10/15/2026
Introducing some people you'll meet on our upcoming Mt. Hope Cemetery Walk*... 🪦🔎
Blanche Jamerson Harris (1898-1987) - Photo 1 📸
Blanche Jamerson Harris, along with her husband, Edgar Harris, founded the Illinois Times, a newspaper created to give voice and build community within the Black citizens of Champaign-Urbana. Established in 1939, they ran the newspaper out of their house for thirty-six years. Image from "In All My Years" by Raymond Bial.
Morris Lowenstern (1836-1916) - Photos 2 & 3 📸
An early Jewish settler, and German immigrant, Lowenstern was a local businessman who made his mark. He ran a clothing and dry goods store in downtown Urbana and eventually bought the entire block his store was located on and opened a hotel. He was instrumental in Champaign-Urbana’s first Yom Kippur service and helped start Sinai Temple.
Herman Loehr (1883-1907)
Hermann Ludwig Johann Loehr was born in Champaign to German immigrant parents. He was a foreman on the Illinois Central Railroad, managing daily operations, crew safety, and track and roundhouse maintenance. His life ended early in a shocking tragedy, not by a train, but by a telephone.
*Registration for the Mt. Hope Cemetery Walk is full. Join the waitlist on the Library's event calendar at urbanafreelibrary.libnet.info/event/17168310.
