Former Local Congressman Glenn Poshard to Promote New Book

Former area U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard and journalist Carl Walworth have scheduled a series of book signings in the area for Thursday, Aug. 3.

"Son of Southern Illinois, Glenn Poshard’s Life in Politics and Education", is a new book by Walworth with Poshard that covers the entirety of Poshard’s life. Published by the SIU Press, the book moves through Poshard’s story beginning in rural poverty up to and including the Poshard Foundation For Abused Children.

The signings are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Joe Sipper’s in Effingham; 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mattoon; 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library in Sullivan and 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Decatur Public Library. Copies of the book will be available at the signings. The price of $30 includes tax.

A partial list of topics Poshard faced that have relevance in 2023 are money in politics, faith in politics, mental health, rural/urban relationships, public service, higher education affordability, bipartisanship, the 1998 gubernatorial race, and regional leadership.

Poshard served more than four and a half years as a state senator and 10 years in Congress. He was the Democratic nominee for Illinois governor in 1998. He returned to his alma mater as vice chancellor for administration at SIU-Carbondale. In 2004 he was appointed to the SIU Board of Trustees and then was appointed president of the SIU system in 2005, serving until 2014.

A life of principles, service, and faith

This profound portrait unveils a life and career dedicated to making higher education affordable and improving the quality of life for the community of Southern Illinois. Beginning with his childhood in a two-room home near Herald, Illinois and the early, tragic loss of his sister, this biography navigates Poshard’s service in the military, his time as a state senator and United States congressman, his run for governor, his years at Southern Illinois University, and the establishment of the Poshard Foundation for Abused Children.

Intimacies of his personal life are disclosed, such as his struggles with and treatment for depression, his passion for education, and the lasting bonds he formed with his teachers. His unpopular decision to refuse PAC donations is also highlighted, along with the work that went into sponsoring the Illinois Wilderness Act, and his relationship with civil rights activist John Lewis.