Elliott Gorn –

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., leaves an event with faith leaders at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center on Oct. 30, 2025, in Washington. The faith leaders spoke about the looming suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)

Elliott Gorn: Regarding the shutdown, Democrats, it’s time to let Republicans wear it

November 2, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries tried to protect the American people from MAGA, but they refused to negotiate.

Airickca Gordon-Taylor, center in purple, and the Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., both cousins of Emmett Till, speak outside Roberts Temple Church of God In Christ in Chicago on Aug. 28, 2015. They led a motorcade to Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the death of Emmett Till. Till's funeral took place at Roberts Temple in September 1955.

Op-ed: Mamie Till-Mobley, Emmett Till’s mother, wanted the world to see what racism can do

December 8, 2021 at 1:16 p.m.

What is a history teacher to do? Fingers wag at us from left and right. Do not disturb the students. Issue trigger warnings to your classes. Avoid inducing guilt. Teach...

Judge Harry Olson with Mary "Mother" Jones and "her boys" of the Boys' Brotherhood Republic (a Chicago boys club) on Oct. 21, 1915.

Commentary: Chicago played a big role in Mother Jones’ life. Why no statue for her?

July 14, 2020 at 3:47 p.m.

President Donald Trump wants statues. Great men and women from American history. All in one place, like a wax museum, only in bronze. We can debate if a single sculpture...

A picture of Emmett Till is featured on the White Sox scoreboard during a game on June 29, 2019. Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Chicagoan, was tortured and killed in 1955 while in Mississippi.

Commentary: Emmett Till on the White Sox scoreboard? Forgive the mistake, honor the history

July 3, 2019 at 4:09 p.m.

During a recent baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins, a message flashed on the scoreboard at Guaranteed Rate Field. Under the banner "Other Famous People...

Why Emmett Till still matters

May 31, 2019 at 4:22 p.m.

The Associated Press reported this month that the FBI has reopened the Emmett Till case. Till was a 14-year-old Chicago boy who went to Mississippi in the summer of 1955...

Calabrese crime story sticks to facts

August 22, 2021 at 8:44 a.m.

"Family Secrets: The Case That Crippled the Chicago Mob" By Jeff Coen Chicago Review Press, 432 pages, $24.95 Why are we so fascinated by the mob? Well, there's violence: garroting,...

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