Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Michael Kleen

2016-08-24T04:05:48Z

Schtoondom:

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Michael Kleen
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Michael Alan Kleen
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1981|10|10}}
| birth_place = Chicago, [[Illinois|IL]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| residence = [[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]], [[Illinois|IL]], U.S.
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| known_for = [[Folklore]]<br/>
[[social commentary]]
| education = MS education, MA history,
BA philosophy
| occupation = Writer
| website = http://www.michaelkleen.com/
}}

'''Michael Alan Kleen''' is a publisher, folklorist, and politician from [[Illinois]]. He was the 2013 [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[List of mayors of Rockford, Illinois|mayor]] of [[Rockford, Illinois]].<ref name="Michael Kleen Republican Candidate for Rockford Mayor">{{cite web|url=http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/Michael-Kleen-Republican-Candidate-for-Rockford-Mayor-180895811.html|title=Michael Kleen Republican Candidate for Rockford Mayor|publisher=WIFR.com|accessdate=2012-012-06}}</ref> In a three-way race, he finished last, with just 18 percent of the vote.

==Early Life and education==
Kleen was born in Chicago and grew up in the northwest suburb of [[Des Plaines, Illinois]]. He received a B.A. in Philosophy in 2006 and M.A. in History in 2008 from [[Eastern Illinois University]] in [[Charleston, Illinois]], and a M.S. in Education in 2011 from [[Western Illinois University]] in [[Macomb, Illinois]].

While at Eastern, Michael began writing about local folklore, founded the publishing company Black Oak Press Illinois, and wrote a bi weekly column for the Daily Eastern News. From 2004 to 2007, he was head of an informal group at EIU that visited allegedly haunted places around [[Coles County, Illinois]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2007/10/08/News/Ghost.Club.Hunts.For.Haunts-3017123.shtml|title=Ghost club hunts for haunts|date=October 8, 2007|publisher=Daily Eastern News}}</ref> In 2005 he wrote and published ''Tales of Coles County, Illinois'', a collection of short historical fiction stories set in Coles County.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thedailyeasternnews.com/media/paper309/news/2005/10/28/TheVerge/Student.Author.Gets.Creative.With.Coles.History-1037276.shtml|title=Student author gets creative with Coles history|date=October 28, 2005|publisher=Daily Eastern News}}</ref> He also authored "The Legend of Pemberton Hall" in 2008, a stand-alone electronic article highlighting the ghost story surrounding Eastern Illinois University's [[Pemberton Hall (Eastern Illinois University)|Pemberton Hall]], which is the oldest all-female dormitory in the State of Illinois.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2008/10/31/Opinions/Column.Pembertons.Legend.Mary-3517405.shtml|title=Pemberton's legend, Mary|date=October 31, 2008|publisher=Daily Eastern News}}</ref>

In the fall of 2007, Michael presented a paper on [[Copperheads (politics)|Copperheads]] at the 2007 Conference on Illinois History in Springfield, Illinois. His presentation led to being a featured commentator on the subject for an article on Charleston's historical mural depicting the [[Charleston Riot]] of 1864.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2007/10/10/News/Mural.Depicts.Civil.War.Riot-3022178-page2.shtml|title=Mural depicts Civil War riot|date=October 10, 2007|publisher=Daily Eastern News}}</ref> He also gave a presentation on local folklore at the Charleston Middle School, which made front page news in the ''Times-Courier''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2007/10/23/news/doc471d5f1e107c6416406372.txt|title=Twisted Tales|date=October 23, 2007|publisher=Times-Courier}}</ref>

Recently, Michael's publication, the ''Legends and Lore of Illinois'', has gained attention around the state of Illinois, and was featured in the ''Effingham Daily News'' and the ''Streator Times''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/archivesearch/local_story_051234736.html|title=Real Folklore|date=February 21, 2009|publisher=Effingham Daily News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=381419|title=Publication highlights Moon Point Cemetery|date=June 1, 2009|publisher=Streator Times}}</ref>

== Black Oak Media ==
In 2006, Michael founded a publishing company called Black Oak Media, which was incorporated five years later. Between 2007 and 2010, the company produced publications like Black Oak Presents (a journal of middle American art and culture) and the [[Legends and lore of Illinois]], a monthly serial devoted to areas of interest in the folklore of Illinois. Black Oak Media began formally publishing book titles in the summer of 2011.

== Commentary ==
Michael's opinion columns have appeared in newspapers such as the Disclosure, Daily Eastern News, Daily Egyptian, and Rock River Times, and on websites such as Strike-the-Root,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.strike-the-root.com/user/148|title=Michael Kleen Archive|publisher=Strike-the-root.com}}</ref> [[WorldNetDaily]], C4SS.org, Lost Liberty Café, and [[VDARE]]. He was the Friday guest editor at Strike-the-Root.com from 2010 to 2012. A year later, in 2013, [[Salon]] Online exposed Michael's relationships with white supremacist forums, including VDARE and WorldNetDaily. Michael denied any association with racist extremism, but the [[Southern Poverty Law Center]], a renowned and respected antiracist organization, maintains an active file on the controversial figure.
==Political career==

In 2012, Kleen was a Republican candidate for Winnebago County Board District 8. In the March primary election, Kleen received 42.6 percent of the vote, losing to incumbent Dianne Parvin.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.voterockford.com/media/electionresults/EL45.txt|title=03/04/2012, General Primary-Accumulated Totals|publisher=Rockford Board of Election Commissioners}}</ref>

On Nov 19, 2012, Kleen filed to run for mayor of Rockford.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1559136571/Candidates-line-up-file-petitions-to-run-in-2013-elections|title=Candidates line up, file petitions to run in 2013 elections|publisher=Rockford Register Star}}</ref> No other Republicans filed in the race, making him the de facto GOP nominee.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rrstar.com/updates/x1926894241/Michael-Kleen-campaign-kickoff-Thursday|title=Michael Kleen campaign kickoff Thursday|publisher=Rockford Register Star}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==
* ''Haunting Illinois: A Tourist’s Guide to the Weird and Wild Places of the Prairie State.'' Holt: Thunder Bay Press, 2011.
* ''Home of the Brave, Part 1: A Rope of Sand.'' Rockford: Black Oak Media, 2011.
* ''Tales of Coles County, Illinois (2010).'' Rockford: Black Oak Press, Illinois, 2010.
* ''Paranormal Illinois.'' Atglen: Schiffer Publishing, 2010.
* ''One Voice.'' Rockford: Black Oak Press, Illinois, 2009.
* ''Legends and Lore of Illinois: Case Files Volume 1.'' Rockford: Black Oak Press, Illinois, 2009.
* ''Six Tales of Terror: Short Stories for Dark and Stormy Nights.'' Charleston: Black Oak Press, Illinois, 2005. Re-Released as a digital book in 2011.

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.michaelkleen.com/ Michael Kleen's website]
* [http://www.blackoakmedia.org/ Black Oak Media's website]
* [http://www.trueillinoishaunts.com/ Legends and Lore of Illinois]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kleen, Michael}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American folklorists]]
[[Category:Eastern Illinois University alumni]]
[[Category:Writers from Illinois]]

Michael Kleen

2016-08-24T03:28:11Z

Schtoondom:

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Michael Kleen
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Michael Alan Kleen
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1981|10|10}}
| birth_place = Chicago, [[Illinois|IL]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| residence = [[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]], [[Illinois|IL]], U.S.
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| known_for = [[Folklore]]<br/>
[[social commentary]]
| education = MS education, MA history,
BA philosophy
| occupation = Writer
| website = http://www.michaelkleen.com/
}}

'''Michael Alan Kleen''' is a publisher, folklorist, and politician from [[Illinois]]. He was the 2013 [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[List of mayors of Rockford, Illinois|mayor]] of [[Rockford, Illinois]].<ref name="Michael Kleen Republican Candidate for Rockford Mayor">{{cite web|url=http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/Michael-Kleen-Republican-Candidate-for-Rockford-Mayor-180895811.html|title=Michael Kleen Republican Candidate for Rockford Mayor|publisher=WIFR.com|accessdate=2012-012-06}}</ref>

==Early Life and education==
Kleen was born in Chicago and grew up in the northwest suburb of [[Des Plaines, Illinois]]. He received a B.A. in Philosophy in 2006 and M.A. in History in 2008 from [[Eastern Illinois University]] in [[Charleston, Illinois]], and a M.S. in Education in 2011 from [[Western Illinois University]] in [[Macomb, Illinois]].

While at Eastern, Michael began writing about local folklore, founded the publishing company Black Oak Press Illinois, and wrote a bi weekly column for the Daily Eastern News. From 2004 to 2007, he was head of an informal group at EIU that visited allegedly haunted places around [[Coles County, Illinois]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2007/10/08/News/Ghost.Club.Hunts.For.Haunts-3017123.shtml|title=Ghost club hunts for haunts|date=October 8, 2007|publisher=Daily Eastern News}}</ref> In 2005 he wrote and published ''Tales of Coles County, Illinois'', a collection of short historical fiction stories set in Coles County.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thedailyeasternnews.com/media/paper309/news/2005/10/28/TheVerge/Student.Author.Gets.Creative.With.Coles.History-1037276.shtml|title=Student author gets creative with Coles history|date=October 28, 2005|publisher=Daily Eastern News}}</ref> He also authored "The Legend of Pemberton Hall" in 2008, a stand-alone electronic article highlighting the ghost story surrounding Eastern Illinois University's [[Pemberton Hall (Eastern Illinois University)|Pemberton Hall]], which is the oldest all-female dormitory in the State of Illinois.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2008/10/31/Opinions/Column.Pembertons.Legend.Mary-3517405.shtml|title=Pemberton's legend, Mary|date=October 31, 2008|publisher=Daily Eastern News}}</ref>

In the fall of 2007, Michael presented a paper on [[Copperheads (politics)|Copperheads]] at the 2007 Conference on Illinois History in Springfield, Illinois. His presentation led to being a featured commentator on the subject for an article on Charleston's historical mural depicting the [[Charleston Riot]] of 1864.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2007/10/10/News/Mural.Depicts.Civil.War.Riot-3022178-page2.shtml|title=Mural depicts Civil War riot|date=October 10, 2007|publisher=Daily Eastern News}}</ref> He also gave a presentation on local folklore at the Charleston Middle School, which made front page news in the ''Times-Courier''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2007/10/23/news/doc471d5f1e107c6416406372.txt|title=Twisted Tales|date=October 23, 2007|publisher=Times-Courier}}</ref>

Recently, Michael's publication, the ''Legends and Lore of Illinois'', has gained attention around the state of Illinois, and was featured in the ''Effingham Daily News'' and the ''Streator Times''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/archivesearch/local_story_051234736.html|title=Real Folklore|date=February 21, 2009|publisher=Effingham Daily News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=381419|title=Publication highlights Moon Point Cemetery|date=June 1, 2009|publisher=Streator Times}}</ref>

== Black Oak Media ==
In 2006, Michael founded a publishing company called Black Oak Media, which was incorporated five years later. Between 2007 and 2010, the company produced publications like Black Oak Presents (a journal of middle American art and culture) and the [[Legends and lore of Illinois]], a monthly serial devoted to areas of interest in the folklore of Illinois. Black Oak Media began formally publishing book titles in the summer of 2011.

== Commentary ==
Michael's opinion columns have appeared in newspapers such as the Disclosure, Daily Eastern News, Daily Egyptian, and Rock River Times, and on websites such as Strike-the-Root,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.strike-the-root.com/user/148|title=Michael Kleen Archive|publisher=Strike-the-root.com}}</ref> [[WorldNetDaily]], C4SS.org, Lost Liberty Café, and [[VDARE]]. He was the Friday guest editor at Strike-the-Root.com from 2010 to 2012. A year later, in 2013, [[Salon]] Online exposed Michael's relationships with white supremacist forums, including VDARE and WorldNetDaily. Michael denied any association with racist extremism, but the [[Southern Poverty Law Center]], a renowned and respected antiracist organization, maintains an active file on the controversial figure.
==Political career==

In 2012, Kleen was a Republican candidate for Winnebago County Board District 8. In the March primary election, Kleen received 42.6 percent of the vote, losing to incumbent Dianne Parvin.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.voterockford.com/media/electionresults/EL45.txt|title=03/04/2012, General Primary-Accumulated Totals|publisher=Rockford Board of Election Commissioners}}</ref>

On Nov 19, 2012, Kleen filed to run for mayor of Rockford.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1559136571/Candidates-line-up-file-petitions-to-run-in-2013-elections|title=Candidates line up, file petitions to run in 2013 elections|publisher=Rockford Register Star}}</ref> No other Republicans filed in the race, making him the de facto GOP nominee.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rrstar.com/updates/x1926894241/Michael-Kleen-campaign-kickoff-Thursday|title=Michael Kleen campaign kickoff Thursday|publisher=Rockford Register Star}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==
* ''Haunting Illinois: A Tourist’s Guide to the Weird and Wild Places of the Prairie State.'' Holt: Thunder Bay Press, 2011.
* ''Home of the Brave, Part 1: A Rope of Sand.'' Rockford: Black Oak Media, 2011.
* ''Tales of Coles County, Illinois (2010).'' Rockford: Black Oak Press, Illinois, 2010.
* ''Paranormal Illinois.'' Atglen: Schiffer Publishing, 2010.
* ''One Voice.'' Rockford: Black Oak Press, Illinois, 2009.
* ''Legends and Lore of Illinois: Case Files Volume 1.'' Rockford: Black Oak Press, Illinois, 2009.
* ''Six Tales of Terror: Short Stories for Dark and Stormy Nights.'' Charleston: Black Oak Press, Illinois, 2005. Re-Released as a digital book in 2011.

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.michaelkleen.com/ Michael Kleen's website]
* [http://www.blackoakmedia.org/ Black Oak Media's website]
* [http://www.trueillinoishaunts.com/ Legends and Lore of Illinois]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kleen, Michael}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American folklorists]]
[[Category:Eastern Illinois University alumni]]
[[Category:Writers from Illinois]]