The Glencoe Historical Society received the 2024 Excellence in History Leadership Award for its current exhibit on the history of Black life in the small village.
The honor is presented by the American Association for State and Local History as part of its Leadership in History Awards, which have been presented since 1945.
The Record covered the exhibition and its development in a 2022 article.
The exhibit, which took five years of research and development, chronicles 140 years of black life in Glencoe, from its early settlement in 1882 to the segregation of the community in the early 1900s, the racial tensions that rose in the area after World War I, and the formation of local syndicates that used restrictive covenants and eminent domain to reduce the black population by more than half.
The exhibit also highlights the contributions of Black residents to the development of Glencoe, including the village’s first families, the founding of local historic Black churches and their fight for civil rights and equality.
GHS was one of three Illinois organizations to receive this year’s award, which was presented at the recent AASLH conference.
Tim Little and his four sons.
Local dad finds inspiration and peace in running after giving birth to twins
“I’ve always been active, but when my wife was pregnant and eating proper meals for three, I realized I was doing the same,” Tim Little, of Wilmette, said in a statement from Bank of America. Little, a father of six, has now run two half marathons.
As if raising six boys (two of whom are twins under 5 months old) wasn’t enough of a challenge for Little, he’s used the growing family as motivation to get in shape and begin training for the Bank of America 13.1 Half Marathon on June 10.
The inspiration came when Little and his wife, Shantill McConnell, found out they were pregnant with twins.
“I’m in my mid-40s, and I did some math and realized that by the time my kids graduate from high school I’ll be in my mid-60s,” he said.
Running is nothing new to Little, but the last time she ran a half marathon was 10 years ago. This time around, it was a little different, as she was training with her four children under the age of 5. For Little, that meant biking with her 5-year-old and 4-year-old along as they ran.
Not only did Little have his six sons cheering him on, but he also had the support of his wife, Shantill McConnell, who had perhaps the most difficult task of all: keeping all the kids together to help Little cross the finish line.
“I got to run a half marathon and she got to run a half marathon,” Little said, “with two newborn babies and a couple of kids under the age of five and my mom was actually in town too, so you can imagine it was an incredible feat to organize everyone and get down into an area with tens of thousands of people and get in position by about 9 a.m.”
Little and his family have supported Bank of America races for many years, and he has even volunteered with the Achilles Freedom Team, which helps injured military members and veterans complete marathons in 2023. Now, Little plans to complete his own marathon at the Bank of America Marathon this October.
Report by editorial intern Cleo Poole
West Nile virus detected in mosquito samples from Glencoe, Winnetka
Mosquitoes collected in Glencoe and Winnetka on July 18 tested positive for West Nile virus, the North Shore Mosquito Control District said in a news release.
Wilmette, Kenilworth, Evanston, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Northbrook, Northfield and Skokie have also had positive mosquito tests this year, according to NSMAD data.
So far this summer, 70 of the 675 mosquito traps the district has installed, or 10.3%, have tested positive for the virus, up from 4.1% in June. Positivity rates typically rise as the summer progresses.
West Nile virus is found in mosquitoes, birds and other animals every summer throughout the NSMAD.
While the risk of infection is still considered low, officials recommend taking precautions to avoid mosquito bites, such as wearing loose-fitting clothing, using insect repellent and avoiding peak mosquito feeding times at dawn and dusk, according to NSMAD. People are also urged to check their belongings and dispose of any items that may collect water, including small objects that are easily overlooked.
For more information on mosquito issues, visit the NSMAD website.
