Black hair has been politicized, penalized and legislated throughout history. As a bill addressing hair discrimination heads to the Illinois House, we break down the politics of Black hair.

Critics of the Chicago Police Department’s use of ShotSpotter technology question its value. The head of Chicago Public Schools announces her departure. A trip to the Hampton House. And fabulous fabrics.

A new study by Northwestern University’s MacArthur Justice Center found that 86% of ShotSpotter alerts resulted in no report of any crime, leading to questions of the gunfire detection system’s value in violence reduction.

It’s a story many Chicagoans know, but since the Oscar-nominated film “Judas and the Black Messiah” was released, more people are learning about the life and death of Fred Hampton. We talk with his widow and his son. 

This month’s Black Voices Book Club selection traces the civil rights trail blazed by Dr. C.T. Vivian. We discuss Vivian’s legacy with Steve Fiffer, the co-author of “It’s in the Action: Memories of a Nonviolent Warrior.”

The power of public art for a community. Our latest Black Voices book club selection about a civil rights activist. Harmonica lessons with legendary blues musician Billy Branch.

Chicago journalists break down the Derek Chauvin trial and verdict. A new life for the old Michael Reese Hospital site. A throwback to WTTW’s show “Our People.” And a history-making Oscar nominee. 

Our trip down memory lane with the WTTW program “Our People” from the late 1960s and early ‘70s brought back memories for one former Chicagoan. Here is his story.

After a three-week trial, former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, a conviction President Joe Biden called “a giant step forward in the march toward justice in America.” We discuss the verdict, the reaction and what comes next with local journalists.

Local activists share their reactions to fatal police shootings. Calls to reopen the city’s mental health clinics. Remembering Harold Washington. Efforts to diversify television.

As the country awaits an outcome in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, the manner in which police operate in Black and Latino communities – in particular, how they use deadly force — remains very much in the spotlight. 

When city leaders and developers discuss new plans for major real estate projects, some groups are often left out of the discussion. What’s being done to bring more Black and Latino developers into the industry. 

Urban historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas gives us the last word on how knowing the city’s past can change the energy of its future.

What’s being done to bring more Black and Latino developers into the real estate industry. Cook County’s new public defender. A call for more big brothers and sisters. Bringing energy to history. 

New arts leaders weigh in on the comeback of Chicago’s art scene. We remember Loyola’s 1963 championship team and the adversity they faced. Rare color photos of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Elmhurst.

Chicago’s most storied arts institutions have elevated Black leaders to the helm in the last year. We talk with some of them about how the Chicago arts scene is planning its 2021 comeback.