Illinois Tech is set to offer a course in the spring 2025 semester that focuses on commemorating historical landmarks on its campus. These sites include significant locations such as the first Black female suffrage club in Chicago and an arcade that housed one of the first Black-owned banks.

Ron Henderson, a professor at Illinois Tech, will be among those teaching the course. He stated, “Last year, students [of the course] were astounded by the significance of histories that they didn’t know existed on campus—of which there is no evidence.” The course aims to educate students about local history and explore ways to memorialize these sites through architecture.

The original 2024 course highlighted several sites, including the Alpha Suffrage Club founded by Ida B. Wells. Students were tasked with designing memorials for these locations. Alicia Bunton, assistant vice president of community affairs at Illinois Tech and co-designer of the course, emphasized the importance of making historical markers engaging: “There exist a billion different markers that nobody visits.”

This year's iteration will have students identify additional historical sites on Illinois Tech’s Bronzeville campus. Henderson explained his approach: “As a landscape architect, I recognize that we must be quite careful to not erase these histories under the pretense of progress or technology or ideology.”

Historical sites near Illinois Tech include The Stroll's jazz clubs and Pilgrim Baptist Church, known as Gospel music's birthplace. Other notable locations are Cafe de Champion and Joyland amusement park.

Bunton noted landscape architecture students' commitment to preservation: “They’re also the group that is way more committed to getting community feedback in their project.” However, Henderson clarified that all students are welcome in this interdisciplinary course.

The upcoming session will also feature Davey Friday as an instructor alongside Henderson.