James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok, historic scout, lawman, soldier and gunfighter was born in Troy Grove, Illinois (formerly known as Homer, Ill.) to William and Polly Hickok. He was recognized as an outstanding shot with a pistol from a very young age. By the age of 18, following a gunfight, he joined a vigilante group known as the “Jayhawkers”, where he met then 12-year-old army scout William Cody, popularly known as “Buffalo Bill.”

In the following years, Hickok served as an army scout for the Union Army, as well as a wagon master and police detective. One account even points to his service as a Union spy in Confederate territory between the years of 1862 and 1863. Hickok was mustered out of service in 1865, and spent much of his time near Springfield, Missouri gambling. It was during this time that one of Hickok’s most famous shootings took place.

In the town square of Springfield, Missouri, Hickok met Davis Tutt in what would be forever fictionalized as a high noon, quick draw standoff.  In reality, it was more akin to a classic duel, the two men facing each other from a distance, turning to the side to present a smaller target. The two men drew their weapons and took aim. Both men fired. Tutts shot missed, but Bills .36 caliber ball, fired from his Colt 1851 Navy revolver, found its mark, striking Tutt between the fifth and seventh rib on his left side. The incident was sparked over the loss of Bills prized pocket watch during a card game.

Wild Bill’s last days would be spent in Deadwood, in the Dakota Territories. While playing cards at Nuttel & Mann’s Saloon, he was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall.  The cards he held would later be known as a “dead man’s hand,” or aces and eights.

Learn more:
Wild Bill Hickok & The Deadman's Hand
Wild Bill Hickok at HISTORYnet.com
Birthplace of Wild Bill Hickok

That’s right! The 2014 class of high school students earned a composite score of 20.7 on the American College Testing (ACT) exam. The standardized test uses a scale of 1 to 36 to determine a student’s college readiness.

Founded in 1959, the three-and-a-half hour exam tests students’ knowledge of math, science, English and reading comprehension. Universities and colleges use ACT scores to determine college applicants’ likelihood of successfully completing their degree programs.

Students with ACT scores ranging between 30 and 36 receive preference at competitive academic institutions. Roughly 75 percent of students at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago attained at least a 34 on their exam. Most students at the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign scored at least a 31.

More than 180 Illinois teens earned a perfect score of 36. High ACT scores also attract scholarships, grants and acceptance into honor colleges. Academic-based scholarships can include “full-ride” scholarships or funding that covers most academic expenses, such as tuition and books.

Some of the brightest students in our country are here in Illinois. Congratulations to the high school class of 2014!

Learn more:
Why ACT scores matter
How Illinois students’ scores compare
More about the ACT’s history

The Oscar, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe award nominee was born here in Illinois.

Howard was born on March 11, 1969 and had a rough childhood. He was abused by his father and saw his father commit a crime when he was 2 years old. Howard knew that wasn’t the environment he wanted to be in, and at the age of 16, he legally divorced himself from his parents. At the age of 18, he moved to New York to pursue his dreams of being an actor.

In New York, Howard attended the Pratt Institute, where he majored in chemical engineering. He didn’t end up receiving a degree, because he started to accept small acting roles. One of his first roles was beside Bill Cosby on The Cosby Show. He continued to do television shows until 1995.

Howard has appeared in the movies Big Momma’s House, Angel Eyes, Biker Boys and Ray, just to name a few. He was also in the Academy-Award winning film Crash and received a National Board of Review Award for best breakthrough performance.

Howard currently lives outside of Philadelphia.

Learn more:
Terrence Howard’s Filmography and Movies
Terrance Howard’s IMDB profile

If the film Bridesmaids left you in stitches then you’ve experienced the comedic prowess of Melissa McCarthy.

McCarthy was born on August 26, 1970 in Plainfield. She graduated from Joliet Catholic Academy before moving to New York to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. While in New York, she appeared in numerous notable clubs and trained at The Actor’s Studio.

Eventually, McCarthy moved to Los Angeles, where she took part in the sketch comedy theater The Groundlings. She was a staple of the main stage with The Groundlings while also playing various film roles.

Her breakout role came as Sookie St. James in the television show Gilmore Girls. In 2010, she landed a starring role in the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, for which she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Her most notable role came as Megan in the 2011 film Bridesmaids, which netted her nominations for an Academy Award, a Screen Actor’s Guild Award and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award. Since Bridesmaids, McCarthy has starred in numerous films with actors and actresses like Jason Bateman, Sandra Bullock and Paul Rudd. She married fellow Bridesmaids actor Ben Falcone in 2005, and the couple currently lives in Los Angeles with their two daughters.

Learn more:
Melissa McCarthy Biography
Melissa McCarthy's IMDB profile

Ken Howard Norton Sr. was born on August 9, 1943 in Jacksonville, Illinois.

Norton was a heavyweight boxer during a classic era in American boxing. His athletic career began in high school, where he participated in track, baseball, and football. He went on to play football for Truman State University in Missouri, but his collegiate career was cut short by injuries. He left Truman State and began his boxing career while serving in the U.S. Marine Core in 1963.

After his four year tour, he left the Marines and became a pro boxer in 1967. He won his first 16 fights. His most notable fight came in 1973 against former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. Looking for a way to win back the title, Ali figured that he could beat Norton to earn a fight against the new champion, Joe Frazier. However, Norton defeated Ali in 12 rounds and ended up breaking Ali’s jaw in the process. This would not be the last time that the two would meet in the ring. They fought again in 1973 and in 1976, and Ali went on to win both matches by decision.   

Norton won the WBC heavyweight title in 1978 after the current champion, Leon Spinks, refused to fight Norton and elected to fight Muhammad Ali instead. Norton finished his career in 1981 with a record of 42-7-1. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in New York in 1992. Ken Norton Sr. passed away in Nevada in September of 2013 at the age of 70. Norton had four children, and his son Ken Norton Jr. played in the NFL for 13 seasons.
   
Learn more:
Ken Norton Sr. Bio
The boxing record of Ken Norton Sr.