Illinois Public Radio

Statewide: The whole world was watching

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford

Published August 15, 2024 at 5:41 PM CDT

Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley and his son, Richard M. Daley, on the floor of the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Chicago is playing host to another Democratic National Convention next week. It's only the second time since 1968 that Chicago has been the site of the DNC. On this episode, we look back to that event and how anger and violence led to chaos in the streets and on the convention floor. The whole world was watching.

This week:

* Chip Mitchell previews the convention and police readiness for expected protests.

* Tessa Weinberg reports on Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's role with his city welcoming delegates, officials and protestors.

* Maria Gardner Lara checks in with a delegate to get her thoughts on the presidential ticket.

* It can be costly for media outlets to cover a political convention and some smaller ones lack the resources.

* Sean Crawford, in an archived interview, talks with former reporter Taylor Pensoneau, who covered the 1968 convention, and Mark DePue, former director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library's Oral History Program.

* Robert Loerzel goes to find if there are lessons to be learned from the '68 convention.

* Julian Hayda examines Chicago's long history hosting political conventions.