Towards Collective Healing: The Memorialization of Anti-Black Terror and Violence in Illinois

In this talk, SIUE history professor and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community Engagement and Educational Pathways Tandra Taylor connects the history and legacy of lynching, race riots, and race massacres across early twentieth century Illinois to contemporary harms and violence in communities impacted by historical traumas. Dr. Taylor’s discussion will highlight her recent experience, where university faculty and students from Illinois universities join Illinois residents in research, memorialization, and reparative practice.

 In 2024, Dr. Taylor was a co-organizer of a statewide coalition, Journeys to Justice, which brought together Chicago, East St. Louis, and Springfield core partners, who traveled to the Equity Justice Initiative historical sites in Montgomery, Alabama – the nation’s most significant institution for commemorating racial violence, – followed by a symposium and workshop in Springfield, IL in April 2025.