Chicago History
If you’ve ever marveled at archive footage of old Chicago in a WTTW documentary, chances are good it came from Walt Keevil’s north suburban basement.
When Nazis sought to march in Skokie in 1978, they did not get their wish. Residents resisted and six years later opened a storefront museum whose mission remains to “take a stand” against bias.
Geoffrey Baer shares the story of a clash between women’s suffragists and anti-lynching activists.
When it comes to Midwest brewing, Chicago tends to get overshadowed by neighboring cities. The revival of a popular early Chicago beer aims to prove the sudsy beverage has always been a vital part of the city’s economic and social life.
His radio show that looks at politics from the inside is about to mark it’s 40th anniversary. And he was one of the creators of “Chicago Tonight” in 1984. Bruce DuMont reflects on 40 years of “Beyond the Beltway” and more.
Longtime viewers might remember a time when for one wild week a year, they could buy everything from spark plugs to mink coats right here at our studios. Geoffrey Baer revisits that era.
Controversy over historical figures like Christoper Columbus is playing out with acts of vandalism in cities across the country. But in Chicago, statues honoring Columbus are not the only ones sparking tension.
Chicago is an important city in the history of segregation and civil rights. How one neighborhood in particular is grappling with events from more than 50 years ago as it reacts to fallout from George Floyd’s death.
Longtime Chicago Ald. Roman Pucinski once said, “There’s nothing as crucial to an alderman as garbage.” So how did garbage cans become a source and symbol of political power in this city? Geoffrey Baer talks trash.
Last November, a yellow brick road appeared in the Humboldt Park neighborhood to honor the late author L. Frank Baum. Recently, another installation was added to the historic corner, and we were there for its unveiling.
In honor of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part ESPN documentary about the Chicago Bulls championship years, we revisit an interview from the “Chicago Tonight” archives.
Chicago’s brick buildings put on a refined face for the street side, but if you peek past the facade, you’ll find that what’s holding them up is a little bit rougher. Geoffrey Baer has this history of the Chicago common brick.
The bridge, which spans the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue, paved the way for development of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Tune in at 7 p.m. Thursday to celebrate its past and present.
The behind-the-scenes story of Scottie Pippen’s infamous refusal to take the court during a 1994 playoff game as told by Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson on “Chicago Tonight” in 1995.
History buffs are big fans of historical markers, those often-overlooked plaques that tell the tales of site-specific events from years past. Geoffrey Baer tells us about some unusual historical markers around Chicago.
Having inspired successive generations of African American journalists, pioneering activist Ida B. Wells has finally received her due.