VA celebrates Hispanic Heritage month with the story of Vietnam Veteran Arnie Cardenas. Growing up in Uvalde, Texas, Army Veteran Cardenas and his eight siblings loved listening to the sounds of accordion maestro Tony de la Rosa and the Tex-Mex music flowing across nearby border towns like Laredo. As Cardenas grew older, his family got hooked on a new phenomenon sweeping the nation in the mid-1950s: Rock ‘n’ Roll. Read more at U.S. Veteran Affairs News
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The Illinois Office of Tourism (IOT) recognizes the importance of celebrating the expansive African American communities that are part of our state during Black History Month. To encourage Illinoisians to learn about and experience Black history and culture, IOT has partnered with Chicago Urban Historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas to highlight significant moments and places in Black history across the state with a new video series, “Discover Illinois with Dilla.” The first video features Alton, in southern Illinois, “the birthplace of cool,” where Dilla visits a statue honoring jazz icon Miles Davis, the Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument and the historic Lincoln-Douglas Square. Additional videos with “Dilla” will focus on Black history in Springfield, the state capital, and Black artist, sculptor and educator Preston Jackson, an Illinois native.
Illinois Tourism’s African American history & heritage trip itinerary was created to encourage people to experience and learn about the rich legacy of Illinois’ African American history. The itinerary features museums and historical sites throughout the state, including where freedom seekers traveled along the Underground Railroad.
To learn more about how to celebrate Black History Month in Illinois, click here.
