Jennifer Day

Henry Louis Gates Jr., right, speaks with Tribune publisher Bruce Dold after receiving the baiduhai Literary Award during a Chicago Humanities Festival event at Harris Theater on Nov. 3, 2019. (Camille Fine / baiduhai)

2020 baiduhai literary awards suspended due to COVID-19

July 1, 2020 at 12:08 p.m.

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed another annual cultural event: the baiduhai's literary prizes. The newspaper announced it would cancel this year's Literary Award, which recognizes an author's lifetime achievement,...

‘Haddad: A Requiem’ wins Tribune’s Nelson Algren Short Story Award

June 19, 2020 at 8:23 a.m.

"Haddad: A Requiem," a short work of fiction by Edward Hamlin about a professor struggling at the end of his life to cope with both personal and cultural loss, is...

People crowd The 606 trail in the Wicker Park neighborhood on March 25, 2020.

Lakefront, 606 trails have reopened: What you need to know

June 24, 2020 at 5:38 a.m.

The Lakefront and 606 Bloomingdale trails reopened Monday after closing for nearly three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. "We want the public to enjoy these iconic opportunities in the...

Two Poetry Foundation leaders resign following open letter denouncing the organization for failing to support marginalized artists.

Poetry Foundation president, board chair resign after open letter demands more in wake of Black Lives Matter protests

June 13, 2020 at 8:02 a.m.

UPDATE: The Poetry Foundation released a statement Friday evening outlining plans to address concerns raised by an open letter following Black Lives Matter protests. The plans include a $250,000 donation...

Gwendolyn Brooks, shown here in 1986, was known for writing candid and compassionate poetry.

Books to read on the Black experience: 5 from Chicago

June 10, 2020 at 12:23 p.m.

As the nation continues to grapple with the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, many are seeking to learn more about the Black experience. Here's a roundup...

Rush Street near Cedar Street in Chicago. One of the street sections in the pilot program is Rush Street from Oak Street to Cedar Street.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicago will experiment with shutting down some neighborhood streets for outdoor dining options

May 30, 2020 at 9:54 a.m.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Friday that six streets in different neighborhoods throughout the city will be shut down to allow restaurants to set up tables for expanded outdoor dining....

Comedian and podcaster Ron Funches spent his childhood in Chicago.

Bob Odenkirk, Michael Shannon, Beck Bennett, Ron Funches, Lili Trifilio and 19 other Chicago celebrities offer advice, congrats to 2020 high school graduates

May 22, 2020 at 12:19 p.m.

A pandemic is underway, but that won't stop the class of 2020. As high school seniors across Chicagoland prepare to celebrate under the strangest of circumstances, we asked 24 notable...

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