SoJ Web Report | Feb. 3, 2010
Media Living Learning Center students spent Martin Luther King Jr. day in Chicago touring radio station WBBM-AM and taking in other sites.Here are their reports:
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| Photo by Mengyi Sun |
| Media LLC students braved the wind in Chicago as they toured cultural sites. The group also visited WBBM-AM radio. |
DuSable Museum of African American History
By Holly HeerdinkI was a bit wary of the DuSable Museum of African American History and I did not know what to expect. In a short amount of time, however, I discovered that my initial reservations were unwarranted.
When we entered the museum, we were greeted immediately by elaborate mosaics on the walls to the left and right, and a television in the corner of the lobby that played old clips in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
For the following two hours, we wandered the rooms of the museum, taking in the rich historical information it provided. I was rather disappointed by the first two rooms or so. Although they contained unique artifacts from ancient Africa, the objects were spread sparsely throughout the rooms.
My slight disappointment shifted sharply when I strolled through the remaining rooms. My favorite exhibit in the museum was “The Soul of Bronzeville: The Regal, Club DeLisa and The Blues.” In this section of the museum, a small area was made to resemble a theater. When walking by, people could peek in through the parted velvet curtains to watch old film of African American blues singers. As we continued through the exhibit, we saw old photographs, record players, instruments and areas modeled after living rooms from the early 1940s.
The basement of the museum dedicated its walls to the civil rights movement. We examined everything from the tragic murder of Emmett Till to the immense bravery of Martin Luther King, Jr. The pictures we saw were powerful and poignant.
When we left the DuSable Museum, we left with a deeper understanding of African American history. The experience truly opened our eyes to the importance of observing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Along with our trip to Second City, the museum tops the list of my favorites from Chicago.
Art in the Windy City
By Brittany Van HookAt the Art Institute of Chicago, we discovered something for everyone, including the interactive children’s section, cultural art and modern art displays. Possibly my favorite part of the museum was a room with several miniature rooms displayed within it. I believe it would be every little girl’s dream to make a dollhouse from those displays. Regardless or like one’s art preference, the institute is a worthwhile place to visit.
Second City
By Aaron Siegal-EismanSunday evening, part of the Media LLC went to Second City Improv club, one of the most famous improv clubs in the country because of their famous alums. It started in 1959, and since then has had notable people start their careers there, including Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Tina Fey and many others.
The comedy ranged from drugs to sports to politics to just awkward situations that many people can relate to. The offbeat humor and hilarious taste of the six comedians made everyone in the crowd crack up at some point or another.
The comedy club was my favorite thing that we did on the Chicago trip because of the humorous atmosphere and great food, which made the club memorable for a lot of the people in the Media LLC.
When five of us saw comedian Andy St. Clair at the Walgreens after the show, we just had to get his autograph. I had the playbill and Phillip Salat had a pen, which made it feel like destiny. We got his autograph and the night felt complete because of the “John Hancock” and the tons of jokes taken from the comedy club.
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