Legacy of Resilience: Black Springfield 1900-1910

The Legacy of Resilience project explores the Black community in Springfield, Illinois, before, during, and in the wake of the August 1908 race riot. In the past, there have been attempts to interpret the violence of this race massacre, but little work has been done to understand and interpret the Black Springfield community that was impacted by this violence. This project centers the Black Springfield community—their joy, their strife, and their everyday lives—as a way to understand what was lost through violence as well as the community’s resilience.

Jacob Friefeld

University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies Director Jacob Friefeld is featured as a historical expert on the new HBO Max and Magnolia Network series “Back to the Frontier,” which immerses three modern-day families in the rugged realities of 1880s life without modern conveniences.

Can you give me a brief timeline of how your career led you to UIS?

After receiving my Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I spent a year teaching in the university’s history department before accepting a postdoctoral fellowship at its Center for Great Plains Studies. I spent the next two years researching the Homestead Act, signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1862.

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Dan Duster

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies, in partnership with Juneteenth Inc. and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, will host Dan Duster, the great-grandson of American civil rights activist Ida B. Wells.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 17

WHERE: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield

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Juneteenth Lunch and Learn Panel: The Resiliency of Black History Beyond Erasures

Brian Mitchell leads a discussion with Dr. Loretta Meeks, Ken Page, Dr. Lesa Johnson, and Frank McNeil that delves into the enduring strength and adaptability of Black history in the face of attempts to marginalize it. Black history is a tapestry woven with stories of triumph, resiliency, and cultural richness that have persisted despite systemic efforts to diminish their significance. This resilience is evident in the preservation of oral histories, the vibrancy of cultural traditions, and the ongoing contributions of Black individuals to society. By celebrating this resilience, we recognize that Black history is not just a record of the past but a living, evolving narrative that continues to shape and inspire future generations. The Juneteenth Lunch and Learn series was created in the spirit of "freeish" which underscores the journey toward true liberation and acknowledgment, ensuring that the legacy of Black history thrives beyond erasures.

Jennifer Harris is the office administrator for the Center of Lincoln Studies.

What do you like about your job?

I enjoy the variety of projects I’m involved in. I love to plan and keep a running task list. There is a satisfying sense of accomplishment in seeing a project come together from start to finish and knowing I had a share in bringing it to fruition. There is so much opportunity to grow and learn, and my leaders truly support me in doing so.

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Faculty Fellows Program

The Center for Lincoln Studies (CLS) is dedicated to engaging with UIS’s talented faculty. The Faculty Fellows program engages faculty to become the core of the Center’s intellectual community along with the Center’s two affiliate faculty. The faculty fellows will participate in Center programs and projects and the Center will amplify fellows’ work through its website and social media and provide travel funds to aid faculty research.

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