This Week in Illinois History

This Week In Illinois History: Big Eli, The First Portable Ferris Wheel (May 23, 1900)

On May 23, 1900, the world’s first portable Ferris wheel, known as “Big Eli,” made its debut. Its inventor, William Sullivan, launched an amusement ride business that still thrives today.

This Week In Illinois History: The Sucker State (May 17, 1955)

On May 17, 1955, the Illinois General Assembly approved the official state slogan: "Land of Lincoln." Before that, Illinois was known as the Prairie State. But Illinois also had an older, unofficial slogan that dates back to the state’s earliest days: the Sucker State.

This Week In Illinois History: Eight-Hour Workdays . . . For Children (May 15, 1903)

On May 15, 1903, Illinois established the nation's first eight-hour workday . . . for children. The new law also set a 48-hour weekly limit on child labor.

This Week In Illinois History: The Haymarket Riot (May 4, 1886)

The story of the Haymarket Riot of 1886 actually begins 20 years earlier. After the Civil War, Chicago's labor unions had been pushing for an eight-hour workday instead of the usual 12 to 14. In response, Illinois passed an eight-hour law, but it had loopholes that allowed employers to ignore it. So on Saturday, May 1, 1867, unions called for a city-wide strike to protest the flawed law. Six thousand workers flooded into the streets, and the protest spread from there. The strike crippled the city's economy for almost a week, but the movement eventually fell apart, and the ineffectual law went unchanged.

This Week In Illinois History: Illinois Congressman Battles Jim Crow (April 28, 1941)

On April 28, 1941, Illinois Congressman Arthur Mitchell argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that African Americans were entitled to railroad accommodations equal to white passengers.