Chicago Poetry: Then and Now, Black, White, and Brown

Class Description

In this seminar, we will read and discuss poems by key figures in the history of Chicago poetry (Carl Sandburg and Gwendolyn Brooks) in conversation with Chicago’s vibrant contemporary poetic culture (Kevin Covall, Nate Marshall, Jose Olivarez, and Eve L. Ewing). Chicago literature always grapples with two fundamental questions: What is this place, Chicago? And who are we, Chicagoans? From Sandburg’s seminal 1914 poem “Chicago” forward to the twenty-first century, our writers have grappled with the tension between understanding the city as wicked, crooked, and brutal, while simultaneously being filled with dynamic energy and beauty.

All virtual classes are recorded and made available to participants registered in the class. These recordings are password-protected and available for up to two weeks after the class ends.

Bill Savage is Professor of Instruction in the Northwestern University English Department, and he has been teaching Newberry Library Seminars since 1992. A lifelong Chicagoan, he is still trying to figure out exactly what this place is, and who we all are. Poetry is one place to start grappling with these questions.

What to Expect

Format: Virtual 

Class Capacity: 30 

Class Style: Mostly discussion; participation-based 

Materials List

Required

• Gwendolyn Brooks, Blacks. Third World Press 1996. ISBN: 9780883781050

• Kevin Covall, A People’s History of Chicago. Haymarket Press, 2017. ISBN: 9781608466719

• Nate Marshall, Wild Hundreds. University of Pittsburgh, 2015. ISBN: 9780822963837

• Nate Marshall, Finna. One World, 2020. ISBN: 9780593132456

• Jose Olivarez, Promises of Gold/Promesas de Oro. Henry Holt, 2024. ISBN: 9781250878496

• Jose Olivarez, Citizen Illegal. Haymarket Press, 2015. ISBN: 9781608469543

• Eve L Ewing, 1919: Poems. Haymarket Press 2019. ISBN: 9781608465989

• Other Instructor-Distributed Materials

Note: If you are unable to acquire any of the required texts, please contact the instructor for access to the assigned poems. Also, make sure to check the Chicago Public Library for copies!

First Reading

• Read the poem "Chicago" from Carl Sandburg's Chicago Poems, distributed by the instructor.

A Brief Syllabus

1. Introduction. Chicago Literary Traditions and Carl Sandburg, Chicago Poems
2. Gwendolyn Brooks, Blacks
3. Kevin Coval, A People’s History of Chicago
4. Nate Marshal, Wild 100s and Finna
5. Jose Olivarez, Citizen Illegal and Promises of Gold/Promesas de Oro
6. Eve L. Ewing, 1919: Poems

Cost and Registration

6 Sessions, $245 ($220.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($245), Community Supported ($225), and Sponsor ($265). 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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