WILL-AM

The 21st Show

January 20, 2026

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch highlights measures to combat affordability crisis as 2026 spring legislative session begins

The Illinois House is set to return to Springfield today — to begin the 2026 spring legislative session. Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel “Chris” Welch joins the program to preview the session. 

The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0... 
Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

The 217 Today Podcast

January 20, 2026

217 Today: One man’s journey from living in poverty in Southern Illinois to prison to a PhD

In today's deep dive, one man is the first to make the leap from a University of Illinois college-in-prison program to a U of I degree.

The 21st Show

January 19, 2026

Gandhi, King and non-violence today

For Martin Luther King, nonviolence was an essential element of his prosecution of the Black freedom struggle. In an interview from 1957 — this after the Little Rock school crisis — King talked about why he was committed to the philosophy:

“It seems to me that there are three ways that oppressed people can deal with their oppression,” he said. “One is to rise up in open violence, in physical violence. And some persons have used that method, persons who have been oppressed. But I think the danger of that method is its futility. I feel that violence creates many more social problems than it's solved.”

But just as King thought violence was wrong, he also rejected passive acceptance of oppression: ”I think that is just as bad as violence because non-cooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good.”

Today we’re going to talk about what Martin Luther King called his “Pilgrimage to Nonviolence,” how it relates to the foundations of that philosophy as articulated by Gandhi, and how in both King’s time and today there were those who question the effectiveness of nonviolence as a tool of politics.

Last year, Brian Mackey talked about this with Columbia University political science professor Karuna Mantena. She is a scholar of Gandhi and King, and wrote a chapter in a book that came out a few years ago called To Shape a New World: Essays on the Political Philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. The chapter was called “Showdown for Nonviolence: the Theory and Practice of Nonviolent Politics.”

Weather Realness

January 17, 2026

The Palisades Fire: Get the Boys Ready

As the nation watched in shock and horror as the Palisades Fire brought Los Angeles to its knees, a group of civilians stepped up to defend their home turf.

The 21st Show

January 16, 2026

Why is President Trump trying to stop child care support for 100,000 Illinois families?

President Trump is trying to pause funding for child care programs in Illinois and other states led by Democrats. We’ll talk about why, how those programs work, and the effect they have in their communities.
 

The 21st Show

January 16, 2026

Attorney General Kwame Raoul: Illinois has sued the Trump administration 51 times

Illinois has been fighting the Trump administration in court over ICE activity, National Guard deployments, and government funding. We’ll talk about that with the state’s top legal officer, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

The 217 Today Podcast

January 16, 2026

217 Today: New exhibit showcases Illinois’ role in Underground Railroad

In today's deep dive, a new exhibit at the Urbana Free Library highlights Illinois' involvement in the Underground Railroad.

The 21st Show

January 15, 2026

Can these tiny Japanese cars become a hit in the U.S.?

President Trump wants to allow a class of tiny Japanese vehicles to be built and sold in the U.S. They’re known as Kei cars, and they’ve mostly been banned here. A journalist who covers the automotive industry and a car importer discuss Trump's proposal and if there is market for Kei cars in the U.S.

 

The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0... 
Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

The 21st Show

January 15, 2026

The latest on the rise of winter respiratory diseases in Illinois

Respiratory illnesses are surging across Illinois. An official from the Illinois Department of Public Health discusses what causes a more severe year for respiratory diseases, and how we can keep ourselves safe. 

The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? 

The 21st Show

January 14, 2026

George Packer on ‘The Emergency’

George Packer is best known for his journalism. He's been a staff writer at The Atlantic magazine since 2018, and before that spent 15 years at The New Yorker. He’s also written books on American politics and foreign affairs. Now, for the first time in decades, he’s written a novel, The Emergency. It’s about what happens when a government collapses, and new ways of life take root in a society. 

The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. 
Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations. 
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0... 
Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.