Illinois Public Media News

In 2020, proms were cancelled across the country because of the pandemic. In 2021, proms are back but with masks and social distancing rules. The 21st spoke to three high school students from Illinois about their proms.

It has been one year since a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man for 9 minutes, killing him. The widely circulated video of the incident sparked a summer of protests. The 21st spoke to three Black law enforcement officers about the calls for change in policing, and for greater racial justice following the murder of George Floyd.

While most people take shelter during a tornado warning, professional storm chasers are on the road trying to study and capture them with pictures or videos. A meteorologist and severe weather enthusiast joined us to talk about how they storm chase safely.

On May 25, 2020, a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd. His death sparked a year of unprecedented protests and conversations about deep seeded racism. Today, Black Lives Matter activists from across Illinois joined us to talk about the movement's current state and future.

As more people are getting vaccinated and restrictions are easing, the return of pre-pandemic activities is looking promising. To speak more about what people can expect from upcoming festivals, The 21st was joined by three guests involved in or reporting on Illinois' music scenes.