​ New College of DuPage Cohort Seminar Examines Black History

Explore the history of African Americans in the U.S. with respect to the role of criminal justice and policing in society as part of “A Black People’s History of Criminal Justice and Policing in America,” offered this fall through College of DuPage’s Learning Communities.

Learning Communities are unique, innovative learning experiences combining two or more classes, providing students a more robust exploration of a topic or theme.

Co-taught by Professor of Justice Studies Theo Darden and Professor of History Sam Mitrani, “A Black People’s History of Criminal Justice and Policing in America,” will guide students through an examination of the origins of the current crisis that exploded after the death of George Floyd.

Darden said that combining the perspectives of African American history and criminal justice will help students more clearly see the roots of current events.

“We have been trained in two different disciplines and that enables us to bring different perspectives to bear on this topic,” he said. “The contrast between our perspectives will help students broaden their appreciation of the topic while also learning to think critically about the course materials. We also hope that, when our interpretations differ, we can provide students with a model of collegial, evidence-based argumentation.”

Mitrani said he hopes the class will provide students with a sense of the complicated history of criminal justice in regard to the Black community and its relationship to the practice of modern policing.

“Today, these issues have been politicized in often unproductive, dishonest and short-sighted ways,” he said. “This course will help students to see the current problems as related to historical development and gain an understanding that there are not simple or pat answers to these problems.”

Offered in the virtual class meeting format, this Learning Community course fulfills the general education humanities requirement and helps fulfill Honors Scholar program requirements.

Students must co-enroll in Introduction to Criminal Justice (CRIMJ 1100-LC020) and African American History (HISTO 2242-LC020).

For more Information, contact Theo Darden at darden@cod.edu or Sam Mitrani at mitraniv@cod.edu.

Learn more about Learning Communities at College of DuPage.