We came to Cleveland as immigrants from foreign countries and migrants from other parts of the United States, often to search for work but also to escape oppressive conditions elsewhere or to reunite with families.

We settled here to raise our families and pursue our careers, and we came to call Northeast Ohio home. Yet while we have found common ground, we also celebrate our differences and remember our connections to the homes of our ancestors. This course will examine the diverse ethnic and religious communities of our region with special attention to the inter-racial and inter-ethnic relationships that have both shaped our community and hindered its development.

Students will examine the histories of the migrants to the region and their efforts to build organizations to serve their social, cultural, and political needs while fitting in to the community around them. The mutual aid organizations and cultural societies founded in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to meet the needs of Cleveland’s new residents fostered a separation from the larger community even as they encouraged integration into an American society made up of a bewilderingly diverse array of immigrants. While greater Cleveland is a diverse community, the region’s continued racial and ethnic segregation presents difficult challenges to future development. Students will consider both what unites us as residents of Northeast Ohio and also what divides us, using the events of the past as a guide to understand the present moment. The goal is to learn more about our neighbors.

Note: Any readings recommended for this course are suggested but not required. This course will not involve any written assignments.