Studying Oak Woods: A Curriculum Development and Collaborative Teaching Proposal

FAIN: AA-284591-22

University of Chicago (Chicago, IL 60637-5418)
Na'ama Rokem (Project Director: May 2021 to present)

The development of a curricular project focused on the Oak Woods Cemetery, located on Chicago’s South Side.

This is an interdisciplinary, collaborative teaching initiative, using a historic cemetery as a basis for curriculum that focuses on the multifarious histories of the South Side of Chicago, in particular the histories of Jews and African Americans and the interactions between them. Exploring the theme of “A More Perfect Union,” it invites students to engage with the interrelation between race, religion, ethnicity, immigration status, and socio-economic factors, as they have shaped the area. We also aim to develop curricular material that can be used by others, in particular strategies and materials for teaching with and around historical cemeteries, and site-specific teaching about urban history more broadly. Building on existing UChicago courses and programs, and through partnerships with local educational and cultural institutions, this new model will become a permanent feature of the College curriculum at the University and can serve as a platform for similar initiatives elsewhere.