Chicago pays tribute to Mahalia Jackson honoring her legacy with new court

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.

A little bit of Hollywood in Illinois

A little bit of Hollywood can be found in Illinois at the annual Elgin Short Film Festival! Every September since 2009 Elgin, Illinois has been host to a number of talented young film makers from around the country and world. The event begins with a red carpet reception featuring interviews with filmmakers, followed by a film screening. At this year’s 2022 Film Festival, six short films were screened. The films are all 20 minutes or less, and contain two categories: animated and live action. Three films of each category had been pre-chosen for the event, and the winners of each category are selected by the judges and audience members in attendance.

This event celebrates the arts and cultivates the creative talents of people around Illinois. First place prizes receive $1,000. The very first winner in 2009 was an Illinois resident from Chicago. David Priego won with his short film “House of Cards”, which received a great rating of 8.5/10 on IMDb. The film is about a divorcing family who, in the war over the division of their material items, only realize the importance of family when tragedy strikes.

The film festival takes place at the Hemmens Cultural Center. The center is named after Hattle Pease Hemmens, who left over a million dollars after her death in 1957 to establish a non-profit Community Auditorium in the city of Elgin. The short film festival brings glitz, glamour and charm to the City of Elgin. Friends, families and film lovers are all welcome to attend the event, and every year the festival has been growing in notoriety. Hollywood has come to Illinois, and it can be found in the enchanting city of Elgin! Find out more about the event at the city of Elgin’s website here.

Did you know the “Long Count Fight” took place in Illinois?

When thinking of boxing, nothing comes to mind more than the classic Rocky Balboa training scene. Everyone feels a sense of victory when Rocky reaches the top of the stairs. But did you know Illinois is home to another classic boxing moment?  On September 23, 1927, world heavyweight champion Gene Tunney and former champion Jack Dempsey faced off in a 10-round rematch. Their first match was exactly 364 days prior, where Gene Tunney took the win with a ten round unanimous decision. In 1926 Dempsey had been the popular champion, almost more celebrity than fighter. While Tunney was the underdog, obsessed with beating the champion. Dempsey’s 1926 defeat by Tunney was viewed as a shocking upset.

The year 1927 was no different. While Tunney had won the year prior, Jack Dempsey was the favorite to win again, with the public heavily betting on him. 104,000 people flooded Soldier Field to witness the historic rematch. The match would be another 10 rounds between the two heavyweight champions.  The first 6 rounds passed by as any normal boxing match. In the 7^th round, things took a turn. Dempsey hit Tunney with a left hook and clean up combination that sent him down. In boxing, a knockout occurs when the referee reaches a count of ten seconds. For a fleeting moment, the former champion tasted victory again. But then, Tunney got up at the 9 count.

However, it was not a clear come back for Tunney. Fans on either side went wild, as 5 seconds were lost when Dempsey failed to retreat to the “neutral corner” immediately after his hit. The rules stated the referee could not begin his count until Dempsey arrived in this corner. What should have been 14 seconds down, and a knock out, was only 9 official seconds. After he got up, Tunney went on to win the entire match and beat Dempsey for a second time.

What should have been a victory for a formerly defeated champion, turned into a two-year running heavyweight championship for the underdog. The 5 precious seconds lost forever made this fight known in boxing history as the Long Count Fight.

Illinois scientist may have discovered a new way to restore memory loss

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, a time to raise awareness of the disease and its effects worldwide. An Illinois scientist may have discovered a new way to restore memory loss from the disease. The University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine conducted a study led by Professor Orly Lazarov, which focused on boosting the production of neurons in the brain cells of mice.  This new research may lead to the possibilities of advancing the current state of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The hippocampus is the area of the brain that allows individuals to remember things, such as where they have placed their keys. The research conducted at UIC focused on mice with a mutation of Alzheimer’s that impacts the hippocampus area of the brain. Through neurogenesis process, scientists focused on deleting a gene called Bax, by boosting new neurons into cells. These new neurons prompted the memory in mice showing significant improvement in the mice’s function, performance, and ability to remember.  The mice showed enhancements in spatial recognition, which is a skill that helps distinguish spatial relations, such as knowing how to drive home. The contextual memory of the mice also advanced, which is the ability to memorize specific emotions, people and places.

This month, many people raise worldwide awareness to the fact that over 50 million individuals suffer from Dementia, with 50-60% of them suffering from Alzheimer’s. In the state of Illinois alone, Alzheimer’s is growing into a public health crisis, with over 230,000 people aged 65 and older living with the disease. While there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, this study conducted in Illinois brings great hope on treating and focusing on the diseases cause,  opening the possibilities for new ways to better treat Alzheimer’s. To learn more about this study read here.