Politics of Illinois in 1989
In 1989, Illinois was a politically diverse state. The Republican Party had control of the executive branch, with James R. Thompson serving as Governor. The Democratic Party had control of the state legislature, with Michael J. Madigan serving as Speaker of the House and Philip J. Rock as Senate President. At the federal level, Illinois was represented in the United States Senate by two Democrats: Paul Simon and Alan Dixon. In the United States House of Representatives, seven Democrats and six Republicans held seats representing Illinois’s districts.
Illinois’s politics were heavily focused on economic issues in 1989. A major issue during this time was the passage of a new income tax package that would provide additional revenue to support public services such as education and health care for low-income families. This package passed in August 1989 with bipartisan support from both parties in both chambers of the General Assembly.
In addition to economic issues, social issues were also important during this time period in Illinois politics. Abortion was a major topic of debate throughout 1989 as both sides argued fiercely over whether or not it should be legalized or restricted further than it already was under existing laws at that time. Similarly, debates raged over gun control legislation and LGBTQ rights throughout 1989 with both sides pushing for their respective agendas to be adopted into law by the General Assembly.
The death penalty was another hot topic in Illinois politics during 1989 due to several high-profile cases that occurred during this time period involving individuals who had been sentenced to death row for their crimes but were later exonerated due to evidence proving their innocence after they had already been executed or sent off to prison for life without parole sentences instead (which is now illegal). This sparked a debate over whether or not capital punishment should still be legal within Illinois’s borders and eventually led to its eventual abolition in 2011 by then-Governor Pat Quinn after decades of heated debate on both sides of the aisle within state legislature halls across Illinois.
Overall, 1989 was an eventful year for political discourse within Illinois with debates raging over many different topics ranging from economic issues such as taxation policies to social issues such as abortion rights and gun control legislation that remain relevant even today more than three decades later.
Population of Illinois in 1989
In 1989, the population of Illinois was approximately 11 million people. This was an increase from the previous decade’s population of around 10 million. The majority of the population (about 80%) was located in the northeastern part of the state, with Chicago and its surrounding suburbs making up a large portion of this group. The remaining 20% of the population was spread out across the rest of Illinois, from rural areas to small towns and cities. See ehuacom for information about the capital city of Illinois.
The racial makeup of Illinois in 1989 was predominantly white (76%), followed by African-American/Black (15%), Hispanic/Latino (4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1%) and other races comprising 2%. The largest racial group within Illinois at this time were white non-Hispanic individuals who accounted for nearly 70% of all residents.
In 1989, there were also a number of immigrants living in Illinois. The majority were from Latin America, with Mexicans making up about 40% and Puerto Ricans making up another 25%. Additionally, there were also many immigrants from Europe, Asia and Africa residing in the state during this time period as well.
In terms of religion, Christianity was by far the most popular faith in Illinois during 1989 with over 80% adhering to some form of it while other religions such as Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism accounted for much smaller percentages among residents.
Finally, when it comes to education levels in 1989 there were significant disparities between different groups within Illinois based on their race or ethnicity as well as their income levels. For example, African-Americans had an average high school graduation rate that was nearly 20 percentage points lower than that for whites while Hispanics had an even greater gap at nearly 25 percentage points lower than whites. Similarly, those living below the poverty line had an average high school graduation rate that hovered around 50%, which is significantly lower than those living above it who had a graduation rate nearing 90%.
Economy of Illinois in 1989
The economy of Illinois in 1989 was largely driven by manufacturing and services. Manufacturing accounted for nearly 25% of the state’s gross domestic product (GDP), followed by services at 22%. The remaining sectors were agriculture, mining, construction and utilities. At this time, the state had a total workforce of over 6 million people with an unemployment rate of 5.9%.
The manufacturing sector was a major employer in Illinois during 1989 with almost 1 million people employed in this industry alone. The main industries within this sector included food processing, transportation equipment, chemicals and metal fabrication. Service-related industries such as finance, insurance, real estate and health care also provided jobs to many residents.
Agriculture was also an important part of the economy in 1989 with over 80 thousand people employed in this industry. Corn, soybeans and hogs were some of the most widely produced commodities while specialty crops such as apples and grapes were also grown throughout the state.
The mining sector employed around 10 thousand people during 1989 with coal being the primary mineral mined throughout Illinois that year. Coal production had been steadily declining since its peak level in 1979 but still remained a major industry for the state at this time.
Construction was another important industry for Illinois during 1989 with over 150 thousand people employed in it that year. The majority of construction activity centered around residential projects while commercial projects were also becoming increasingly popular due to growth in population and business investment throughout the state.
Finally, utilities accounted for roughly 4% of all employment during 1989 with just under 40 thousand people employed at electric companies alone that year. This number had decreased slightly from its peak level in 1985 but still remained a significant contributor to overall economic activity within Illinois at this time period.
According to liuxers, despite some declines from its peak levels earlier in the decade, the economy of Illinois remained strong heading into 1990 as it continued to be driven by manufacturing and services while other sectors such as agriculture, mining and construction also contributed significantly to overall economic activity within the state during this time period.
Events held in Illinois in 1989
Illinois hosted countless events in 1989, ranging from festivals to sporting events. One of the most popular was the Taste of Chicago festival, which was held for the first time in Grant Park that year. The event featured food from over 150 local restaurants and attracted more than 2 million people over its five-day duration. Other popular festivals included the World Music Festival, which showcased a variety of musical genres from around the world, and the Air & Water Show, a two-day event featuring aerobatic performances by military aircraft and skydivers.
Sports were also a major draw for Illinoisans in 1989. The Chicago Cubs and White Sox both had winning seasons that year, with the Cubs making it to the National League Championship Series before losing to San Francisco. The Bears also had a successful season, making it to Super Bowl XXIII before being defeated by Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers. Additionally, both Northwestern University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign had strong football teams in 1989 with Northwestern going 8-3 and Illinois going 9-2-1 overall during their respective seasons.
In addition to sports and festivals, Illinois also hosted numerous conventions throughout 1989. Some of these included the National Association of Home Builders Convention in Rosemont as well as various technology conferences such as COMDEX/Spring ’89 held at McCormick Place in Chicago. Other conventions included health care related conventions such as Health Care Quality & Management Conference ’89 held at Navy Pier as well as educational conferences such as National Association of Independent Schools’ Conference held at DePaul University’s Loop Campus.
The arts were also celebrated throughout Illinois during 1989 with numerous theatre productions taking place throughout the state including those produced by Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago and Victory Gardens Theatre in Lincoln Park among others. Additionally, several art galleries opened up during this time period including Gallery 37 on State Street which showcased works from local artists throughout Illinois while other art museums like The Art Institute of Chicago continued to be popular attractions for visitors to explore throughout 1989.
Overall, there were numerous events occurring throughout Illinois during 1989 that provided entertainment for residents while attracting visitors from all over who wanted to experience all that this vibrant state had to offer at this time period. From festivals like Taste of Chicago to sporting events like Bears games or conventions such as COMDEX/Spring ’89 there was something for everyone no matter what their interests may have been during this exciting year in Illinois history.
