History commonly and most often points to late August in the year 1619 when some “20 and odd Negroes” originating from Angola arrived in the British colony of Jamestown, Virginia as the first documented enslaved Africans to land in what ...

A few weeks back I questioned whether our Joliet government was a sugar-daddy based on the many requests it receives from organizations needing revenue beyond their means. One that was mentioned was the Joliet Public Library. The Library Board has ...

Democracy’s premise is that ordinary citizens can make solid decisions on complex issues. But this basic principle and the structure of laws and practices erected over the centuries to safeguard it are being questioned as rarely before. It’s not just ...

America is experiencing the most perilous of times in recent history as the result of its president, Donald Trump. Even though Monday morning he stepped forward to speak against the weekend's hate crimes, it lacks residence because of the hate ...

It’s not always easy to know the facts. That’s a phrase we all hear frequently. The initial reaction to that expression is often times one of skepticism because the facts are thought to be based on proven data. The facts ...

The Trump administration recently axed a proposal that would have saved patients billions of dollars by requiring insurers to share discounts they negotiate with drug companies directly with patients. The proposed rule would have changed Medicare Part D, which provides ...

I’ve been struck recently by news coverage of humans’ degradation of the planet. Two opposing themes keep appearing. One is the sense that, as individuals, there’s little we can do; the forces are too large. The other – and many ...

Did you ever have a rich uncle? You know, one that you always depended on to give the best gifts for birthdays and holidays? The relative you always thought you could depend on if you were in a financial bind? ...

WASHINGTON—President Donald J. Trump seems to want war with Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pom-peo is beating the drum for war with Iran. National Security Adviser John Bolton is itching for war with Iran. Together they are orchestrating an all-too-familiar ...

In recent years, the spate of homicides linked to questionable uses of deadly weapons and/or force, have prompted many activist organizations to call for racial reparations. A chorus of calls for reparations has mounted, even attracting interest among presidential candidates. ...

The week of July 15, 2019 was officially the first time that the Chicago Defender Newspaper has not printed in over 114 years. The headline, "Legendary Black Newspaper Prints Last Copy" hit me like a ton of bricks last week. ...

What happened on last Thursday with R&B sensation and one of America's favorite crooners, who many also love to hate, Robert Kelly, was not a criminal act but a political move. When I heard about the Feds sneaking behind trees ...

A few years ago, I was at a polling place here in Indiana where a long line of people stood waiting to vote. A woman recognized me and called me over. “Why is it,” she asked, “that you politicians make ...

It has been entertaining to observe the City Council’s bickering over what should be a transparent and open resolution to who will be Joliet’s next City Manager. Obviously, regardless of all the pontificating about who would be the most qualified ...

The F-35 stealth fighter aircraft is one expensive plane. It costs $135 million to produce a single aircraft, but Congress is prepared to authorize spending for 90 more planes, a dozen more than the Pentagon has requested. Why? Lobbyists for ...