of you,” Losli said.
According to Illinois American Water, the proposed increase would add about $14 per month for a typical customer using 3,500 gallons of water. Wastewater customers would see an increase of about $28 per month.
Several residents told regulators they are still feeling the effects of the utility’s previous rate increase. Pat Smith described changes she has made to reduce water use.
“I bathe twice a week now, instead of every day. I wear my clothes multiple times before washing,” Smith said. She later added, “This is unacceptable and the longer it goes the worse it’s going to get.”
Bolingbrook resident Michael Boyd also expressed concern about the proposal’s impact on customers.
“What concerns me is the frequency and size of the proposed increase and what it means for ordinary families who are already struggling,” Boyd said.
Several elected officials also called on the Illinois Commerce Commission to deny the request.
Illinois state Rep. Natalie Manley told attendees, “Just because it’s legal does not make it right.”
Alexander-Basta echoed that sentiment, saying, “Today, Bolingbrook is taking the lead in saying what people across the state have been saying for years: Enough is enough.”
Additional hearings in the case are scheduled for August. The Illinois Commerce Commission is expected to issue a final decision by Dec. 18.
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Illinois
2 teens hospitalized after being rescued by bystanders from Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach State Park near Zion
Two teenage boys were transported to the hospital after they were rescued by friends and bystanders from Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach State Park near Zion Monday evening.
The Beach Park Fire Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 6:15 p.m. Monday to Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park, 1 Lake Front Drive in unincorporated Zion, for a report of a water rescue.
911 callers reported two people in Lake Michigan struggling approximately 100 yards from shore.
Beach Park Fire Department Battalion Chief Thomas Hopkins said crews arrived and learned two teenage males had been in distress in the water.
They were rescued by friends and bystanders and were on shore when emergency crews arrived.
A significant response was initially dispatched but was downgraded after it was determined that no one was still in need of rescue, Hopkins said.
The incident happened at the main beach while the victims were swimming with their friends.
Hopkins said paramedics provided medical care to both of the victims and transported them to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan.
One of the victims, who was doing worse than the other, seemed to improve by the time the ambulance arrived at the hospital, Hopkins said.
Both were awake and talking. Their exact conditions were not known but they were both expected to survive.
Hopkins said visitors at the state park should be cautious and aware. The state provides life preservers at the beach for patrons to use.
Hopkins also said that the state has made safety improvements but Lake Michigan still can be “very dangerous.”
The Zion Fire/Rescue Department assisted the Beach Park Fire Department during the incident.
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