For generations, America has been thought of as the land of opportunity, a place where anyone who worked and studied hard could grow up to achieve any goal they set for themselves.

That idea has had especially strong roots in Illinois, the “Land of Lincoln,” where a young man born in a log cabin on America’s frontier rose from rail-splitter to self-taught lawyer and president of the United States.

But a new study suggests that the American dream is still more elusive for some people in Illinois than for others, and that the pathway up the economic ladder is not easily scaled.

For generations, America has been thought of as the land of opportunity, a place where anyone who worked and studied hard could grow up to achieve any goal they set for themselves.
That idea has had especially strong roots in Illinois, the &ldquo;Land of Lincoln,&rdquo; where a young man born in a log cabin on America&rsquo;s frontier rose from rail-splitter to self-taught lawyer and president of the United States.
But a new study suggests that the American dream is still more elusive for some people in Illinois than for others, and that the pathway up the economic ladder is not easily scaled.

Sound Ideas is WGLT's signature local news series. Every weekday, WGLT reporters go beyond soundbites for deeper conversations with newsmakers, musicians, artists, and anyone with a story to share. New episodes air throughout the day on WGLT.

Sound Ideas is WGLT's signature local news series. Every weekday, WGLT reporters go beyond soundbites for deeper conversations with newsmakers, musicians, artists, and anyone with a story to share. New episodes air throughout the day on WGLT.

WGLT's Sound Ideas

WGLT's Sound Ideas is our flagship news program. Every weekday, WGLT reporters go beyond soundbites for deeper conversations with newsmakers, musicians, artists, and anyone with a story to share. This 30-minute newsmagazine is produced Monday through Friday. You can also subscribe to the Sound Ideas - Full Episodes podcast.

WGLT's Sound Ideas is our flagship news program. Every weekday, WGLT reporters go beyond soundbites for deeper conversations with newsmakers, musicians, artists, and anyone with a story to share. This 30-minute newsmagazine is produced Monday through Friday. You can also subscribe to the Sound Ideas - Full Episodes podcast.