Class Description
In the course we will study the history of three Chicago nightlife institutions, and sketch their close connection to the social movements that made Chicago, Illinois, and the United States more free, equal, and just. Berlin will function as a portal to viewing how the gay bar and broader clubs, like Berlin, were essential to the movement for LGBTQ+ political power, economic parity, social acceptance, and cultural prominence. From there, we will take an intellectual drive to the South Side, and use the tools of history to step into the doors of the Checkerboard Lounge. We’ll study blues music, civil rights, and the enduring power of Black sociocultural expression; a form of artistry that was and remains vital to the Black freedom movement. We will end with a trip to Uptown and the storied Green Mill. Beginning with the mafia and Prohibition, we will consider how jazz became crucial to women’s liberation and racial integration.
David Masciotra is the author of six books, including Exurbia Now: The Battleground of American Democracy and I Am Somebody: Why Jesse Jackson Matters. He has written for The Washington Monthly, New Republic, Salon, and many other publications about politics, literature, and music. He has spoken at arts centers and museums about bars and history.
What to Expect
Format: In Person
Class Capacity: 20
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Instructor-Distributed Materials
Recommended
The instructor will send selected readings from these books. We will not read the entirety of each book, but they are listed here for your reference.
- Michel Foucault, ed. Paul Rabinow, The Foucault Reader. Pantheon, 1984. ISBN: 978-0394713403
- Ray Oldenburg, The Great Good Place: Cafés, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community. Berkshire Publishing Group, 2023. ISBN: 978-1614720973
- Lucas Hildebrand, The Bars are Ours: Histories and Cultures of Gay Bars in America, 1960 and After. Duke University Press, 2023. ISBN: 978-1478024958
- Albert Murray, Stomping the Blues. Univ Of Minnesota Press, 2017. ISBN: 978-1517903923
- Stanley Crouch, Considering Genius: Writings On Jazz. Basic Books, 2007. ISBN: 978-0465015122
- Angela Y. Davis, Blues Legacies and Black Feminism. Vintage, 1999. ISBN: 978-0679771265
First Reading
- “Drunks and Democrats” by Vaughn Scribner
- “Right of Death and Power Over Life” by Michel Foucault in The Foucault Reader, ed. Paul Rabinow (pp. 258 – 273)
- “The Character of Third Places” by Ray Oldenburg in The Great Good Place (pp. 20 – 43)
A Brief Syllabus
- The Importance of Bars in American History
- Gay Bars and the LGBTQ+ Movement
- Blues Music
- The Green Mill
Cost and Registration
4 Sessions, $175 ($157.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($175), Community Supported ($160), and Sponsor ($185). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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