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Published in the Hyde Park Heald on Oct. 24 By ZOE PHARO, staff writer z.pharo@hpherald.com
Bruce Sagan, the longtime publisher of the Hyde Park Herald and a pillar of Chicago news for more than half a century, is a National Medal of Arts awardee.
Awarded by President Joe Biden in a private White House ceremony Monday night, the National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government.
It recognizes "individuals or groups who are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States."
Other awardees include filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee and Ken Burns and arts leader Jo Carole Lauder.
Sagan, now 95 years old, got his first job in journalism in 1951 as a copy boy for Hearst's International News Service in Chicago. He then joined City News Bureau, a news gathering organization that owned all the daily newspapers in Chicago, as a night editor.
At only 24 years old in 1953, Sagan purchased the paper for $2,500 after community members approached him about buying the longtime paper, which was on the verge of closing. Under his leadership, the Herald covered important issues in the neighborhood, including restrictive covenants, racial segregation and urban renewal.
He also owned other neighborhood newspapers, such as the Southtown Economist, an operation that grew to acquire 30 community newspapers on the South and West Sides. These eventually merged into one daily paper in the south suburbs, the Daily Southtown, which Sagan sold in 1988.
Sagan was also a pioneer in the industry. His papers were among the first in the country to move to offset printing in 1958, a method that used computer hookups allowing a reporter's typewritten copy to be scanned directly into newspaper columns, eliminating linotype operators and speeding the production of news. He published his papers at a large printing plant on the Southwest Side, which became one of the first places to publish the national edition of the New York Times. In 1986, he sold the operation to Pulitzer Publishing for $40 million.
Over the years, with the 2008 recession and rise of the internet, he kept the Herald in print – amidst other local news outlets shuttering across the country – by reducing overhead, shrinking staff and moving office locations.
Sagan retired from publishing in 2022, helping facilitate the Herald's merger into South Side NFP, a nonprofit publishing company that also runs the South Side Weekly, to keep the paper profitable.
"The Hyde Park Herald standing on its own, like all newspapers, was losing revenue and losing circulation – circumstances we're all now used to," he told the Herald in 2022. The merger, he said, offered an opportunity for "understanding of a new economic structure for this kind of journalism."
Sagan is also a longtime patron and supporter of the Chicago arts, having served on the board of the Joffrey Ballet and the Steppenwolf Theatre.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2025 Contact Information: Ride Illinois Dave Simmons, executive director (630) 216-9282 dave@rideillinois.org
Illinois Bike & Walk Summit coming to Springfield
Creating Connected Livable Thriving communities: Illinois Bike & Walk Summit Fosters Learning and Lobbying Among Advocates and Practitioners
Ride Illinois and its partner organizations are pleased to announce the 2025 Illinois Bike & Walk Summit. Three hundred advocates, professionals, and public officials will gather in Springfield (May 7-8, 2025) for an important conference to help shape the future of biking and walking across the state. The conference will take place over two days in Springfield. Day One - May 7 ● A welcome from Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher ● Breakout sessions with topics including: ○ Completing the Great American Rail Trail ○ Developing Low-Stress Bike Networks ○ Bike/walk legislation at the state and federal level: 2025 and beyond ● Keynote Speaker: Tom Flood ○ A bold and visionary advocate who uses striking design and messaging to challenge car-centric culture, and a champion spokesman of safer streets for all. ○ Flood's Presentation Topic: Reframing Road Safety. This presentation will highlight his work and its importance in challenging the narrative around active transportation and road safety.
Day Two - May 8 ● Lobby Day ● Workshops focused on: ○ Advocacy training ○ Trail development ○ Best practices for the planning, design, and incorporation of complete streets into transportation projects. ○ CM and PDH credits available. Dave Simmons, executive director of Ride Illinois, emphasized the new format of lobbying and advocacy: “It’s important that elected officials hear from their constituents. Lobby Day is an opportunity for Illinois residents to voice their concerns related to biking and walking in their community.” The legislative goals of Lobby Day include advocating for bills that will increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher shared, “I am honored to greet attendees to the 2025 Illinois Bike & Walk Summit. I look forward to the summit and also look forward to making Springfield a more bike/walk friendly community.” With a strong foundation built on the educational and empowering sessions of day one, the day of lobbying will bring a buzz to Springfield with the hope of creating safer, more accessible active transportation options for all ages and backgrounds. The end goal being that active transportation becomes a viable and welcoming choice for everyone. Conference Details ● Illinois Bike & Walk Summit to convene in Springfield, May 7-8 with a focus on creating connected, livable, thriving communities. ● Highlights of the event include: ○ Keynote speaker Tom Flood ○ Inaugural lobby day ○ Breakout sessions ○ Workshops ○ Networking opportunities ● The 2025 Illinois Bike & Walk Summit will take place at the Wyndham Springfield City Center, conveniently located in the heart of Illinois’ state capital. ● Registration for the conference starts at the affordable price of $20! ● For more information and to register for this event, visit IllinoisBikeWalkSummit.org.
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