217 Today: University of Illinois restarts repatriation of Native American ancestors

University of Illinois professor Jenny Davis (Chickasaw) worked in the anthropology building near her ancestors for a year, unknowingly. The university has since moved all ancestral remains off campus.

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

  • Federal prosecutors in the ComEd bribery trial are focusing on how former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan leaned on the power company to hire his friends, allies, and acquaintances.
  • Gun rights supporters marched in the annual Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day in Springfield Wednesday to protest the recently-passed assault weapons ban.
  • The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a measure that would extend child labor protections to young vloggers.
  • Business owners in Champaign County are now eligible for a new microloan fund to help recover from the pandemic.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the University of Illinois is investing in new resources to repatriate Native American ancestors.

Reporting today contributed by Dave McKinney, Mawa Iqbal, Camryn Cutinello, Luis Velazquez and Emily Hays.

Farrah Anderson

Farrah Anderson is a 2024 graduate of the University of Illinois. At Illinois Public Media, Anderson works as a general assignment reporter focusing on police and investigative stories.