CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY IS AWARDED A $2 MILLION GRANT FROM THE MELLON FOUNDATION TO MAKE BLACK HISTORY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC

The library’s largest collections grant ever received to support the Renaissance Project which enhances the library’s special collections and archival materials of rich Black cultural and historical resources.

On behalf of Chicago Public Library (CPL), the Chicago Public Library Foundation (CPLF) has received a historic $2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to power the Renaissance Project, which supports access to Black history-related archives across library branches in the City of Chicago.

“The Renaissance Project offers a significant opportunity to contribute to the city’s priorities around equity,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “I applaud Chicago Public Library and Commissioner Chris Brown for building on our long tradition of championing diverse narratives, uplifting marginalized voices and engaging the city in educational and cultural development, underscoring a powerful opportunity to contribute to racial healing in Chicago.”

Research Collection, is located at CPL’s Woodson Regional Library. “CPL will continue to honor Harsh’s work by fostering greater access to Black-history-related collections for everyone,” said Stacie Williams, CPL Division Chief of Archives and Special Collections.

As part of this multi-year initiative, CPL will also partner with educators connected to the Illinois State Board of Education’s Inclusive American History Commission (IAHC) to create new open-source curricula and tools that inform teaching of Black history in public secondary and post-secondary schools.

BOOMING GAINS IN GOVERNMENT PENSION FUNDS LIKELY SHORT-LIVED; AIRPORTS BOOST ECONOMY WITHOUT BURDENING PROPERTY TAXPAYERS, REPORT FINDS

A once-in-a-generation investment market for government worker pension funds likely will be fleeting, according to a Cook County Treasurer’s Office report of local government debt.

The office’s latest analysis shows overall local government debt in Cook County rose 1.6% to $160.5 million from fiscal 2020 to 2021 — a modest increase held in check by the exceptional investment performance of the pension funds. But those gains are expected to be diminished by investment losses in fiscal 2022 that have yet to be fully recorded.

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This transformational funding will allow the library to digitize and process critical documents related to Black history from the 1800s to the present, bring high-quality research materials and holistic programming to every branch across the city, and support the learning of Black history for a new generation of K-12 Illinois students of all races and backgrounds. This generous grant will also empower first-generation scholars to foster new research in Black Studies.

“Our African American stories and histories are our country’s story,” said Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown. “If these stories are not accessible, generations miss the chance to connect with who we are as a country. Mellon’s grant will do just that, connecting generations and international audiences with African American histories.”

The largest collection of African American history, literature and scholarship in the Midwest was built in 1932 under the leadership of CPL’s first Black librarian and branch director, Vivian G. Harsh. The collection, now known as the Vivian Harsh

“As Illinois moves towards more inquiry-based, inclusive, and just learning experiences for students in K-12 and college classrooms, this grant is creating opportunities for teachers to better access curricular resources and pedagogical insights supporting that aspiration,” said Asif Wilson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As co-investigator, Wilson will chair an advisory group of educators who will make recommendations on how the materials can be used in curriculum and assignments.

Protecting and empowering educators with inclusive narratives, knowledge and ideas, particularly at a time when topics are being banned or discouraged across the nation, is at the core of CPL’s mission. The Mellon Foundation’s support will amplify this collection of history that will be used by many stakeholders locally and nationally.

“The narrative power of primary sources held in special collections and archives that are relevant to Ethnic Studies have become more critical to advocate for in the last several years,” said Patricia Hswe, program officer for Public Knowledge at the Mellon Foundation. “We are pleased to support CPL in this objective as it casts a well-deserved spotlight on Black Studies through the Library’s multivocal collections and increases the scale of user access to them.”

The project began February 2023 and will be completed in March 2027.

The report, based on data submitted to Treasurer Maria Pappas under the Debt Disclosure Ordinance enacted at Pappas’ urging in 2009, also explains how the region’s primary economic engines — its two airports — rack up significant debt that is no burden on Chicago property taxpayers. Although billions of dollars of debt stem from work at O’Hare and Midway airports, all of it is paid off with federal revenue and from fees and taxes paid by airline travelers.

That’s just one way some types of local debt don’t push up property taxes. That’s also the case for water and sewer line upgrade debt, which is paid off with water and sewer fees, and bonds backed by sales taxes instead of property taxes. Those alternate debt-funding sources help explain why Chicago has one of the lowest tax rates in Cook County despite having one of the highest debt levels.

The report also explains why some predominantly minority south suburbs have high property tax rates despite relatively low amounts of overall debt. That occurs when troubled finances constrain the ability to borrow, forcing local leaders to instead raise property taxes to fund government.

In addition, this report includes dozens of governments previously excluded for lack of adequate assessment data, including 13 additional municipalities, 17 more school districts and 50 other local governments.

“This is the ultimate in government accountability,” Pappas said. “It opens government books that were previously closed. People can now see where their tax money goes and how much debt their governments have incurred.” The latest debt report can be found at cookcountytreasurer.com.

SENATOR VAN PELT ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION INVESTMENT IN UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO’S EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM

State Senator Patricia Van Pelt announced that the University of Chicago will receive a $1 million Early Childhood Faculty Preparation grant to increase the number of early childhood providers and faculty diversity in the field.

“Providing early childhood education workers with more applicable resources and tools allows our community to become stronger and our children to have a better chance at success,” said Van Pelt (D-Chicago). “This funding will provide students seeking to enter the early childhood workforce better opportunities to do so.”

The Illinois Board of Higher Education awarded $3.37 million in Early Childhood Faculty Preparation grants to four universities, including $1,027,989 to the University of Chicago. This funding is designed to implement programs of study for working adults from diverse backgrounds and those who work with diverse populations interested in becoming early childhood faculty. The grants will fund scholarships and other academic and holistic supports for 78 students to earn master’s degrees.

“This funding allows us to provide a diversified education curriculum and faculty that can meet the needs of all students from an early age,” said Van Pelt. “We owe it to our youth to enrich their early childhood experience while making sure educators feel secure in doing their jobs at the highest level.”

The Early Childhood Faculty Preparation Grants are a part of the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity initiative, a key strategy in A Thriving Illinois, the state’s strategic plan for higher education. Those who enroll in the programs are expected to graduate by the summer of 2024.