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Drawing depicting James Person pursued by lynch mob of white citizens. Illustration by and courtesy of Calli Hepfinger. Photo Dr. Renatto Carr.
Lincoln Library​
Carnegie Room North
326 South 7th Street
Springfield, Illinois
Saturday, November 15, 2025
12 pm to 1 pm
The 1942 Lynching of James Person in Edgar County, Illinois
Public historian, Renatto V. Carr, PhD, presents one of the earliest 20th century lynchings outside the South to result in federal officials indicting and convicting white people for violating the civil rights of a black person, Person’s 1942 slaying deserves considerable scholarly attention. Research relies heavily on the Federal Bureau of Investigation report, local and regional newspapers, public archives, and oral histories.
Renatto V. Carr holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a master's degree in criminal justice, and a doctorate degree in historical studies from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His research focuses on 19th and 20th century American history, particularly emphasizing white on black violence. This includes the systems and legacies of enslavement, slave codes, black codes, convict leasing, lynchings (particularly lynchings that have occurred outside of the South), so-called “race riots,” law enforcement suppression, and the rape and sexualized violence inflicted upon African American women. His work explores how these forms of violence intersect with issues of gender and class. In addition, his scholarship centers on the Midwest, with particular emphasis on Illinois and Indiana, regions that have been vastly understudied as it pertains to white supremacy and anti-black violence. Carr has authored an article on James Person, which is scheduled for publication in the Journal of African American History in February 2026.
Image from Quincy, Illinois Saint Peter Baptism Register 1839-1900. .Photo Katie Oubre.
Lincoln Library​
Carnegie Room North
326 South 7th Street
Springfield, Illinois
Saturday, March 28, 2026
11 am to 12 pm
Genealogy Using Catholic Records
Learn about using sacramental records to trace your family history. Presentation will include a brief overview of how to get started doing genealogy and a detailed look at sacramental records and the information they contain. There will be a special focus on using Church records to trace African American/Black family history.
Katie Oubre, MLIS, CA, CRM is the Vice-Chancellor for Archives and Records for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. She has worked for the Diocese for over nine years and previously worked for the Diocese of Baton Rouge Archives. She is the Immediate Past President of the Association of Catholic Diocesan Archivists.
Photo Dr. Raff Donelson
Lincoln Library​
Carnegie Room North
326 South 7th Street
Springfield, Illinois
Saturday, April 25, 2026
12 pm to 1 pm
Whose Right to Counsel
The right to an attorney is a cherished right, but many of us do not know where the right comes from or all that it includes. This presentation traces the evolution of the right to counsel, from its early roots in English law to the landmark Supreme Court case Scott v. Illinois, decided in 1979. In addition to offering a primer on the right to counsel, Dr. Donelson aims to help Illinoisans understand the controversies surrounding the right. He connects early English opposition to the right to counsel with current debates over whether the wealthy have an unfair advantage in the justice system due to superior legal representation. Additionally, the presentation uses the Scott case to discuss Illinois' critical role in shaping federal law regarding who is entitled to a lawyer.
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Dr. Raff Donelson is Professor of Law and Philosophy at Illinois Tech, with his primary appointment at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he also serves as the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs. He holds a courtesy appointment in Philosophy in the Lewis College of Science and Letters. A dedicated teacher and interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Donelson currently teaches courses in criminal law, constitutional law, and legal theory, but in years past, he taught courses on moral and politcal thought and on the philosophy of religion. His doctrinal research centers on police, criminal suspects, and the plight of incarcerated persons. His other research explores more philosophical questions about the foundations of ethics, the American pragmatist tradition, and the nature of law. Before joining Illinois Tech as a tenured professor, Donelson held tenure-track appointments at Penn State and Louisiana State University. He holds a PhD in Philosophy and a JD from Northwestern University, an MA from the University of Chicago, and a BA from Williams College. Beyond the university, Donelson is a coordinating and founding member of the Policing, Policy, and Philosophy Initiative (3PI).
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Funded by Illinois Humanities.
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Photo Karen Anderson
Lincoln Library​
Carnegie Room North
326 South 7th Street
Springfield, Illinois
Saturday, May 2, 2026
3 pm to 4 pm
More than a Color: The Marginalization of African American Beauty
This presentation takes participants on a walk-through history telling the stories of some women whom many may not know. Anderson will speak about the women of color in 1760 French America who figured out how to legally free themselves from slavery only to be bound by government laws, women like Sarah Baartman who had to choose between being a circus oddity or a slave, and how women like Sarah Breedlove and Ann Malone changed the way women of African descent saw themselves—how these women redefined beauty. Anderson will also reflect on a recent development: our society has started to see women of color as beautiful.
Anderson will illuminate history filled with women of color who refused to view themselves through social limitation. She hopes to inspire others to decide for themselves what beauty is.
Karen J. Anderson is an artist, writer, photographer, publisher and filmmaker. She uses a variety of methods to uplift, inform and educate African Americans and people of color. Anderson’s artwork is about life and the people who live it. The images tell stories that can inform to the way of life in the community, uplift with the beauty that comes from the community and educate the rest of the world about the community. Anderson has a MA in New Art Journalism from the School of the Arts Institute in Chicago. She presented her paper, “More Than A Color: The Marginalization of African American Beauty” at the 2021 National Conference of Black Political Scientists. It was published in the Roots Work Journal. She had her article “Best Trip Ever” published in Chicken Soup For the Soul I’m Speaking Now in 2021. She has also an article published in the anthology Mamas, Martyrs and Jezebels titled “It Ain’t Easy Being Independent.” In 2023-2025 she presented the work for Illinois Humanities Road Scholar program throughout the state of Illinois.
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Funded by Illinois Humanities.
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