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How a Free State Became A Battleground For Justice
As we celebrate the accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King and his legacy. We also trace Illinois from the covert routes of the Underground Railroad to the 1908 Springfield riot, linking family memory to national change and the birth of the NAACP. We then unpack the roots and politicization of the term woke and what it reveals about power and culture.
• Underground Railroad networks across Illinois and the risks taken
• Springfield’s mixed record on race and restrictive laws
• The spark, violence, and impact of the 1908 Springfield riot
• The NAACP’s founding as a national response
• Family history of William K. Dunnegan and local memory
• Lessons on vigilance, rumor, and community action
• The origin, evolution, and politicization of the term "woke"
• How language shapes today’s cultural and policy debates
One, if you're inspired, look into local archives or historical societies where you live. Local stories like my grandpa Dunnegan are often waiting to be rediscovered
Two, read primary accounts of events like the Springfield riots so we don't forget the lessons of the past, and three, keep King's vision of beloved community in your daily life
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Michael DeMattee (DJ Mikey D)
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Welcome to Great Day Radio's Echoes of Home a Civil Right Discussion, a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King and all those who have contributed to the movement. For this podcast, we explore the history that shaped the places we live. I'm DJ Mikey D. Today two chapters of Illinois history that sit side by side in painful contrast, the Underground Railroad's quiet, life saving work and the violence that erupted in Springfield, Illinois in nineteen oh eight. How can a community be a route to freedom for some and a site of terror for others? Let's walk through that paradox. Before I begin, I am sending a big shout out to all of my family from Springfield, who online brought this story to life in today's history. If you are on any of our social media channels, please visit greatdayradio.com to listen to the full two part podcast. Thank you for being a fan. Okay, back to the show. First, the Underground Railroad. When we say Underground Railroad, we mean a loosely organized network of people, safe houses, roads, and signals that helped enslaved men and women escape bondage in the antebellum period. Illinois was a key corridor. It was a free state on paper, but its geography put it on the edge of slave states, Missouri and Kentucky, making it both a destination and a stepping stone. Quakers, free black communities, abolitionists, and everyday citizens in towns across Illinois, from the Mississippi River towns to central Illinois, played roles. They provided shelter, food, false papers, and guidance. People moved at night, crossed rivers, hid in attic rooms, barns, and friendly basements, and followed coded signals to the next safe house. The work was dangerous for everyone involved, helping an escapee meant risking fines, imprisonment, or mob violence. Springfield, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln's home before the presidency, was part of this landscape. While the city's historical record is complex, we know that central Illinois was not uniformly welcoming. Some residents aided escape and abolitionist causes, others supported restrictive black laws and tolerated racial discrimination. Still, the very presence of underground railroad activity in and around Illinois is a testament to courageous, often anonymous people who defied the law for human liberty. Now fast forward to August nineteen oh eight, Springfield exploded. Headlines called it the Springfield Race Riot of nineteen oh eight. What happened there offers a stark reminder emancipation and formal freedom did not erase racism, and white communities in northern states could erupt into violence with devastating speed. The riot was sparked by accusations against two black men in connection with an alleged assault. Those accusations ignited white mob fury. Over two nights, mobs attacked black neighborhoods, looted and burned homes and businesses, and drove many black residents from the city. Official death tolls were low compared to eyewitness reports. Historians estimate several people were killed, dozens injured, and hundreds left homeless. The violence destroyed livelihoods and fractured a community that already lived with legal and social restrictions. One lasting result of the Springfield riot was national. The brutality and the inadequate local response shocked leaders beyond Illinois. It helped spur the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP, as activists and reformers sought a national organization to fight lynching, discrimination, and legal injustice. So how do these two stories, the Underground Railroad and the Springfield Riot, connect? They show two faces of community response to race, one of solidarity and risk taking to save lives, the other of spontaneous destructive violence rooted in fear, prejudice, and power. They also reveal a sobering truth, being in a free state did not guarantee safety or equality. In antebellum, Illinois, laws restricted black movement and rights even while abolitionist networks worked to circumvent bondage. In nineteen oh eight, generations after emancipation, white mobs still saw black neighbors as dispensable when rumors and rage took hold. But there's another side worth noting, resistance and resilience. After the riot, many black Springfield residents rebuilt their lives and communities elsewhere, some stayed and organized for change. Likewise, the Underground Railroad's legacy is a reminder that ordinary people have repeatedly risked themselves to uphold justice even when institutions failed. Why should we remember these moments today? Because they teach vigilance. They show the cost of silence and the power of intervention. They challenge us to ask, who benefits when fear and rumor override facts? Who pays when communities turn violent? And importantly, what can we do now to prevent repeating those errors? If you're interested in learning more, visit local archives or the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield. Read firsthand accounts where available, and seek out histories that center black voices and community memory. In those archives you will discover William K. Dunnegan is a participant in anti slavery networks in portions of the Midwest, someone who, by local accounts, provided shelter or assistance tied to underground railroad activity. He was also amongst those who died in the nineteen oh eight race riot. Those local acts mattered. He is also my great, great grandfather and my family hero. So how do these threads tie back to doctor King? First, lineage. King's philosophy of nonviolent protest was informed by a long history of black resistance to oppression, from covert escapes on the underground railroad to public organizing after racial terror like Springfield. Second, strategy and solidarity, whether it was neighbors hiding fugitives, organizers building legal campaigns or marchers demanding voting rights, each tactic built the muscle of movement that King later exercised on a national scale. Third, memory and truth telling. Remembering figures like my grandfather William K. Dunnegan, and remembering tragedies like Springfield keeps the story honest. It reminds us that the struggle for dignity was local and personal as much as it was national. Dr. King's legacy asks hard questions we still face, who gets to claim full citizenship, who is safe in their neighborhood, how do we respond when institutions fail to protect people? Answering those questions means doing the quiet work. Documenting local history, supporting community leaders, defending voting rights, pursuing economic equity and the loud work, protests, policy fights, and national conversations. Before we go, a couple of quick calls to action. One, if you're inspired, look into local archives or historical societies where you live. Local stories like my grandpa Dunnegan are often waiting to be rediscovered. Two, read primary accounts of events like the Springfield riots so we don't forget the lessons of the past, and three, keep King's vision of beloved community in your daily life. It's not only a speech line, it's a practice. Okay, as I prepare to wrap up this segment, my great grandpa by trade was a cobbler, a person who made all kinds of shoes. Because of his close relationship to Abraham Lincoln, he was also the legend that custom made Lincoln's shoes due to his huge shoe size. So whenever I see a picture of Abraham Lincoln and his shoes in books or online, I can't help to think of my grandpa. That's it for this episode of Civil Rights History. I'm DJ Mikey D. Thanks for listening. Stay tuned in as we discuss understanding woke, from its origins to its political and media representation. Stay awake, stay engaged, and keep building that beloved community. More to come after a message from our sponsor. Welcome back to Great Day Radio segment where we discuss the term woke. The word has become a prominent buzzword in political discourse and media, often evoking strong reactions and polarized opinions. To comprehend why woke is perceived negatively by some, it is essential to explore its origins, its evolution, and the context in which it is now used. Originally derived from African American vernacular English, woke referred to a heightened awareness of social injustices, particularly those related to race and systemic oppression. As noted by Merriam Webster, being woke signifies being alert to injustice in society, especially racism. According to Oxford Languages, the modern use of woke began circulating in the black community in the early twentieth century and gained prominence during social justice movements, including the civil rights movement. It was popularized in recent years by movements such as Black Lives Matter, where stay woke became a rallying cry to remain vigilant against racial inequality and police brutality. Over time, woke expanded beyond issues of race to encompass broader social justice causes, including feminism, LGBTQ plus rights, and environmental concerns. This expansion has contributed to its politicization and the resulting debates over its implications. Progressive groups adopt woke as a positive term aligned with advocacy for equality and the dismantling of systemic injustices. Essentially, it represents a commitment to social change and allyship with marginalized communities. Critics argue that woke has been co-opted into a pejorative term used to denote performative or excessive political correctness. As author Schlesinger points out, opponents view it as emblematic of cancel culture, where individuals or entities are publicly shamed or boycotted for perceived transgressions against progressive norms. The media amplifies the divisive nature of the term by using it to encapsulate broader cultural battles often framed as part of the culture wars. This has led to woke being weaponized in political rhetoric, broadening the gap between supporters and detractors. For some conservative politicians and commentators, woke has come to symbolize the perceived excesses of modern liberalism and a threat to traditional values. It is often portrayed negatively in the context of debates around free speech, education, and policy making. Okay, as I wrap up this segment, woke originally rooted in a call for social awareness and justice, woke has undergone a significant transformation in its public and political perception. While it continues to inspire activism and allyship, it also faces criticism as a symbol of controversy and division. Understanding its evolution and the context in which it is used enables a deeper comprehension of contemporary cultural and political dynamics. Okay, that is it. Remember, knowledge is power, remember your rights. I am DJ Mikey D. Peace out.
