History & Culture   

This eight-week course invites you on a thoughtful journey through the American Civil War, pairing pivotal moments in history with unforgettable films. Together, we’ll explore how Americans fought, feared, hoped, and redefined freedom during the nation’s greatest trial. In class, we’ll watch selected movie clips to spark lively discussion, while those who wish may enjoy the full films on their own. Offered in connection with OLLI’s upcoming Civil War Field Trip — but open to all who are drawn to this defining chapter of our past—it’s a chance to see how story and history shape a nation divided.

New hybrid course. Format includes lecture, discussion, and film.

The story of the Doolittle Raiders as told by a co-pilot who flew the mission. You will experience what it was like to strap into a small bomber, fly over water for five hours, hit your target, and then try to survive.

New remote workshop. Format includes lecture.

Enjoy six narrated walks through Portland’s historic neighborhoods exploring the city’s history, architecture, and people since Europeans arrived. Discuss historic structures, immigrant populations, and locally and regionally famous architects and view their works. The longest walk will be two miles in two hours. The greatest elevation change will be between Congress Street and the waterfront. All walks will be on pavement, with optional side trips into two grassy cemeteries. Wheelchair accessible. Rain or shine. The instructor will contact students about the meeting place prior to each class.

Repeat in-person course. Format includes movement.

In 1899 the City of Deering became part of Portland. Originally a suburb of Portland, it was created as a town in 1871 from what was originally a part of Westbrook. It contained several prominent villages including Woodford’s Corner, Morrill’s Corner, and Stroudwater. In this series of six walking tours off the Portland peninsula we will explore the history of a few of these Deering neighborhoods and learn about some of their interesting residents.

New in-person course. Format includes lecture and movement.

By nature, writing is a solitary enterprise with authors working in quiet spaces with quills and pens. However, outside their workspaces is a world of conflicting politics, cutthroat business, and complex culture. In preparation for OLLI’s literary trip to England, we will dive into seven historical periods: Shakespeare in the 1590s, John Milton in the 1650s-60s, Samuel Johnson in the 1750s, Jane Austen in the 1810s, Charles Dickens in the 1850s, Arthur Conan Doyle in the 1880s-90s, and the Inklings and Evelyn Waugh in the 1930s-40s. Our quick exploration will include kings and queens, political rivalries, literary and artistic trends, and a glimpse of everyday life onthe farm and in cities. Everyone is welcome; registration for the trip is not a requirement to join the class.

New in-person course on Wednesdays. Format includes lecture, discussion, and film.

By nature, writing is a solitary enterprise with authors working in quiet spaces with quills and pens. However, outside their workspaces is a world of conflicting politics, cutthroat business, and complex culture. In preparation for OLLI’s literary trip to England, we will dive into seven historical periods: Shakespeare in the 1590s, John Milton in the 1650s-60s, Samuel Johnson in the 1750s, Jane Austen in the 1810s, Charles Dickens in the 1850s, Arthur Conan Doyle in the 1880s-90s, and the Inklings and Evelyn Waugh in the 1930s-40s. Our quick exploration will include kings and queens, political rivalries, literary and artistic trends, and a glimpse of everyday life onthe farm and in cities. Everyone is welcome; registration for the trip is not a requirement to join the class.

New in-person course on Wednesdays. Format includes lecture, discussion, and film.

This will NOT be your typical movie course! Yes — you will be asked to watch a different movie each week as preparation. Yes — we will BRIEFLY discuss the movie and your reactions to it. Then we will use specific scenes, or overall themes to learn about African culture, history, politics, current events, and much more. For example, after watching Disney’s Queen of Katwe, we will discuss markets, transportation, dress, weather, slums and NGO’s. After watching Black Hawk Down we will review the history of the horn of Africa and the current situation in this region. Join us for this interactive, discussion-filled way to learn more about Africa. Instructor will provide online sources where you can view, rent, or buy the movies. Warning: some of these movies depict violent incidents. Following is the tentative list of movies you will be asked to watch.
New hybrid course. Format includes lecture, discussion, and film.

REQUIRED FILMS: Queen of Katwe, Blood Diamonds, A United Kingdom, Invictus, Black Hawk Down, Blind Ambition, Hotel Rwanda, King Peggy

California is more than a state—it is an idea, a dream, and a contradiction. In this course, we will journey from its earliest Indigenous cultures through Spanish, Mexican, and American rule, exploring missions, the Gold Rush, the railroad, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley. We will challenge myths, highlight overlooked voices, and examine how migration, innovation, and cultural change shaped the Golden State. We will discover what it has meant, and still means, to be Californian.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed nearly 1,000 buildings and helped define modern architecture. This course explores highlights of his practice, from Prairie houses to Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum, alongside lesser-known projects like affordable housing and city planning. We’ll examine how Wright’s work reflected cultural shifts in technology, science, and politics, offering a deeper understanding of his lasting influence on architecture and modern design.

Have you ever wondered who writes presidential speeches? This course traces the evolution of speechwriting from George Washington’s administration to today. Yes, Hamilton helped draft Washington’s Farewell Address, but no, Lincoln did not scribble the Gettysburg Address on an envelope. We will study the writing process presidents used and examine drafts from FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter, and George H.W. Bush. We will view clips from speeches and from former White House speechwriters describing the process.

Siberia covers three quarters of Russia’s territory but is home to only a quarter of its population. Yet its role in shaping Russia as a vast and wealthy empire is profound. In this course, we will explore Siberia’s economic significance, indigenous cultures, and history as a penal colony, along with its importance for climate change, environmental issues, and Russian-Chinese relations. We will also consider Siberia’s role in both the rise and possible fragmentation of Russia.

This course will examine the cultural transformations in thinking and living that reshaped America and Western Europe between World War I and the Great Depression. Known as the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age, and the Lost Generation, this period redefined values and norms. We will explore the vibrant world of 1920s Paris through F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Babylon Revisited and Bernice Bobs Her Hair, Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, and Gertrude Stein’s The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, considering the lasting legacy of the era.

In July 1925, Clarence Darrow, William Jennings Bryan, and others converged on Dayton, Tennessee, for the Scopes Monkey Trial—an eight-day clash over religion, science, public education, free speech, and textbooks broadcast nationwide. One hundred years later, these debates continue. This course explores why the trial happened in Dayton, how Bryan and Darrow became involved, what occurred in the courtroom, whether Inherit the Wind reflects reality, who won and lost, and why it still matters today.

Think “boogie shoes” and “disco” along with solo music from Streisand, Ronstadt, and Manilow and you’ll get a glimpse of this course. The BeeGees, Led Zeppelin, K.C. and The Sunshine Band, and The Eagles represent groups to be heard. Disco stars like Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, and Michael Jackson will entertain. We’ll pay homage to blues man B.B. King. Using videos, discussion, and live piano music we’ll explore the hits and performers that made it to the top of the charts. This repeat course will also cover the news of the decade. No text is required. Can you dig it? Repeat in-person course. Format includes lecture, discussion, and film.

Through close study of the U.S. Supreme Court this course investigates the profound effect of the Supreme Court on American Society. We will closely examine landmark cases of the court, and demonstrate the effects of those decisions. Emphasis on the current term of the court, issues like the shadow docket, court doctrines, and proposed reforms for the Supreme Court.

New in-person course. Format includes lecture and discussion.

The student will ride along with the Army and Marines as they hit the beaches at Peleliu and Anguar. An estimated two-day battle that turned into 30 was no fun for the U.S. troops who fought there, and the student will understand the battle plans, what went wrong, and the outcomes. Hop aboard.

New remote workshop. Format includes lecture.

This workshop will trace the march towards National Prohibition from colonial drinking habits, the growing temperance movements, and gaining support for a constitutional amendment. The workshop will also investigate the factors that led to repeal of the 18th Amendment, the institution of modern cocktails during this time period, and the positive after effects Prohibition brought on laws and regulations. Prohibition cocktail recipes will be offered throughout the workshop.

Repeat in-person workshop. Format includes lecture and discussion.

Anti-Semitism has been much in the news and become very controversial. Accusations, punishments, and retribution make news on a regular basis. Where did Anti-Semitism come from and how did it come to become an established part of society? In this course we will look at its beginnings in early Christianity and how it spread in Europe and become an ingrained part of society.

Repeat in-person course. Format includes lecture

There’s a mist of myth and misunderstanding surrounding the 1960s. One way to poke through that mist is by looking at something tangible, like the speeches of the time. There were lots of significant ones because the times and the conditions demanded them. And there were leaders who moved us with their words. Thanks to television, videotape, and YouTube we have recordings to look at and learn from.

Note: This course is an updated edition of an earlier course. New speeches have been added, more events are covered. Repeat remote course. Format includes lecture, discussion, and film.

Women have participated in the demand for change in patriarchal societies and against authoritarian regimes. What have been their major avenues for participation and what can we learn from their experiences?

 New remote course. Format includes lecture and discussion.