Kick off the month of February festivities with National Thank a Mail Carrier Day! As our mail carriers continue to brave the wintry elements to deliver our mail on time, we should make an effort to express our appreciation and recognition of their valuable service.

The earliest form of a mail delivery system can be traced back to the Persians and the Greeks around 449 B.C., but the United States did not establish the first formal system until 1692 with postal riders depositing mail to each of the American colonies instead of to individual addresses. In 1775, the Second Continental Congress founded a United States Post Office and appointed Benjamin Franklin as the head of the department and Mary Katherine Goddard as possibly America’s first female postmaster. This first post office served a role in the American War for Independence, whereby courageous post riders rode on horseback across miles of territory to alert the colonies of new activity from British troops.

Two notable figures with ties to Illinois — President Abraham Lincoln and actor Rock Hudson — also served in the industry. President Lincoln was appointed postmaster in 1833 for the New Salem, Illinois post office before its closure in 1836. Hudson worked as a letter carrier in Winnetka, Illinois before becoming one of Hollywood’s favorite leading actors.

After gaining independence from Britain, the first officially recognized Post Office Department of the United States of America opened in 1792 and gradually evolved into the United States Postal Service we know today.

Today, a reliable and efficient mail carrier system fosters valuable connections, just as it served as a critical tool for expansion throughout history. On National Thank a Mail Carrier Day, we celebrate the mail carriers who continue to honor this service. Whether it be sending a letter or simply saying “thank you,” receiving recognition for dedication and hard work is a meaningful way to show them you care.

Although Lloyd Hall is not a name many people know, his inventions made great strides in food preservation, and his legacy is not to be understated.

In 1932, Hall found a way to use a combination of salt and tiny crystals of sodium nitrate and nitrite, which suppressed the nitrogen that leads to food spoiling.

Hall was born in Elgin, Illinois. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1914, receiving bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical chemistry. He then completed graduate work at the University of Chicago. He spent the majority of the time during his 34-year career at Griffith Laboratories, which is headquartered in Alsip, Illinois.

Hall held more than 100 patents, and was awarded honorary doctorates from Virginia State University, Howard University and the Tuskegee Institute.

Hall also introduced antioxidants as a method to prevent fats and oils in bakery products from spoiling.

Hall must be remembered as a pioneer and extremely talented inventor. His inventions and patents revolutionized the food processing and meat packing industry, and his methods are still being used today.

National Author’s Day is celebrated on Nov. 1 each year and serves as a day to appreciate our favorite authors for their dedication to the art of writing and their persistence to sharing their stories to the world. Whether you are a fan of fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, romance, poetry or any other topic, you can appreciate the realm of literature and the impact that authors have on our lives and society.

The origin of National Author’s Day is here in Illinois’ Village of Bement. Bement is a small village in Piatt County which currently has a population of about 1,470 individuals. Back in 1928, Nellie Verne Burt McPherson, president of the Bement, Illinois Women’s Club was inspired to set aside a day to celebrate American authors. She had a profound love for reading her whole life and as an educator emphasized the importance of reading and literature to her students. After writing a note to Irving Bacheller about how much she enjoyed his book, Eben Holden’s Last Day A’ Fishing, he sent her back a signed copy of another one of his works. To adequately thank him for his gift, she submitted her idea for National Author’s Day to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.

In May 1929, the club endorsed a resolution for National Author’s Day to be observed to honor American writers. It wasn’t until 1949 that the U.S. Department of Commerce officially recognized the day. Now, years later, National Author’s Day has been globally recognized and serves as a day to celebrate countless authors for their contributions to literature and inspire people to become avid readers and writers.

In celebration of the day, here is a list of note-worthy Illinois authors:

Ray Bradbury was born in Waukegan in 1920 and was an author and screenwriter. His works consist of a variety of genres including fantasy, horror, mystery and others. His most popular works are Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles.

Ernest Hemingway was born in Oak Park in 1899. He was a novelist, short-story writer and journalist. He is one of the major American novelists of the 20th Century and received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954 for “his mastery of the art of narrative” highlighting his work The Old Man and the Sea.

William Maxwell was born in Lincoln in 1908 and grew up in Chicago. He was a novelist, short-story writer and long-time editor for the New York Times. Many of his short stories and novels consist of themes from his childhood. Some of his works are Bright Center of Heaven, The Folded Leaf and So Long, See you Tomorrow. He is considered to be a “writer’s writer” as he never had an exorbitant amount of commercial success but was highly respected by other writers.

To learn more about Illinois authors, visit the Illinois Secretary of State website.

On this day in 1923, Evelyn Brandt Thomas, founder of agricultural business Brandt Consolidated, was born. Today, we celebrate her 100th birthday to honor her lifetime of achievements, love, joy and service to communities across Illinois and worldwide.

In her youth, Brandt Thomas attended a one-room schoolhouse and Springfield High School, during which she developed a passion for the ledger. After attending accounting classes at Illinois Business College in downtown Springfield, she worked in the advertising department of the Illinois State Journal, a forerunner of The State Journal-Register. With her experience growing up on her family farm and the opportunities she received as a businesswoman, Brandt Thomas followed her brother, Glen, into the family business her father had started, Brandt Consolidated, as the office manager and treasurer for several decades.

Brandt Consolidated began as a family-owned agriculture company focused on providing Illinois farmers with cutting-edge farming equipment and products, specifically starting with their liquid fertilizer in the early 1950s. Now, Brandt Consolidated is a worldwide company serving farmers in 80 countries.

Illinois joins other states in recognizing August as National Black Business Month, an annual observation celebrating Black-owned businesses and recognizing the invaluable contributions of these businesses.

In the nation’s early history, both free and enslaved Black people started their own local businesses and the establishments flourished as emancipation grew in support in the late 1700s. By 1900, Black-owned businesses entered their “golden age” in which entire districts became Black-owned and the establishment of The National Negro Business League in 1915 extended support to African American entrepreneurship across 34 states.

National Black Business Month, celebrated every August, was co-founded in 2004 by engineering entrepreneur Frederick E. Jordan and John William Templeton, president and executive editor of eAccess Corp. The pair aimed to recognize Black business owners who overcame systemic challenges to thrive and provide services within their communities. Jordan’s own struggles as a minority business owner, and later success as owner of F.E. Jordan Associates Inc., inspired him to encourage other Black professionals and to push for equity in underrepresented communities.

Over one hundred Black-owned businesses are recognized by Support Black Owned across Illinois. Here are some of the businesses featured:

• E.M. Branch & Associates, Inc., located at 1987 W. 111th St., Chicago, is a nonprofit agency that was established in 2001. The practice provides culturally relevant services to individuals, families and communities impacted by the injustices of poverty and racism.
• Genesis Life Management Solutions, located at 22409 Riverside Drive, Richton Park, offers life coaching services for business start-ups, business progress and marketing strategies to personal life areas like spiritual health and marital guidance.
• Butter Rie Cookies, located at 7439 Willowood Court, Orland Park, is a small family owned bakery that provides a diverse selection of cookies, cupcakes and pies.
• Afri-Ware Bookstore, located at 1701 S. 1st Ave., Maywood, is an African-centric store featuring books for all ages, beauty products and gifts, as well as community events.
• First Years University, located at 18209 Dixie Highway, Homewood, is a daycare that provides continuous developmental opportunities for children six weeks to 12 years old.

Shop locally for your daily needs and show your support by visiting Black-owned businesses in your community!

For the complete list of businesses, visit the Support Black Owned website.