Before Sangamon State University had an English program, it had a Literature Program. This program was one of the founding programs when the school began in 1970. Then, it helped plan courses for juniors, seniors, and masters’ students. Classes such as Shakespear, English Romantic poets, Prairie poets, and even the Bible as Literature happened on SSU’s campus. As times changed, the Literature Program became the English program in the 1987-88 school year and continues as the University of Illinois Springfield’s English department.

The Sangamon Poets was a collection of pamphlets that were produced by Sangamon State University and students in the Program.