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History Lessons Chicago

Explore the rich history of Chicago through classes in architectural preservation, gangster lore, and the city's role in the Civil Rights Movement, among other fascinating topics.

2 classes in-person in Chicago have spots left, and 7 classes live online are available.

Ephemeral Spring Wildflowers

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Native woodland wildflowers are the first harbingers of spring. Learn specific identification characteristics, their fascinating natural history, and how they have evolved to rapidly grow, flower, and fruit.  A walk in the woods will follow the talk.

Friday Apr 19th, 1–3pm Central Time

Expressive Writing for Emotional Healing

Infinity Foundation @ 1280 Old Skokie Valley Rd, Highland Park, IL & Virtually Online

Explore the power of expressive writing to process difficult emotions and heal from your trauma. Discover how to effectively release and resolve troubling memories through the therapeutic use of language. Join this transformative course at Infinity Foundation.

Saturday Dec 9th, 9am–12pm Central Time

Reading the Iliad

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

The Iliad stands at the start of most histories of western literature, even as it remains enduringly strange—often, it seems, at odds with the very tradition it has been taken to inaugurate.  In our course, we will attempt to recapture some of the strangeness and some of the continuing relevance of the Iliad. We will closely read and discuss the entirety of the poem, with especial attention to the following themes: the...

Wednesday Jan 31st, 6:30–9:30pm Eastern Time

 (4 sessions)

$335

4 sessions

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Make Money Pet Sitting

Mt. San Antonio College

Discover how to turn your love for animals, especially dogs, into a profitable side gig. This course teaches you the ins and outs of pet sitting, from caring for animals to offering additional services like dog walking and grooming. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from a seasoned professional pet sitter and entrepreneur.

Friday Mar 1st, 4–6pm Pacific Time

Memoir 1: Memorable Memoir Workshop

Writing Pad

Turn your life's trials and tribulations into a captivating memoir with the guidance of Erika Schickel, LA Times bestselling author. Discover the secrets to infusing your memories with authenticity and creating a compelling emotional journey for your main character in this five-week online workshop. Unleash your writing potential and bring your story to life in this transformative course.

Saturday Jan 20th, 10am–1pm Pacific Time

 (5 sessions)

$475

5 sessions

Modern Palestine: a Historical Introduction

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

Perpetually in the news and commanding a tremendous amount of scholarly attention, Palestine remains a flashpoint in a number of contemporary debates: about war, colonization, and violence, religious and ethnic identity, nationalism and self-determination, modes of resistance, the role of international institutions, diasporic politics, academic freedom, and American foreign policy, among others. This course offers students an opportunity step back...

Sunday Jan 21st, 6:30–9:30pm Eastern Time

 (4 sessions)

$335

4 sessions

Samir Amin: Dependency, Development, and the Making of the Global South

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

Uncover the roots of global inequality and the mechanisms that perpetuate it in this thought-provoking course, exploring the groundbreaking theories of Marxist economist Samir Amin. Gain insight into the formation of dependency, underdevelopment, and super-exploitation, as well as the contemporary social systems that shape our world today. Join us as we delve into the complex dynamics of wealth and power in a post-colonial era.

Sunday Feb 11th, 2–5pm Eastern Time

 (4 sessions)

$335

4 sessions

HypnoBirthing (Online)

Sakinah Birth @ Online Class

Discover the transformative power of HypnoBirthing - The Mongan Method and learn how to approach childbirth with calmness, joy, and confidence. This evidence-based program will teach you and your partner valuable techniques for a more comfortable and relaxed birthing experience, while also fostering a deep bond with your baby. Uncover the secrets of instinctive birthing with HypnoBirthing.

Saturday Dec 2nd, 11am–2pm Central Time

 (5 sessions)

$350

5 sessions

A Ruthless Criticism of Everything Existing: An Introduction to Marx

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom

In the mid-nineteenth century, a young Karl Marx wrote, in the form of a published open letter to Arnold Ruge: “But if the designing of the future and the proclamation of ready-made solutions for all time is not our affair, then we realize all the more clearly what we have to accomplish in the present—I am speaking of a ruthless criticism of everything existing, ruthless in two senses: The criticism must not be afraid of its own conclusions,...

Thursday Feb 1st, 6:30–9:30pm Eastern Time

 (4 sessions)

$335

4 sessions

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Arcadia in a Nutshell: History of British Gardening

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

The British are known for their green thumbs and have had a long history in horticulture and landscape design. Tudors and Victorians, plant collectors, and glass house builders were all part of the mix.  Come learn the A to Z of garden history from this green and pleasant land in an entertaining, informative overview.

No upcoming schedules

A History of Sexuality: Chicago and Berlin, 1893-1933

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

This class begins with sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld's visits to Chicago in 1893 and 1931 to trace a history of homosexual activism, especially in Chicago and Berlin. In January 1931, the Berlin sexologist, dubbed “the Einstein of Sex,” returned to Chicago to speak at the Dill Pickle Club. Arguing that science was the pathway to justice, Hirschfeld founded the first homosexual rights organization in Berlin in 1897, inspiring gay rights advocates...

No upcoming schedules
$268

6 sessions

Who We Are: Exploring Identity, Culture & History

Taleblazers, Creative Writing for Kids @ 331B Harrison St, Chicago, IL

This fun and interactive evening is designed for teenagers and will utilize activities, games, short readings, and media to explore who we are as  Fil/Fil-Am people. This is an opportunity for youth to build community, connect with their roots, and positively affirm their identities and culture. Dinner and dessert provided. All who are interested are welcome. NOTE: Please let us know your teen’s allergies or dietary restrictions at least...

No upcoming schedules

Gothic Chicago: Chicago's Gothic Architecture

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

Unearth the dark histories and mysterious tales behind Chicago's iconic gothic architecture sites on this guided Halloween tour. Join us as we explore the city's famous Water Tower, Holy Name Cathedral, and other landmarks, and discover the hidden secrets that still haunt these captivating structures.

No upcoming schedules

African Murder Mysteries

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

In this class, we’re traveling to Africa to examine mysteries from the continent over five weeks. Class Description This five-week class will explore the rich history of murder mysteries in Africa. Each week, we will read and discuss a mystery from a different country and author, exploring how mysteries became popular in Africa. We will consider points that make African mysteries unique, including politics, racial tensions, economics, and outside...

No upcoming schedules
$247

6 sessions

Literary Capital of the West

The Newberry @ 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL

Literary Capital of the West: Chicago Writing before 1890 This course explores the evolving relationship between Western and urban identities in Chicago writing from the 1840s through the 1880s. Histories of Chicago literature often start around 1890, with the urban sketches of writers like Finley Peter Dunne. Chicago’s antebellum literature, however, was very different, aimed at rural readers in the city’s railroad empire. After the Civil...

No upcoming schedules
$247

6 sessions

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