Middle West US is dedicated to exploring Midwest history and culture. We amplify the voices of those who write about the Midwest and feature stories about the region’s people, places, and cultural institutions. New essays post on Wednesdays biweekly and podcasts begin dropping in September. Join us and discover the Midwest.
Jacob K. Friefeld
Editor
Jacob is the director of the University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies, co-author of Homesteading the Plains and The First Migrants, and the historian on Back to the Frontier, a living history T.V. series on HBO Max. A native of Illinois who has also lived in Minnesota and Nebraska, he loves thinking about the Midwest, and, because he is incredibly nerdy, he edits Middle West US in his free time.