Illinois Public Media News

On Friday, Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted on charges stemming from killing two men and wounding another during the unrest that followed the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year. The 18-year-old from Antioch, Illinois crossed state lines the night of the shooting.

Lynsey Addario is a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist whose striking images from nearly every theater of war in the 21st century tell the story of the people living in these conflict zones. A recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant," Addario was also named one of five most influential photographers of the past 25 years for changing the way we see world conflict by American Photo Magazine. She is also the bestselling author of the memoir "It's What I Do." 

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.

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The rich and complicated history of Thanksgiving is just one of a few things to consider when many of us sit down to dinner one week from now. On today’s show, we discussed the history of Thanksgiving foodways, or culinary traditions, and how to host a potential Thanksgiving meal that honors your own family’s heritage with the holiday’s rich history. We also delved into the history of plant-based eating and adapting your favorite recipes to suit varying dietary habits.

Today we spent our show understanding what Critical Race Theory is, why it’s become so weaponized and what examining systemic racism in a classroom setting looks like. To talk about it, we were joined by a professor of information sciences, a professor of education who teaches Critical Race Theory, a professor from NIU's Center for Black Studies, and a public policy reporter.

In 2022, the certified professional midwife profession will become an officially licensed occupation in Illinois. We talked with two women who are glad for the legislative change but say it needs to go further.