Is Pluto a planet? While this question garners much debate, there’s one fact people agree on: The solar system’s most famous dwarf planet was discovered by Illinois’ own Clyde Tombaugh of Streator.

Tombaugh was born Feb. 4, 1906 on his grandparents’ farmhouse on the northwest side of Streator and attended Heenanville Grade School and Streator High School. After schoolwork and helping his father on the farm, Tombaugh spent the evenings with his eyes to the sky. His uncle’s small handmade telescope helped launch his interest in outer space.

In 1922, Tombaugh’s family moved from Streator to Kansas. Around the age of 20, he began to build his own homemade telescopes using old farm equipment. One such telescope — measuring 24 feet long by 8 feet wide — allowed Tombaugh to make detailed drawings of Mars and Jupiter. He sent these drawings to Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, which hired him in 1929.

Senator Carol Moseley-Braun has had numerous firsts in her career. A Chicago native, she was born on August 16, 1947 and has been driven to make big changes since her childhood. Her first interest in politics began after her fight to preserve a habitat for the bobolink, a native Illinois bird, in Chicago’s Jackson Park. From there, she knew she wanted to work more intimately with environmental issues and sustainability.

Moseley-Braun’s first step was receiving her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois in 1969. Shortly after, she received her Juris Doctor at the University of Chicago Law School in 1972. After graduation, she went on to be a prosecutor in the office of the U.S. Attorney in Chicago from 1973 to 1977, then served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1979 to 1989. Her impressive groundbreaking firsts began with her next role: Recorder of Deeds in Cook County – becoming the first Black person to hold an executive position in that county.

Her accomplishments only went higher, as after four years of being Recorder of the Deeds she went on for a successful bid for the U.S. Senate. In 1993, Moseley-Braun became the first Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, as well as being the first female Senator from Illinois. In addition, she was also the first woman to serve on the Senate Finance Committee. Her leadership has opened doors for women in public service nationwide. After one term as a U.S. Senator, she then served as the U.S. ambassador to Samoa (2000-2001) and New Zealand (1999-2001). 

Over her tenure as a legislator, she authored legislation to provide federal funds to repair dilapidating public schools, extend credit to farmers, aid in cleaning up polluted industrial sites as well as being a forceful advocate for the expansion towards pension benefits for women in the workplace. Senator Moseley-Braun has worked tirelessly over the decades to speak up for historically underserved communities.  After many years in public service, she went on to lead Good Food Organics in 2005, which follows her commitment to public responsibility through a business approach of environmental sustainability and financial profitability. Moseley-Braun also became a visiting professor of political science at Northwestern University in 2016. She has been a beacon for thousands of young women who want to make waves in public service and truly is one glass ceiling breaker.

One thing the windy city is known for is producing some of the most iconic music stars. From Sam Cooke and Kanye West, to Styx and Fall Out Boy, Chicago’s very own Mahalia Jackson is notably one of the most iconic and influential singers of the 20^th century. In honor of her legacy and life, the city of Chicago Department of Planning and Development alongside the Greater Chatham Initiative and Carter Temple CME Church, opened the Mahalia Jackson Court on the corner of 79^th and State Street in Chicago. In a ribbon cutting ceremony in conjunction with the  Carter Temple CME Church, supporters, politicians, and members of the community came together to pay homage to the iconic gospel singer and civil rights activist.

The Department of Planning and Development awarded the Great Chatham Initiative $500,000 for the construction of the site. The Cultural Affairs and Special Events provided an additional $50,000 for constructing the Mahalia Jackson memorial. Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was also  in attendance,  said the Mahalia Jackson Court is one way the city of Chicago plans to revitalize the neighborhood. The Mahalia Jackson Court, is an 8,500 sq. ft. public plaza that serves as a beacon of light for the South Side residents in the Chatham neighborhood.  Lined with daily food trucks, music, and art, this new safe haven also possesses a 3-foot statue of Jackson, designed by gallery owner and artist Gerald Griffin.

In 1927, Jackson migrated to Chicago from New Orleans during the Great Migration, finding solace and security in the Midwest. While attending Salem Baptist Church. To learn more about Mahalia Jackson Court, visit the official website here.

Arguably the most influential, and prolific racially motivated murder in American history is that of 14-year-old Chicago native Emmett Till. On Aug. 28, 1955, Till was brutally kidnapped, tortured and murdered  to death in Money, Mississippi for allegedly harassing and whistling at a white woman by the name of Carolyn Bryant while visiting family on vacation. Several relatives of Bryant’s including her husband Roy Bryant and her brother-in-law J.W. Milam snatched Till away from his family’s home leading to events that would garner the Civil Rights Movement international attention. His mother Mamie Till-Mobley, fought diligently to ensure that the world knew what was done to her son, shocking the entire nation by having an open casket funeral. Till’s body was so badly beaten and mangled that is was hardily recognizable, shedding light on the rising racial injustice blacks faced in the south. Her heroic efforts forced America to confront racial brutality head on.

Over 60 years later, Till’s death is still generating national attention. In June 2022, the official arrest warrant for Carolyn Bryant was found in a Leflore County basement regarding her involvement with Till’s death. Ultimately the grand jury decided not to prosecute her, shining more light on how this tragedy rocked the entire nation and continues to years later. But Till’s legacy is not remembered in vein thanks to his hometown of Chicago.

Chicago is making sure Emmett and Mamie Till’s legacy is preserved and memorialized by restoring their home as a part of African American history. In July 2022, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund announced that the house will receive a share of $3 million in grants being distributed to 33 sites and organizations nationwide that have impacted African American culture. This coincides with the Senate passing a bill to award Congressional Gold Medals posthumously to both Emmett & Mamie Till-Mobley earlier this year.

With the 67^th anniversary of his death occurring Aug. 28, we honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Emmett Louis Till.