Fighting Slavery in the United States, 1787–1865

This class presents a large and often unfamiliar cast of characters — both Black and white, enslaved and free — who developed a range of tools and tactics, means and methods to escape slavery or try to resist it in the period between the drafting of the United States Constitution in 1787 and 1865, the year that marked the end of the Civil War.

Please note: This standalone course begins where professor Bell's fall 2024 course “Fighting Slavery in America" left off. No need to have taken the fall course to fully appreciate this one.

Faculty Bio

Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of the book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home which was a finalist for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize.

This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course

• Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time
• Classes will also be video recorded
• You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program

Schedule Highlights

• Course starts on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and ends on Tuesday, Feb. 25
• Classes meet for 6 weeks, 1.5 hours per session (10:30–noon)
• All course materials, including videos, will remain available to view and enjoy through Mar. 30

Member Praise for Richard Bell

What a wonderful class and brilliant instructor! I loved Rick’s style of presentation = intense and dramatic. I’m so impressed with my fellow OLLIians = smart, informed, engaged. Everything worked for me.

​​Amazing content. Amazing delivery.

After the first ten minutes of the first class, I turned to my husband, who had also signed up for the class, and said, "He is terrific!"

Faculty Q&A

• Read an interview with Richard Bell from our archive.