Stories by Meredith Francis

Sophonisba Breckinridge, a feminist and social reformer, accomplished a lot in her long career, much of which was spent at the University of Chicago. But despite all she achieved, she is what historian Anya Jabour calls a "forgotten feminist."

The Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood has a unique emphasis on Afro-Latino art, music, and dance in an effort to connect local youth to their heritage.

The Great Chicago Fire: A Chicago Stories Special reveals new details with recreations and animation that bring the fire to life. Executive producer Dan Protess and producer and writer Peter Marks talked about their approach to telling the old story in a new way.

Margaret Burroughs, an influential Chicago artist, poet, and teacher, established two of the city's important cultural institutions: the South Side Community Arts Center and the DuSable Museum of African American History.

Bushra Amiwala shares her story of becoming the youngest Muslim elected official in the United States. She's featured in the upcoming documentary, And She Could Be Next.

We visit the WTTW archives with two interviews with feminist leader, journalist, and political activist Gloria Steinem.

A series of bronze plaques on the famous rainbow pylons in Chicago's Boystown neighborhood make up the Legacy Walk – an outdoor museum highlighting the historical and cultural contributions of LGBTQ people.

In 1981, nearly 100 Japanese Americans testified at Northeastern Illinois University as part of an official government investigation into the constitutionality of the World War II internment camps that incarcerated 120,000 residents and citizens of Japanese ancestry. Their stories have recently been rediscovered in a tape collection found in the University's archives.

For decades, Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood didn't have a park or any significant green space. Roughly 20 years ago, that changed. Get to know the story of Ping Tom Park, one of the city's hidden gems.

The Art Institute may be closed right now, but you can take a virtual tour of its vast collection, featuring insight from some of its curators, plus get to see what it was like twenty years ago, in an archival program from WTTW hosted by the late Brian Dennehy.