A look inside the DNC: Photos from Chicago
Thousands of Democrats descended on Chicago this week to attend the Democratic National Convention. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Photographer Andrew Adams provides a visual tour of the convention
By ANDREW ADAMS
Capitol News Illinois
aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com
CHICAGO – The Democratic National Convention wrapped up Thursday night, launching the country into the final weeks of the 2024 presidential election. Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic nomination and will face off against former president Donald Trump in November.
Throughout the week, Capitol News Illinois’ Andrew Adams photographed the Illinois delegation and key speeches – many by prominent Illinoisans.
Illinois Democrats met daily during the convention at hotel in downtown Chicago, where party officials and invited guests – ranging from labor leaders to elected officials from around the country – rallied the party’s inner circle and outlined their election strategy.
Lisa Hernandez, a state representative and chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, speaks to members of her party at a DNC Illinois delegation breakfast. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
U.S. Sen. Rafael Warnock, of Georgia, who's election helped flip control of the Senate to Democrats, speaks to Illinois Democrats at a delegation breakfast. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
One-time presidential candidate and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg addresses an Illinois delegation breakfast at the DNC. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, hopped off the stage before speaking to Illinois Democrats so he could deliver the beginning of his remarks from a chair in the middle of the downtown Chicago ballroom hosting the Illinois delegation. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addresses the Illinois delegation at their daily breakfast during the Democratic National Convention. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, known by his social media handle @6figga_dilla, speaks to Illinois Democrats. Through his tour company and social media, he often deploys the phrase “everything dope about America comes from Chicago.” (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Photos from inside the convention
Inside the United Center – home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks – thousands of elected officials, Democratic Party insiders and media from around the world gathered to listen to speeches and discuss elections that will be important to the party this year.
Illinois Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield shouts during a speech by President Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Illinois Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, cheers during a speech at the DNC. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
On a packed and often chaotic convention floor, Illinois Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, waves to the person she is speaking to on the phone to let them know where she is. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Illinois Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, speaks to Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, during the Democratic National Convention. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
A delegate in the Tennessee section cheers during a DNC speech. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Illinois Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, is pictured waiting for evening programming. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea takes a phone call in the hallway of the Democratic National Convention. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
The speeches
Throughout the week, several Illinoisans took to the DNC stage. They included the governor, current and former members of Congress and Illinois’ former junior Senator Barack Obama.
Gov. JB Pritzker, who was in the running to be Kamala Harris’ vice-presidential nominee, addresses Democratic party insiders – and millions watching at home – at the Democratic National Convention. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Still introducing himself to a national audience, vice-presidential candidate and governor of Minnesota Tim Walz speaks on the second to last day of the DNC. Walz is pictured on the United Center’s jumbotron as people crowd a hallway to get a better view. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
After being introduced by his daughter Ashley, Joe Biden wipes away tears before giving a speech on the first day of the DNC. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Former President Barack Obama speaks to the Democratic National Convention. He first rose to national prominence in 2004 when, as an Illinois state senator, he gave a now-famous speech at that year’s DNC. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Former President Bill Clinton speaks at the DNC. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi waves to attendees at the DNC. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Edgar Vilchez, a Chicago student who witnessed a drive-by shooting, speaks at the DNC alongside family members of people killed by gun violence. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
First Lady of Minnesota Gwen Walz greets her husband Tim moments after he finishes the speech in which he accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Dissent in and out of the convention
As with any political convention, thousands protested the DNC in Chicago. Protests were mostly peaceful, and some drew crowds of thousands.
A masked protestor holds up a green smoke bomb during a protest march on Monday near the site of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
A demonstrator climbs a tree to hoist a tarp as part of an encampment after a Monday rally and march that was broken up by police shortly after the tent was raised. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Palestinian flags are pictured at a Monday protest outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Most protests during this week’s DNC focused on U.S. involvement in the war in Gaza and opposed the country’s aid to Israel. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Chicago singer-songwriter Jamila Woods, a longtime fixture in Chicago’s poetry scene, sings at a Monday rally to protest the DNC. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Cornel West, a political activist and academic, is pictured backstage at a Monday rally protesting the DNC. West is running for president as an independent candidate, though he won’t appear on Illinois’ ballot. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Many DNC protests attracted large numbers of reporters and photographers, including this group pictured at a downtown Chicago protest Sunday. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Dozens of riot police and hundreds of uniformed officers were called to disperse a group of protestors Monday in Chicago’s Union Park. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Abbas Alawieh, a Michigan delegate, speaks to reporters at a news conference shortly before launching a day-long sit-in protest across the street from the United Center during the DNC. Alawieh and others were protesting the lack of Palestinian Americans in the speaker lineup for the DNC. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
The final night
After finishing a protest outside the convention hall that was unsuccessfully calling for a Palestinian to speak at the DNC, Abbas Alawieh and other delegates try to rejoin the convention. Due to fire code regulations, many in Alwawieh’s group were forced into the hallway, where they continued to protest. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Illinois State Police troopers present the colors at the beginning of the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
The Chicago Bulls’ Pack Drumline performs on stage at the Democratic National Convention. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Channahon, speaks minutes before Kamala Harris’ keynote speech on the final night of the DNC. Kinzinger, a longtime critic of Donald Trump, is among the leaders of a “Republicans for Harris” affinity group. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
On the final night of the Democratic National Convention, many delegates and guests – such as the delegate pictured – wore white, a color traditionally associated with the woman’s suffrage movement. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Kamala Harris accepts the Democratic nomination for president of the United States. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
As balloons fall from the ceiling of the United Center and some began to leave, a volunteer waves an American flag. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Balloons fall on delegates seated in the Illinois section of the Democratic National Convention. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.
Andrew Adams
Andrew has experience covering cities and communities throughout Illinois and his stories have appeared in papers from Chicago to Effingham. His unique blend of data-driven and traditional reporting help identify the throughlines of policy and politics.
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