Winter Program At Chicago History Museum

On Tuesday, January 22, The Primary Elections will have a panel of local political analysts discussing the presidential candidates to help people make informed decisions. On Tuesday, February 5, Gentrification: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly will discuss the history of public housing in the city and the pluses and minuses surrounding one of the biggest buzz words of our time. In the K/Now programs are held from 6:30-8:00 p.m. and are free but reservations are required.

Project Sunday is back in 2008 with film screenings on select Sunday afternoons staring at 1:30 p.m. These films are free with museum general admission. On January 20, Please Vote for Me is a film that looks at an elementary school in central China, where three eight-year-old students campaign tirelessly to win the coveted position of class monitor during China's first election for a class leader. On February 3, Find Yourself a Dream: The Bob Love Story is the true story of legendary Chicago Bulls player Bob "Butterbean" Love and his battle to overcome his most formidable opponent – his stuttering – and become one of the most sought after motivational speakers in the country. Mr. Love will be present for a discussion after the film. On March 9, Inquiring Nuns is a film that follows two young nuns as they explore Chicago, visit a variety of locations and confront people with the crucial question, "Are you happy?"

Out at CHM returns with programs targeting politics, citizenship, and transgender issues. The Out at CHM series addresses the long and storied history of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in Chicago and the larger United States. Programs begin at 6:30 p.m., with a cocktail reception starting at 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, January 31, Sexual Politics: From the Lavender Scare to Larry Craig discusses how the sexuality of gay men repeatedly finds its way to the center of the nation's political scene. On March 27, Queer Exclusions: Sexuality and U.S. Citizenship examines the controversies dealing with immigration and naturalization that have become increasingly divisive in recent years, but these debates have tended to ignore the role of sexuality in U.S. policies. The series concludes with Screaming Queens and Lavender Panthers: A History of Transgender Activism, on May 8. Tickets for the Out at CHM programs are $12/$10 museum members, except the first program is $15/$12 museum members due to an additional cocktail hour after the program.

In February, the Museum presents The 68' Experience series, looking at how politics, culture and music shaped 1968. The programs run on select Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. On February 12, You Say You Want a Revolution? invites former activists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn as they provide a historical overview of the local, national, and global events that took place in 1968. Tickets are $10/$8 for members. On February 19, Born To Be Wild discusses how counterculture took root in Chicago, look at the roll of Wells Street, and the balance between political activism and a lifestyle of peace, love, and rock' n' roll. Tickets are $10/$8 for members. On February 26, Dance to the Music will be a discussion about how the music of 1968 affected the culture and political movement of the times. The evening concludes with a 90 minute live concert featuring music from 1968 performed by the Captain Blood Orchestra. Tickets for this event are $15/$12 for members. To celebrate the 68' experience this series concludes with a bus tour, Magic Bus: 1968 Chicago, on March 1, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. This tour will visit the sites related to this pivotal year in Chicago's history. Tickets for the bus tour are $45/$40 for members; tickets for all three programs and the bus tour are $72/$60 for members. -- www.chicagohs.org