Historical Lectures

The Continuing Education Department at Kankakee Community College is offering historical lectures for personal enrichment this fall.

“The Salem Witch Trials” class sheds light on a dark corner of American history. The events of 1692 are well known: Witchcraft plagued Salem, Massachusetts. Following a trial, women were hanged. This class will discuss the afflicted and accused, and the role of the judge. The trial's causes and controversies will be analyzed, and the class will explore the community and causation, the social context of witchcraft, how gender and ethnicity played a role, the legal aspects, and the legacy of the trials.
The course meets Friday, Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. - noon at KCC in Room D123. Facilitator is Christina Smith. Cost is $25.

“The Pumpkin: A Thanksgiving Tradition” will share how an essential dessert at one of America's most inclusive holidays, the pumpkin, is an American symbol of many things, including Thanksgiving. This class explores the history of the pumpkin, from colonial to modern times. Initially seen as food for the lower classes, the pumpkin has shifted in importance through farming and culinary efforts to become a “democratic” food that all classes easily produced regardless of wealth or status. We will learn how the Civil War, Thanksgiving, and industrialization impacted the pumpkin and turned it into a cultural icon.

The course meets Friday, Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. - noon at KCC in Room D123. Facilitator is Christina Smith. Cost is $25.

In “Christmas in the White House,” the holidays and history come together during an exploration of how Christmas and the holidays were celebrated by our past presidents at the White House. Participants will learn how the holiday décor and frenzy has shifted over the generations, and how traditions were kept over the years. Topics include the earliest Christmas tree accounts, why Teddy Roosevelt with his five children and menagerie of pets did not want a Christmas tree; and how First Ladies of the past decorated the White House.

The course meets Friday, Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. - noon at KCC in Room D123. Facilitator is Christina Smith. Cost is $25.

To register online, visit www.kcc.edu/comejoinus, sign up or login, then find and select the course. Click on the date and add it to your cart. Within the cart, checkout. To register by phone, or for more information, phone 815-802-8206. These classes do not award college credit.