Illinois Public Media

Arts and Culture

A picture of 21st Host Brian Mackey talking to Maggie Hennessy and a photo of her book “The Burger Bible: The Complete Lowdown on the Humble Hamburger.”

A look at America’s most iconic sandwich through a Midwestern lens

 Watch (and listen to) this special episode of The 21st Show in video podcast format. Learn how Illinois and the greater Midwest helped shape America’s favorite hand-held food, the hamburger. Featured guest Maggie Hennessy is a food and drink writer for WBEZ and author of “The Burger Bible: The Complete Lowdown on the Humble Hamburger.”
IPM Newsroom
Black Music Month performance by Certified Organic, June 4, 2026 at the Gallery Art Bar starting at 7:30pm.
Illinois Classical
Illinois Classical 90.9

Your home for Classical and more in Central Illinois.
Classic Mornings

Keyboard Racer & Quixote Retracer
The word always captures my attention.
Dialogue
Man at desk, woman at desk, singer profile picture

DeShawn Williams marks a year as mayor; Inside the Lincoln School for Black children; and Mýa releases album with 70’s/80’s vibes
DeShawn Williams talks about his first year as Urbana's mayor; we visit a restored one-room schoolhouse for Black children; and Mýa talks about her new album.
The 21st Show

Cory Haala on the populism that powered Midwest Democrats
In the 1980's, conservatism was on the rise in America, and Democrats were fighting over how best to respond. While the party struggled nationally, here in the Midwest…
News Local/State
man sitting at computer

Behind The Mic:  Newsroom editor Arjun Thakkar thinks public media is integral in combatting information overload
At Illinois Public Media, Arjun Thakkar helps reporters with story pitches, sources, and final editing, and sometimes reports stories himself.
The 21st Show
People in line to vote at Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana during 2024 presidential election

The future of voting rights in Illinois
A Republican politician is mounting a legal challenge to Illinois’ Voting Rights Act. She joins the program to discuss the case along with experts, who weigh in on…
Prairie Fire

Skeuwep
Skateboarding culture in Urbana-Champaign begins and ends with Skeuwep, a vibey, colorful and very dog-friendly skateboarding gear and apparel shop tucked into a record store…
News Local/State
man sitting at computer

Behind The Mic:  Newsroom editor Arjun Thakkar thinks public media is integral in combatting information overload
At Illinois Public Media, Arjun Thakkar helps reporters with story pitches, sources, and final editing, and sometimes reports stories himself.
State of Change

Small gestures to make a big difference in preserving our planet
We visit a zero-waste general store, a garden bringing a community together in a Chicago food desert, a program protecting pollinators, and advice to increase sustainability…