Statewide

Reporting from in and around Illinois.Listen to Statewide on WNIJ Saturdays 6-7 a.m. and Sundays 6-7 p.m.

Statewide: A Black principal in a mostly white school

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford

Published March 4, 2022 at 4:07 PM CST

Marcus Belin is the first Black principal at a suburban high school, where the student body is primarily white. He's using his experiences to help students connect history with recent events.

Also, we discuss the indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and a Ukrainian college student in Illinois tells us how she's feeling about what's happening in her home country.

Those stories and more on Statewide.

This week:

* A conversation with a Black principal about how he's teaching Black history to mostly white students, beyond the key figures in textbooks.

* WSIU's Jennifer Fuller talks with a Ukrainian graduate student in Illinois about her family and friends facing the Russian invasion.

* Side Effects Public Media reports on suicide companion programs in prisons.

* Sean Crawford talks with Statehouse Editor Hannah Meisel about the indictment of Michael Madigan.

* Yvonne Boose brings us the story of a songwriter who is taking the art to another language.

* Harvest Public Media's Katie Peikes details the pros and cons of vertical farming.

* Dave McKinney investigates hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin's investments in gun and ammunition manufacturers.

* Peter Medlin with WNIJ continues his reporting on lead poisoning by explaining services available for affected children.

* Carter Barrett with Side Effects Public Media has more on students who speak multiple languages are helping to get the word out about COVID-19 vaccines.