Register now for UIS’ spring Lunch & Learn Series

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield will hold four virtual Lunch & Learn Series events this spring. The “Timely Talks on Timeless Topics in Celebration of UIS’ 50th Anniversary” series is presented by the UIS Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society.

WHEN: Noon-1 p.m. on Feb. 18, March 9, April 7 and May 4

WHERE: All programs will be held via Zoom Webinar

Thursday, Feb. 18 - African-American History Makers

“Eva Carroll Monroe and the Lincoln Colored Old Folks and Orphans Home” presented by Mary Frances, artist, professor and documentarian.

“Walter Thomas Bailey: The First Licensed African-American Architect in the State of Illinois” presented by Kent Massie, principal planner and landscape architect at Massie, Massie & Associates.

Moderator: Kathryn Harris, historian, librarian and community leader

Tuesday, March 9 - The Future is Now

“The Future is Now: Business and Social Innovation in a Post Pandemic World” presented by Katie Davison, executive director of Innovate Springfield; Ranjan Karri, professor and chair of the UIS Management, Marketing and Operations Department; and Bruce Sommer, UIS director of economic development and innovation.

Moderator: Somnath Bhattacharya, dean of the UIS College of Business and Management

Wednesday, April 7 - New Paths in History

“Illinois History Symposium: The Changing Landscape of History” presented by Devin Hunter, UIS assistant professor of history. Information on additional participants to come.

Tuesday, May 4 - Presidential Candidates Who Lost

“Illinoisans Who Ran for President—And Lost” presented by Jacob Freifeld, Illinois and Midwest studies research historian at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, and Forrest Keaton, historian, attorney and partner at Rammelkamp Bradney.

Moderator: Claire Jerry, curator of political history at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Each program needs to be registered for individually. Attendees will receive a confirmation email from each program registered for that includes the Zoom information for that specific session. Registration links for each program can be found at go.uis.edu/LunchSpring21. 

For more information, contact the Office of Advancement at 217-206-6058.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents “Mysteries of the Past” exploring two historic archeological sites

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents an expert-led Lunch & Learn Series presentation on “Mysteries of the Past.” The discussion will explore the unearthing of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot site and the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site.

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2020

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: UIS student Katie Brethorst, a senior history major, will discuss her experience as an intern helping to unearth important historical artifacts from the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot, located along the 10th Street railroad tracks and Madison Street in Springfield.

William Iseminger, archaeologist, author and retired assistant site manager of the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, will discuss the prehistoric mysteries of the largest, most complex archaeological site north of Mexico, considered America’s first city.

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $25 per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior the event. A discounted subscription is available for $65 per person through Feb. 24 for those interested in attending all three spring Lunch & Learn sessions. The other sessions are “Architecture of Place and Sound” on April 9 and “Historic Settlements” on May 6.

These lunchtime programs aim to stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit go.uis.edu/LunchSpring20 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217-206-6058 or advancement@uis.edu.

UIS Speaker Series examines the first U.S. town founded by an African American

Kate Williams-McWorter and Gerald McWorter - Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will present “Free Frank’s New Philadelphia, Illinois: First U.S. Town Founded by a Black Man.” The lecture will discuss the history of the now-vanished town that was located near Barry in Pike County, Illinois. The event is free and open to the public.

WHEN: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom

DETAILS: Learn the personal history and living legacy of Free Frank McWorter, who founded New Philadelphia, an abolitionist town situated in Illinois, only 20 miles from slavery, and purchased the freedom of 16 of his family members, including himself.

The biracial community was founded before the Civil War and was one of the stations along the Underground Railroad. The town site has been added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark.

Gerald A. McWorter, a descendant of Free Frank McWorter, and Kate Williams-McWorter will share more of the history and legacy of the town and excerpts from their recent publication “New Philadelphia.”

This event is cosponsored by the UIS Black History Month Academic Ad Hoc committee; UIS Brookens Library; the UIS Departments of History, Sociology/Anthropology, African American Studies; the Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum; UIS Capital Scholars Honors Program; the UIS Diversity Center and UIS Archives.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217-206-6245 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance.

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit uis.edu/speakerseries/.

Mary and James Beaumont endowed Lincoln Legacy Lecture to focus on immigration and citizenship

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies is proud to host the 2019 Lincoln Legacy Lecture, which will focus on Abraham Lincoln, immigration and citizenship.

WHEN: Reception with light refreshment at 6 p.m., lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Join professors Jason H. Silverman and Mark E. Steiner, both scholars in the field of Lincoln studies, as they discuss Lincoln’s views on immigration and citizenship. Professor Michael Burlingame, the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, will moderate.

Silverman taught history for more than three decades at South Carolina’s Winthrop University. He specializes in the history of the old South and the Civil War. Silverman is the author or editor of 11 books, including “Lincoln and the Immigrant” and “Immigration in the American South.”

Steiner is a professor of law at the South Texas University School of Law in Houston, specializing in immigration law and American legal history. He is the author of “An Honest Calling: The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln” and “Lincoln and Citizenship,” soon to be published.

This lecture series will now continue on in perpetuity thanks to a generous endowment gift from Mary and James Beaumont. This event is also cosponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Association, Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series, Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, NPR Illinois, UIS College of Business and Management, UIS College of Education and Human Services, UIS College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, UIS Performing Arts Center and UIS Student Affairs.

This event is free and open to the public. Those unable to attend can watch the webcast at uis.edu/technology/uislive. For additional event information, visit uis.edu/advancement or call 217-206-6058.

UIS Speaker Series to examine the myths about the “essence” of women’s evil nature

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series presents “Salome’s Image Throughout History as an Example of Myths’ Creation about Women.”

WHEN: 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019

WHERE: UIS Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: The story of Salome has long been linked to the beheading of John the Baptist, as described in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, since Salome was the supposed catalyst for the prophet’s execution. Evangelists have used the story throughout history to define the “essence” of women’s evil nature.

The history of the myth describes the process by which that myth was created, the roles that art, literature, theology and music played in that creation and how Salome’s image as evil varied from one period to another according to the prevailing cultural myths surrounding women.

UIS Associate Professor Rosina Neginsky will discuss the major cultural, literary and artistic works which developed and propagated it as an example of the creation of myths about women and developing the ideology that had been determining women’s place in society.

This event is cosponsored by the Department of Art, Music and Theatre.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217-206-6245 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance. For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents “Footprints of Sangamon”

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “Footprints of Sangamon” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Richard Hart, an Elijah Iles House Foundation trustee, will present “The Strawbridge-Shepherd House: The First Footprint of Sangamon State University.” The Elijah Iles House Foundation led restoration of the Strawbridge-Shepherd House, the oldest physical structure on campus.

Judith Everson, UIS professor emerita of English, will present “The Early Days of Sangamon State University: A Retrospective from a Founding Faculty Member.”

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $25/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include the “Second Annual Illinois Statehood Day Symposium” on Dec. 3. These lunch-time programs are designed to stimulate thinking as they build upon the UIS’ tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit go.uis.edu/LunchFall19 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217-206-6058 or advancement@uis.edu.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents “New Salem & Stephen A. Douglas”

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “New Salem & Stephen A. Douglas” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 10, 2019

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Mark B. Pohlad, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of History of Art and Architecture at DePaul University, will present “The Reconstruction of New Salem: A Brief, Passionate History.”

Reg Ankrom, author of “Stephen A. Douglas: The Political Apprenticeship” will present “The Rise of Stephen A. Douglas: Illinois Politician, American Statesman.”

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $25/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event. A discounted series subscription is available for $65/per person but is only available through September 3, 2019.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include “Footprints of Sangamon” on October 8 and the “Second Annual Illinois Statehood Day Symposium” on December 3. These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit go.uis.edu/LunchFall19 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "Three-I Baseball & Forgotten Voices of Illinois"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “Three-I Baseball & Forgotten Voices of Illinois” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, 2019

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Bill Kemp, archivist and librarian at the McLean County Museum of History, will explore the Three-I professional baseball league (Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League) and how it shaped the history of professional sports in the Midwest from 1920-1940.

John Hallwas, award-winning author and editor of more than two dozen books related to Illinois history and literature and professor emeritus of English at Western Illinois University, will present “Forgotten Voices: Six Illinois Authors You Need to Know.”

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $23/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event.

These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit https://go.uis.edu/LLspring2019 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "Irish Heritage & History"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “Irish Heritage & History” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 27, 2019, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: In celebration of Irish heritage in Illinois, Eileen McMahon, professor and chair of the history program at Lewis University, will discuss her research on the parish communities found along the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the Irish immigrants who built this vital passageway.

Theodore Karamanski, professor of history and public history director at Loyola University Chicago, will present on the Irish in the Civil War. This presentation will feature live music by Wild Columbine.

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $23/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event.

Join us for the final Lunch & Learn presentation of the semester “Three-I Baseball & Forgotten Voices of Illinois” on April 30.

These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit https://go.uis.edu/LLspring2019 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.

UIS Speaker Series presents “Gateway to Equality: Black Women and the Struggle for Economic Justice in St. Louis”

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series presents “Gateway to Equality: Black Women and the Struggle for Economic Justice in St. Louis,” a discussion by author Keona Ervin, assistant professor of African-American History in the Department of Black Studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

WHEN: Monday, March 25, 2019, at 6 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: As part of Women's History Month, Ervin will examine one history of Black women's leadership in our region based on her book “Gateway to Equality: Black Women and the Struggle for Economic Justice in St. Louis,” which won the 2018 Missouri History Book Award. From the 1930s to 1960s, Black women formed a community-based culture of resistance to fight for employment, a living wage, dignity, representation, and political leadership. Their politics played an important role in defining urban political agendas. Professor Ervin sheds light on the overlapping civil rights and labor movements during the first half of the 20th century.

Ervin served as Center for Missouri Studies Faculty Fellow at the State Historical Society of Missouri. Her current projects examine the history of black women and the U.S. labor movement and working-class organization and black radical politics in the late 20th Century.

This event is cosponsored by the UIS Departments of Sociology Anthropology, Women and Gender Studies, History, African-American Studies and Political Science. It is also sponsored by the UIS Provost's Office and the UIS Diversity Center.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance. For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "Lincoln on the Circuit & Mary Lincoln in the White House"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “Lincoln on the Circuit & Mary Lincoln in the White House” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 26, 2019, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Guy Fraker, a retired attorney, author and Lincoln historian, will discuss Abraham Lincoln’s 20-plus year career as a lawyer and part-time judge on the 8th judicial circuit.

Kathryn Harris, immediate past president of the Abraham Lincoln Association, and former director of library services at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, will present a first-person portrayal of Elizabeth Keckley, former slave and Mary Lincoln’s trusted friend and modiste, who later wrote about her White House years.

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $23/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event. A discounted series subscription is available for $60/per person now through February 19.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include “Irish Heritage & History” on March 27 and “Three-I Baseball & Forgotten Voices of Illinois” on April 30. These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit https://go.uis.edu/LLspring2019 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.

UIS Black History Month event examines "The History of Springfield – From 1908 to Now"

WHAT: As part of Black History Month, the University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series, the UIS Diversity Center and The Springfield NAACP will co-host a film screening and panel discussion on “The History of Springfield – From 1908 to Now.”

WHEN: Friday, February 8, 2019, at 4 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: This event will begin with a screening of the 30-minute film “Springfield Had No Shame: The Springfield Race Riot of 1908.” The film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Teresa Haley, president of the NAACP Springfield and Illinois Chapters. The panel will also include previous NAACP presidents and members. The panelists will discuss the history and plight of the NAACP since its establishment in 1909 up until now, 110 years later.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance. For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS to co-host a history symposium celebrating Illinois’ Bicentennial on statehood day

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield and the Illinois State Historical Society will co-host the Illinois History Symposium celebrating Illinois’ Bicentennial on statehood day. Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. The symposium will explore Illinois’ first 200 years of history through a variety of historical presentations.

WHEN: Monday, December 3, 2018, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Symposium speakers will include Michael Wiant, former head of anthropology at the Illinois State Museum and director of Dickson Mounds Museum; Bill Kemp, librarian and archivist of the McLean County Museum of History; Hinda Seif, UIS associate professor of sociology/anthropology and women & gender studies; Tiffani Saunders, UIS instructor of sociology and African American studies; Devin Hunter, UIS assistant professor of public history; and Robert Sampson, associate professor of history at Millikin University.

Members of the public are invited to participate in the morning and afternoon sessions from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:45 to 3:45 p.m. free of charge. For a full schedule go to http://go.uis.edu/LLfall2018.

As part of the Lunch & Learn Series, a hot buffet at a cost of $23/per person is required for those who attend the 11:30 a.m. presentation. Reservations for the lunch presentation are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to the event.

Visit www.uis.edu/advancement/alumni/ to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.

UIS Lincoln Legacy Lectures focus on Lincoln versus Douglas

The 16th annual Lincoln Legacy Lectures presented by the University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018, in the Student Union Ballroom at UIS.

This year’s topic is “Lincoln versus Douglas.” The lectures, and a reception and book signing that will immediately follow, are free and open to the public. No reservation is required. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

The Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series brings nationally known scholars to Springfield to present lectures on topics that both engaged Abraham Lincoln and the citizens of his era and are still timely today.

This year’s featured speakers are Graham Peck, professor of history at Saint Xavier University, and Roger Bridges, former head of the Lincoln Legal Papers. Michael Burlingame, the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, will give opening remarks on “Lincoln and African Americans” and serve as moderator.

In the first lecture, Peck will describe “Why Did Slavery Matter in Illinois? Lincoln, Douglas, and the Nation’s Battle over Freedom.” In the second lecture, Bridges will explore “Race Relations in Lincoln’s Illinois.” The speakers will discuss the contemporary implications of their lectures at the beginning of the Q & A session.

Peck is the author of a prize-winning book “Making an Antislavery Nation: Lincoln, Douglas, and the Battle Over Freedom” (University of Illinois Press, 2017). Bridges co-edited the book “Illinois: Its History and Legacy” (River City, St. Louis, 1984). Burlingame is the author of the two-volume biography “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” (Johns Hopkins University Press, paper, 2012).

The Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series is sponsored by the UIS Center for Lincoln Studies, in cooperation with the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies. Cosponsors of this year's event include the Abraham Lincoln Association, Brookens Library John Holtz Memorial Lecture, Gobberdiel Endowment, Illinois State Historical Society, Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, NPR Illinois, UIS Performing Arts Center; UIS Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business and Management, Public Affairs and Administration and Education and Human Services; and the UIS Office of Advancement.

For more information, contact the UIS College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at 217/206-6512.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "Governor’s Mansion & Gardens"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “Governor’s Mansion & Gardens” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 23, 2018, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Justin Blanford, curator of the Illinois Governor’s Mansion, will present “A Gift to the People: The 162-year-old Governor’s Mansion.” Restoring the historic Springfield residence of the Illinois governor and first family was a huge undertaking. Now a museum with an education center, the mansion has reopened to the public and it’s time to take a look inside.

Sue Massie, a landscape architect with Massie & Associates, will present “The Governor’s Garden: What Goes Into Planning a Garden on a Grand Scale, and What Do You Plant for the Past and Future?” She will discuss all that has gone into planting the celebrated and historic gardens of the Governor’s Mansion.

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $23/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include “Celebrating Illinois Statehood Day” on Dec. 3. These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit www.go.uis.edu/LLfall2018 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.

UIS to host a History Harvest in order to digitally archive items from Illinois’ past

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield History Department invites members of the public to bring photographs, documents, or any item connected to their Illinois history to a History Harvest in downtown Springfield. UIS students will photograph or scan the items for inclusion in an online digital archive and exhibit. Participation in the event is free.

WHEN: Saturday, October 13, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Innovate Springfield, 15 Old State Capitol Plaza (5th & Adams), Springfield

DETAILS: This year’s History Harvest theme commemorates the Illinois state bicentennial and has been officially endorsed by the Illinois State Bicentennial Commission.

The public is invited to bring materials from Illinois’ distant past, the recent past and today to be scanned and photographed. UIS students will collect information from participants, but items will not be collected.

Students from UIS Assistant Professor of History Devin Hunter’s undergraduate public history class and UIS Associate Professor of History Kenneth Owen’s graduate history and digital media class will lead the effort to digitize items for the online digital exhibit.

Two years ago, students and faculty of the UIS History Department held the first ever History Harvest in the state of Illinois, in which they digitally “harvested” political memorabilia from the public. The results of that harvest can be found at https://uishistharv1.uis.edu/.

For more information, visit www.uis.edu/history/historyharvest/ or contact Devin Hunter at 217/206-7432 (dhunte2@uis.edu) or Kenneth Owen at 217/206-7439 (kowen8@uis.edu).

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "Artifacts & Anniversaries"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “Artifacts & Anniversaries” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 26, 2018, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Robert Sill, interim director of the Illinois State Museum, will present “Long History: Illinois’ Past in 12 Artifacts.” The Illinois Bicentennial is a significant milestone, but barely scratches the surface of the state’s 10,000 years of cultural history, and fossilized record dating back 50 million years.

Pam VanAlstine, co-chair of the Illinois Bicentennial Coordinating Committee of Springfield, will present “Commemorating the State’s 200th Anniversary: A Primer for the Next Century.” Planning the party of parties requires wonderful ideas, patience and forbearance.

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $23/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event. A discounted series subscription is available for $60/per person.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include “Governor’s Mansion & Gardens” on Oct. 23 and “Celebrating Illinois Statehood Day” on Dec. 3. These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit www.go.uis.edu/LLfall2018 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.

UIS Speaker Series explores the impact of the Displaced Persons Act of 1948

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will host a panel discussion exploring the Displaced Persons Act of 1948, which gave European refugees the ability to immigrate to the U.S. following World War II. The panel discussion is free and open to the public.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 25, 2018, at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Displaced Persons Act, which directly impacted the ethnic composition of Illinois, resulting in the influx of a large Lithuanian population in Chicago and Springfield. This panel discussion will examine how immigration at local and regional levels relates to the broader domestic and international contexts of the post-World War II period. Children of displaced persons will share their stories. The panel discussion of historical immigration policy can also inform our understanding of contemporary refugee crises and immigration debates.

Members of the panel discussion include Robert Vitas, chairman of the Lithuanian Research and Studies Center in Chicago and executive director of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society; Sandy Baksys, author of “A Century of Lithuanians in Springfield, Illinois” and president of the Lithuanian-American Club of Central Illinois; Devin Hunter, UIS assistant professor of U.S. and public history; and Heather Bailey, UIS associate professor of modern European and Russian history.

This event is co-sponsored by the UIS History Department, Lithuanian-American Club of Central Illinois and the Illinois State Historical Society.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance. For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS Speaker Series explores the 1960s civil rights movement and social justice today

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will host civil rights and peace activist Diane Nash as part of a presentation exploring the 1960s civil rights movement and social justice today.

WHEN: Thursday, September 13, 2018, at 6 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Diane Nash was prominently involved in some the most consequential campaigns in nonviolent civil rights movements. Nash will relate her experience at the center of the U.S. civil rights struggle, the grassroots movements that powered social change and the relevance of those lessons for a nation facing renewed challenges.

In 1960, Nash became the chairperson of the student sit-in movement in Nashville - the first southern city to desegregate its lunch counters - as well as one of the founding students of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee. She coordinated the Freedom Ride from Birmingham, Alabama to Jackson, Mississippi in 1961. Her arrests for civil rights activities culminated in Nash being imprisoned for 30 days in 1961, while she was pregnant with her first child. Undeterred, she went on to join a national committee—to which she was appointed by President John F. Kennedy—that promoted passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nash later became active in the peace movement that worked to end the Vietnam War, and became an instructor in the philosophy and strategy of non-violence as developed by Mohandas Gandhi.

This event is co-sponsored by the UIS Student Government Association, Capital Scholars Honors Program, Residence Life, Leadership for Life, Students Transitioning for Academic Retention and Success, Necessary Steps Mentoring Program and the Nursing Pathways Living Learning Community.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance. For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "Celebrating Culture and History"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society, Chancellor’s Office and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “Celebrating Culture and History” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 27, 2018, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Elizabeth Alexander and Nell Clay, board members of the Central Illinois African American History Museum, will share the vision of the city’s newest cultural center as they present “We Have a Dream: The Future of Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum.” James Cornelius, Henry Horner Lincoln Collection, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum, will present “Lincoln, Lost and Found: Mysteries and Wonders of Illinois’ Lincoln Collection.”

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $23/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event. A discounted series subscription is available for $60/per person.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include “Rochester and The State Capitol” on March 29 and “From Prairie to Sustainable U” on May 2. These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit www.uis.edu/advancement/alumni/ to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.