Past Events

Author, critic and scholar Richard Guzman leads a panel discussion that ties history and verse, with several contributors to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame’s new poetry anthology. Panelists include 2015 Fuller Award winner Haki Madhubuti, along with poets Vida Cross, Yolanda Nieves, and Virginia Bell. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

About the panelists:

Dr. Richard R. Guzman is professor emeritus at North Central College where he taught writing, literature, race/ethnicity, and social change, and led in establishing programs that shaped virtually every aspect of college…

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A new poetry anthology, edited by Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Founding Executive Director Donald G. Evans and the late Robin Metz, was celebrated at this official launch party. More than 100 Chicago poets are included in the anthology, and many were present to join in the release. There were short readings, music, and drinks. This collaboration between After Hours Press and the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, with support from Third World Press and March Abrazo Press, marks the CLHOF’s debut publishing effort.

Order the book now.

Video by Ravensvoyage Productions

Photos by…

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Program pdf

When the pandemic shut down live programming back in early 2020, we held over an induction class. Then last year, with conditions not dramatically improved, we held the rescheduled ceremony but not the latest class. Finally, this year, we were determined to get up to date on all our new inductees.

The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Class of 2020 includes three extraordinary Chicago literary figures: Harry Mark Petrakis, Era Bell Thompson, and Lisel Mueller. Petrakis, a prolific prose author for more than a half century, received the CLHOF’s Fuller Award…

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Carlos Cumpián leads a discussion of Chicago poetry as he and panelists Angela Jackson, Faisal Mohyuddin, and Johanny Vázquez Paz give a sneak preview of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame's soon-to-be-released Wherever I'm At: An Anthology of Chicago Poetry. Though the official release date is Monday, June 13, a limited number of books will be on sale before and after the event. This will be one of the culminating events of the American Writers Festival, which has full details about the program on its website. The Chicago Public Library is in…

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Join the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame as we join up with several Algren afficionados, including filmmaker Michael Caplan, biogapher Mary Wisniewski, teacher John Lillig, and DePaul University lecturer Salli Berg Seeley, on a walking tour of the author’s old neighborhood. Stops will include his old longtime residence, several of his favorite watering holes, and sites of his most important fictional scenes. Check back for details on the itinerary for the walk. This is a free event, but registration is required. 

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Join Billy Lombardo as he leads the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame's roundup of Chicago bookstores. Independent Bookstore Day is a tradition meant to celebrate and support our local stores, and it always is a special and fun-packed day. Our live correspondents, including Beth Doyle, Jarrett Neal, and YA author Riley Redgate, will spotlight several of our great independents stores, including Third Coast Comics, Volumes Bookcafe, Unabridged Bookstore, and AfriWare Books. Meet Third Coast's Terry Gant, Volumes' Rebecca George, AfriWare's Nzingha Nommo; find out what giveaways and exclusive…

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Chicago Literary Hall of Fame inductee Shel Silverstein (Class of 2014) is getting his own postage stamp. CLHOF Founding Executive Director Donald G. Evans will serve as Masters of Ceremonies for a lineup that includes Air Force Academy High School (Honor Guard), USPS Letter Carrier Khalid Haynes, (National Anthem), USPS VP of Corporate Affairs Judy de Torok, and author/artist Dmitry Samarov. The extraordinarily versatile Shel Silverstein (1930–1999) was one of the 20th century’s most imaginative authors and illustrators. In 1964, Harper & Row published Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, a book about a friendship between a motherly tree and a boy.…

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For the second straight year, the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, with hosts Michael Burke and Robert Charles, put on a virtual cocktail clinic and party featuring Chicago literary-themed drinks. After the great success of last year’s Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder, we were inspired to dust off the blenders and shakers and have another round.

We encouraged guests to coordinate small pods for the program—assign a bartender and a designated driver so that they were able to assemble the various cocktails and are assured safe passage to and from your Martini Chronicles pod.

April 1 is…

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Acclaimed author Ana Castillo was awarded the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame’s Fuller Award for her lifetime achievement as an author, activist, educator, and scholar. The ceremony was live at the American Writers Museum on Thursday, March 24, at seven p.m. It was also live streamed. The event was free and open to the public with registration.

Castillo joined an illustrious list of 11 other Chicago writers to receive the award. Poet Mark Turcotte will emcee the ceremony; author Sandra Jackson-Okopu, scholar Jane Hseu and artist global advocate Arica Hilton will…

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Scott Jacobs, a gifted video and print journalist and a prolific writer, died suddenly of a heart attack on October 21, 2021. At the time of his death, Scott was in the latter stages of pushing out, I Told You So!: Donald Trump, The Awful Years, that he considered his finest work to date. As was his habit, Scott was doing this book on his own, through his self-publishing imprint, Dead Tree Press. He’d lined up distributors, sent out advanced review copies, and was optimistic that this project, even more than all his wonderful earlier projects, was important.…

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