“The Picasso” sculpture, located in Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago, was unveiled 48 years ago this week. Designed by Pablo Picasso, the 50-foot steel structure was built when most public displays of art were monuments built in remembrance of historical figures or events. The sculpture is made of Cor-Ten steel which was assembled in nearby Gary, Indiana. The steel is the same composite used on the Daley Center skyscraper next door.

The new, modern look of Picasso’s sculpture was interpreted differently by many, with some saying it looked like a horse, bird or an abstract portrait of Picasso’s wife. Mayor Richard J. Daley was quoted saying it looked like the wings of Justice – fitting for the location next to a slew of courthouses and other legal offices.

Learn more:
Read more about the history of “The Picasso”
Learn more about the Richard J. Daley Center

The 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in all U.S. elections, passed Congress on June 4, 1919. At the time, more than 20 states denied women the right to vote, with another 12 allowing them to vote only in presidential elections.

Once the amendment passed Congress, three-fourths of states needed to ratify it in order for it to become the law of the land. Illinois was one of the first states to ratify the amendment, along with neighboring Wisconsin and Michigan.

The amendment was officially ratified 95 years ago today when Tennessee narrowly passed the amendment, thus enshrining it to the Constitution.

Learn more:
Read more about the history of the 19th Amendment on History.com

The Illinois State Fair was first held in 1853 in Springfield. At the time, state fairs were being held for the first time in many states as a way for farmers to learn about new technologies and practices they could take back to their fields.

Today, the Illinois State Fair attracts nearly a million visitors during its 11-day run. While the fair still offers a host of agricultural-based shows and events, it also includes amusement rides, live concerts and an endless variety of food choices to ensure fun for the entire family. 

Learn more:
Visiting the State Fair? Read more about concert line-ups, food offerings and events

Julius Rosenwald was born on August 12, 1862. At the young age of 18, he was already involved in the fashion world. In 1895, Rosenwald became vice president and owner of one-third of Sears’ stock, then a mail-order-only business. Fourteen years later, Rosenwald would succeed Richard Warren Sears as president of the company.

As president, Rosenwald stressed administration, system and order. Naturally, he also looked for any opportunities that could improve the business, such as looking for long-term merchandising deals with other companies. Rosenwald retained an astute business mind, which led the tycoon to have his store enter the retail store business.

Rosenwald was president of Sears until 1924, when he became chairman of the board of directors. He eventually stepped away from the Sears business to focus on social welfare philanthropy efforts.  

Learn more:
Read more about Julius Rosenwald’s life and his generous philanthropy
Read more about the history of Sears

Unless someone printed this article on paper and handed it to you, you’re probably reading it on a Web browser.

Web browsers are our windows into the Internet. We use Web browsers to search, read articles and watch videos. Without a Web browser, the Internet is just endless lines of code.

The first true Web browser was invented at the University of Illinois in 1993. Its name was Mosaic, created by Marc Andreessen and his team. For the first time, Internet users could view text and pictures on the same page, and they could access the World Wide Web using a Windows personal computer.

Most people probably don’t remember Mosaic. But what about Netscape? For a decade beginning in 1994, it was one of the world’s dominant Web browsers at a time when individuals and institutions were finding their way online. The same team that invented Mosaic went on to create Netscape, which evolved into Mozilla’s Firefox. They shaped the way we view the Internet forever.

Learn more:
See this cool (and abundantly nerdy) timeline of the evolution of the Web.
Watch this PC World slide show on the history of Web browsers.
Read our story about the University of Illinois – one of the nation’s top engineering and tech schools.