Among presidential aspirants associated with Illinois, William Jennings Bryan is the only three-time nominee and three-time loser. Bryan was born in Salem, Illinois, graduated from Illinois College, and earned his law degree from Chicago's Union Law College. More than anything else, it was the political dynamics of downstate Illinois, particularly those articulated by his father, a Democratic state representative and later judge, that shaped his politics. This talk by Professor Nathan Tye (University of Nebraska Kearney), and UIUC alum, will highlight Bryan's Illinois years.
