Operation Freedom – The Berlin Airlift

It was perhaps one of the greatest adventures in American military history: the Berlin airlift of 1948/49! When Soviet troops closed all access routes to West- Berlin by land, sea and rail, they threatened the lives of 2.5 million people and provoked the first major international crisis of the Cold War. American General Lucius D. Clay did not hesitate and proceeded to build a bold and fantastic bridge across the sky, involving 700 planes and 250,000 flights over a period of 14 months. Join German Historian Anette Isaacs for a fascinating discussion of this exciting time in her country’s postwar history.

DNA

Harper College: Bioethics Topics, Conflicts and Controversies

This lecture takes us into the world of medical controversies. Even with early screening and testing, occasionally a rare medical issue will challenge parents and modern medicine. Hospital policies, doctors’ medical opinions, and parental love can be set in a conflict in such cases. Who decides the final course of action? We will discuss controversial cases of conjoined
twins and other rare conditions that challenge the best skilled medical professionals and our notion of a quality of life.

skyscraper

Chicago Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Author (The Hidden Places of World War II) and certified Chicago tour guide, Jerome M. O’Connor, returns to The Garlands to bring us the first of his new three-part series on Chicago. Accompanied by dynamic visuals, Jerome starts in Chicago’s oldest neighborhoods (Fulton Market); moves through time to today and her newest (the dazzling new Riverwalk); and then looks ahead to tomorrow’s megadevelopments (Lake Shore Drive). You’re with the best possible tour guide on this trip!

Musicians

Friday Concert with Switchback

Working together for over 25 years, Switchback, seen on PBS, draws on traditional Celtic music and original Americana songs that reflect their Irish heritage and Midwestern roots. Back in the day, Brian and Martin played for Michael Flatley of Riverdance when he was an Irish step dancer from the South Side of Chicago. Showcasing a repertoire ranging from sentimental ballads to blistering rockers, Switchback offers a show stunningly synchronized together and guaranteed to please. The concert features a mix of original and traditional Irish music and a selection of songs from Switchback’s catalog of over 300 original Americana tunes.

A Beginners Guide to the Golden Age of Radio

This presentation looks at some of the biggest shows and stars to emerge from the early years of radio, including Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Amos & Andy, and The Shadow, with sound clips and stories about how radio became America’s first mass medium, transforming the United States of America from 48 states into a national listening community. Presenter Steve Darnall is the host of Those Were the Days*, a weekly radio show on WDCB-FM (90.9) and wdcb.org, dedicated to the “Golden Age” of radio.

franklin, jefferson, washington

Harper College: The Rule of Law

As political humorist P.J. O’Rourke famously put it, “The U.S. Constitution is less than a quarter the length of the owner’s manual for a 1998 Toyota Camry, and yet it has managed to keep 300 million of the world’s most unruly, passionate and energetic people safe, prosperous and free.” In the last of her five-part series, Why I’m Optimistic, Myra examines, both current issues challenging Constitutional norms and historical examples of the power of the rule of law to, eventually, attempt to provide “Liberty and Justice For All.”

The Real Story of Mae West with Martina Mathisen

Mae West shattered box office records and public sensibilities. She rocketed from Broadway to become the highest-paid actress in Hollywood. Her oneliners scandalized the censors yet made her an icon. She rescued studios from bankruptcy and created stars like Cary Grant. Think you know Mae West? Martina (Wives of Henry VIII, True Chicago Stories) brings us the woman behind the wit and the story behind the story.

Guitar players

Knight Music Academy Annual Spring Student Recital

Performances begin every hour on the hour. Students ages five through adult will perform a variety of solo and ensemble selections from various genres. Instruments featured include violin, viola, cello, classical guitar, voice, drums, and piano. Come any time, however, if you hear a performance underway, please wait until the student has finished before opening the Performing Arts Center doors.

Women's suffrage Votes for Women

Harper College: Do Not Forget the Ladies

In the fourth of her five-part series “Why I’m Optimistic”, Myra Loris explores, both personal and historical, reasons for optimism in an often complex and confusing world. “Do Not Forget the Ladies” will look at the historical and ongoing struggle of American women.

Train station

Harper College: History of the Seven Suburbs

This talk covers the fascinating history of the seven sister suburbs of the Barrington area. It is a social history with rich anecdotes, ranging from heartfelt to humorous, with a few scandalous stories along the way. Author Dr. Sharon Kissane has conducted extensive research on the area, including over 400 interviews of Barrington-area residents and the reading of hundreds of articles and all available books relevant to the subject matter.

Markle

Harper College: Germany’s Current Affairs

After the last German elections and their upsetting results, it took almost six months until Chancellor Angela Merkel was able to create a new coalition government. Last spring Europe’s most populous nation was taken by surprise when the Trump administration threatened high tariffs on luxury cars and other products made in Germany. Add to that the challenging integration of Muslim refugees and the disappointment of many East Germans over unequal living conditions thirty years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall; no wonder the country is currently experiencing turbulent times.

Peter Oprisko

Dinner and a Show Worthy of an Oscar! Silver Screen Gold featuring Peter Oprisko and his Pop/Jazz Ensemble

Peter Oprisko’s smooth baritone voice perfectly fits his amazing repertoire of Academy-award winning songs from the magical era for his latest show, Silver Screen Gold. Pay tribute to the good ol’ days of Hollywood with classic tunes like “Moon River,” “Over the Rainbow,” and “The Way You Look Tonight.” Don’t miss this wonderful singer (whom famed jazz pianist Ramsey
Lewis calls “the Rolls Royce of singers today”), accompanied by keyboard, bass, drums, and tenor saxophone. As befits the occasion, Peter and his band will be in black tie; so please feel
free to dress to the nines!

Atom

Harper College: Artificial Intelligence: Changing Our World

IBM’s computer “Watson” made headlines when it defeated two human champions at a game of Jeopardy! Now Watson is applying its powers to help doctors treat cancer. From Siri and Alexa to self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence is enriching our lives, but at the same time may be rendering certain jobs obsolete. Peggy Eastwood explores this rapidly growing field and its
implications.

Earth being held

Harper College: Onward and Upward

In the third of her five-part series “Why I’m Optimistic”, Myra Loris looks at the many ways in which science, technology, and protection of the environment have accelerated as priorities in contemporary America, often in the face of opposition and deregulation. She will discuss advances in space and medicine, the fight against climate change and much more!

Tiny Footprint Tango Tour

This is an argentine tango concert by the billboard top 10 musicians of Cuarteto Tanguero. Bandoneon player Ben Bogart and pianist Winnie Cheung explore an expressive range of tango music. “When we take the stage, our job is to transport you to a different place: wherever ‘tango’ is for you,” Winnie explains. The duo performs pieces from tango’s formative years in Argentina in the 1920s and the later “Big Tango” sound of the Golden Age, as well as the European and American dance repertoire influenced by pre-war tango dance craze. For all that history, tango is also a contemporary world art, so the duo is just as likely to play pieces composed last year.