Local News
Anne Frank The Exhibition Makes Midwest Debut at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry will be the Midwest host of Anne Frank The Exhibition. A presentation of the Anne Frank House, the exhibition features a pioneering experience outside of Amsterdam to immerse visitors in a full-scale, fully furnished recreation of the Annex rooms where Anne Frank, her parents and sister and four other Jewish refugees spent two years hiding to evade Nazi capture. Anne Frank The Exhibition opens May 1, 2026.
Governor Pritzker Announces Public-Private Partnership to Restore Historic Hotel Florence and Revitalize Pullman Site
Governor JB Pritzker announced a transformative public-private partnership to restore and redevelop the historic Hotel Florence and key buildings within the Pullman State Historic Site on Chicago’s South Side — leveraging $21 million in state capital funds to unlock more than $83 million in private investment for a total project value exceeding $100 million.
Governor Pritzker Announces $40.5 Million Expansion of DMG MORI in Illinois
Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and the Illinois Economic Development Corporation (Illinois EDC) announced that DMG MORI Federal Services, Inc. (DMG MORI) will invest more than $40.5 million to expand the company’s footprint in Illinois — establishing a new advanced manufacturing and R&D facility in the Chicagoland area and creating 74 new full-time jobs. The expansion further strengthens Illinois’ position as a national leader in advanced manufacturing and solidifies the state’s commitment to pairing business growth with workforce development.
Pritzker Traubert Foundation Awards First-Ever $5 Million Chicago Talent Challenge to City Colleges, Cook County Health
The Pritzker Traubert Foundation announced HealthCatalyst Chicago as the inaugural winner of the Chicago Talent Challenge, a $5 million investment to accelerate the training, placement and success of workers in critical healthcare roles.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON JOINS YOUTH WELLNESS DISCUSSION AT PROJECT SWISH’S 29 HOURS OF PEACE COMMUNITY LOCK-IN
Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Project sWISH Chicago (PSC) to kick off the 29 Hours of Peace ‘community lock-in,' sitting down with youth and mental health experts to help guide the ‘Brotherhood Circle,’ a discussion encouraging young men to share their experiences with community leaders and professional councilors. During the event at Kennedy-King College, over 150 young men aged 14-21 will have the opportunity to take part in healing activities, community-centered discussions, and organized basketball.
ILLINOIS AFRICAN DESCENT-CITIZENS REPARATIONS COMMISSION RELEASES LANDMARK REPORT ON HARMS TO BLACK ILLINOISANS
The Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission (ADCRC) today released “Taking Account: A History of Racial Harm & Injustice Against Black Illinoisans,” the State’s first comprehensive, evidence-based report examining how slavery and its vestiges produce historical harms and continue to generate inequities for Black Illinoisans.
CHICAGOLAND NAMED #1 U.S. METRO FOR CORPORATE RELOCATION & SITE SELECTION
Chicago has again been named the top U.S. metro for corporate relocation and site selection by Site Selection Magazine, marking a record 13th consecutive year in the No. 1 position. The annual ranking, based on verified corporate facility projects, is widely regarded as a measure of business expansion and investment activity nationwide and underscores Chicago’s sustained competitiveness in attracting capital and jobs. Illinois ranked No. 2 among states for corporate expansion projects.
Giannoulias Joins Illinois Literacy Foundation, YMCA to Celebrate National Read Across America Day with Book Donation and Day of Service
In recognition of National Read Across America Day, Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias announced a coordinated literacy initiative that distributed thousands of children’s books and brought volunteer readers into YMCA sites across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, reinforcing the importance of reading as a shared, lifelong activity.
Collins joins Supportive Reentry Network Collaborative to sustain reentry support
State Senator Lakesia Collins joined legislators and leaders from the Supportive Reentry Network Collaborative at the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 25, to call for a $2.1 million investment to sustain a proven, community-based reentry health model that reduces recidivism and improves access to care for people returning from incarceration.
Lohengrin Foundation Announces Two Final Grant Partners in $15 Million Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities, Youth and Community Center Capital Investment Initiative
The Lohengrin Foundation announced the awardees of its Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities initiative, a capital investment initiative supporting the creation of two new youth- and community-centers in Chicago.
Morehouse College to House Landmark Supercomputer in National Science Foundation's Groundbreaking $457 Million Research Project
Morehouse College has received a prestigious grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to participate in a $457 million project to build one of the most powerful academic supercomputers in the southeast. This historic investment in higher education cyberinfrastructure will elevate Morehouse's ability to provide unprecedented access to world-class computational resources for its students, faculty, and HBCUs nationwide.
Action Fund Expands Commitment to Protect Historically Black Churches with $13.5 Million in New Grants
The National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (Action Fund) awarded $8.5 million in grants to 33 historically Black churches through its fourth annual Preserving Black Churches (PBC) program grant round. This new investment follows $5 million in grants awarded on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to five churches, underscoring the Action Fund's sustained commitment to protecting sacred places that anchor Black faith, culture, democracy, and community life.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK BOOKSTORES (NAB2) RELEASES INAUGURAL STATE OF THE BLACK BOOKSTORE REPORT AND NATIONAL DIRECTORY
The National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB2) released its inaugural State of the Black Bookstore Report alongside the launch of the National Black-Owned Bookstore Directory, marking the first comprehensive, data-driven snapshot of Black-owned bookstores nationwide.
I Look Back and Wonder…
The content of this column will always let you know that I am a strong proponent of homeownership, it is the primary source of wealth in most American families. This week I’m going to provide you with some history on Black homeownership in Chicagoland.
