Springfield, Illinois
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| Springfield, Illinois | |
|---|---|
 w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source | |
| Name | Springfield, Illinois |
| Settlement type | State capital city |
| Nickname | The Home of President Abraham Lincoln |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | United States |
| Subdivision type1 | State |
| Subdivision name1 | Illinois |
| Subdivision type2 | County |
| Subdivision name2 | Sangamon |
| Established title | Founded |
| Established date | 1821 |
| Established title2 | Incorporated (town) |
| Established date2 | 1832 |
| Established title3 | Incorporated (city) |
| Established date3 | 1840 |
| Government type | Mayor–council |
| Leader title | Mayor |
| Leader name | Misty Buscher |
| Unit pref | Imperial |
| Area total km2 | 171.91 |
| Area total sq mi | 66.37 |
| Area land km2 | 155.58 |
| Area land sq mi | 60.07 |
| Area water km2 | 16.33 |
| Area water sq mi | 6.31 |
| Elevation m | 182 |
| Elevation ft | 597 |
| Population total | 114,394 |
| Population as of | 2020 |
| Population density km2 | 735.2 |
| Population density sq mi | 1904.2 |
| Timezone | CST |
| Utc offset | −6 |
| Timezone DST | CDT |
| Utc offset DST | −5 |
| Coordinates | 39, 47, 54, N... |
| Postal code type | ZIP Codes |
| Postal code | 62701–62712, 62715–62716, 62719, 62722–62723, 62726, 62736, 62739, 62756–62757, 62761–62763, 62765–62767, 62769, 62776–62777, 62781, 62786–62787, 62791, 62794, 62796 |
| Area code | 217, 447 |
| Blank name | FIPS code |
| Blank info | 17-72466 |
| Blank1 name | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 info | 426595 |
| Website | www.springfield.il.us |
Springfield, Illinois. Springfield is the capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County. As the longtime political and legal home of Abraham Lincoln, the city is intrinsically linked to the national struggle over slavery and the constitutional foundations of equality. Its history, particularly the Springfield race riot of 1908, served as a direct catalyst for the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), positioning Springfield as a significant, if complex, landmark in the broader narrative of the Civil Rights Movement.
History and Early Significance
Founded in 1821, Springfield was designated the state capital in 1837, shifting the political center of Illinois from Vandalia. Its early growth was tied to frontier commerce, agriculture, and its role in state government. The city's most transformative resident, Abraham Lincoln, moved here in 1837, practicing law and serving in the Illinois General Assembly. The city was a microcosm of national tensions; while Illinois was a free state, its Black Codes severely restricted the rights of African Americans, and Sangamon County was home to both ardent abolitionists and pro-slavery sympathizers. The Lincoln–Douglas debates of 1858, which framed the national argument over slavery's expansion, were held across Illinois, with Lincoln's home in Springfield serving as his political base. The city was where Lincoln delivered his famous "A House Divided" speech, accepting the Republican nomination for the United States Senate.
1908 Race Riot and National Impact
On August 14–15, 1908, Springfield erupted in a violent white mob assault on its Black community, an event known as the Springfield race riot of 1908. The riot was sparked by false allegations against two Black men but was fueled by deep-seated racial and economic tensions. Over two days, a mob of thousands looted and burned Black-owned homes and businesses in the Badlands neighborhood, and lynched two elderly Black men: Scott Burton and William Donnegan. The Illinois National Guard was required to restore order. The brutality, occurring in the "Land of Lincoln," shocked the nation's conscience. The event was a pivotal catalyst for the formation of the NAACP in 1909, as white reformers like William English Walling and Oswald Garrison Villard joined with Black intellectuals like W. E. B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells to create a permanent organization to fight racial violence and secure civil rights.
Abraham Lincoln and the Lincoln Legacy
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