Illinois Public Media

History

Christopher Sweet (left) is the author of

Book sheds light on unique history of bicycling in Illinois

 Before Schwinn was a household name, before Chicago had a single protected bike lane, and before cars became one of the dominant forces in American life, the 21st state was arguably the center of American bicycling. Christopher Sweet spent nearly a decade digging through archives, scrapbooks, and old cycling magazines to tell that story in a “A History of Bicycling in Illinois: 160 Years of Booms and Busts.” Listen to Sweet's interview with “The 21st Show.” 
IPM Newsroom
Eons: Life and Death On Pangea
Illinois Classical
Illinois Classical 90.9

Your home for Classical and more in Central Illinois.
Prairie Performances
A treble clef growing a white flower next to the words

Beautiful Beginnings
On this season premiere of Prairie Performances, we celebrate beautiful beginnings with beloved classical overtures. 
Dialogue

Dialogue Roundup: Data Center Debate, Champaign Youth Summer Job Program, and Dire Results of a Hospital Shutdown
A push to regulate data centers, Champaign Unit 4 students tell us what they've learned in their summer jobs, and it’s been more than three months since a West Side hospital…
The 21st Show

Quad Cities film festival celebrates Latino culture and history
A new series of film screenings in the Quad Cities focuses on movies that highlight Latino culture.
The 21st Show

How one Illinois prison is handling cases of serious mental illness
The Joliet Treatment Center is a prison that was dedicated to providing mental healthcare. But conditions have declined in the decade since it opened, and prisoners have set…
The 21st Show
Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center is pictured in Anna, Illinois.

Why is a Southern Illinois mental health center laying off hundreds of workers?
Hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs at the troubled Choate Mental Health Center in Southern Illinois. We’ll talk about why and reflect on the history of abuse…
Prairie Fire

Prairie Fire: Season 3 - Episode 7 - May 2026
For this month's Prairie Fire, students from the University of Illinois’ College of Media spent a semester producing five short documentaries highlighting food, skating,…
Mid-American Gardener

Propagation, Hail Recovery & Summer Garden Tips
In this episode of Mid-American Gardener, Tinisha is joined by horticulturists Karen Ruckle and Ella Maxwell for hands-on advice on how to keep your garden thriving all…
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…