NEIU Department of History

Very proud of our own Dr. Joshua Salzmann for making history at NEIU, all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Read about it here.

Making History | NEIU Home — News — Making History Making History Monday, July 13, 2026 Northeastern Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of History Joshua Salzmann, Ph.D., doesn’t just teach history, he helps make it. In September 2022, a complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern D...

https://www.neiu.edu/news/making-history?fbclid=IwZnRzaATDhERwZG9mA2ZkaWQWUKjz99IVk2pPb35qxC5DuFY35l9fMmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5mBSpmn-RHacWOAtIGR6FQCgmHnMltuUJGK8uj1ZBeBLteXQi8EaEPPQkqog_aem_WBgugMps0pEejJoliPMBDw

Making History | NEIU Home — News — Making History Making History Monday, July 13, 2026 Northeastern Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of History Joshua Salzmann, Ph.D., doesn’t just teach history, he helps make it. In September 2022, a complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern D...

History rules! Learning it can help folks personally and intellectually, and in this context, as a business. Read this fascinating story of a mishap in South Korea because someone didn't know their history.

South Korea's Starbucks to close for staff history lesson after promotion backlash The chain was criticised for a "Tank Day" marketing ploy on the anniversary of a military massacre.

Since before the beginning of the American-Israeli war on Iran, the department has been asked by local, national, and international news programs and newspapers to provide nuanced, balanced and historically informed analysis. Department chair Dr. Farzaneh has been busy doing as such and has appeared over 30 times on Chicago Fox 32, WGN 9, WZRD 88.3 FM, Illinois NPR The 21st Show, Singapore National News, Pakistan Global news, Algerian International News, Iraq Kurdistan tv, and Slovakian Pravda. He teaches a variety of courses on the history of Iran, the Middle East and the Islamic civilization.

Commencements are literally the best day of the year! Department chair was privileged enough to sit front row and watch history students walk across the stage beaming with joy and hope for brighter futures in their hearts. Here are some photos and here the department would like to congratulate the following graduating students:
Konrad Pawelek, Pamela Giron, Magdalena Ramirez, Justin Martinez, Patrick Caproni, Tanja Popovic, Andy Gutierrez, Arden Panek, Ammar Hasan, Mario Wielgorski, and Katherine Shanahan. Not all graduates are picture here and some are actually poli sci students that have taken many history courses.

2025-26 was a busy year with 8 undergrad and grad open houses staffed by history faculty.

Phi Alpha Theta (History Honor Society) also had its book sale event twice where all proceeds went to our fund to organize the annual PAT induction and scholarship reception dinner in April.

The department also sponsored a panel presentation on the war on Iran where department chair Dr. Farzaneh and Loyola Instructor Dr. Ali Tarokh provided some context on the ongoing war and the Iranian expat community's response to the conflict. Dr. Cris Toffolo moderated the panel presentation.

We had a great turn out at the pre-publication book talk by Dr. Pamela Nogales, University of Chicago Harper-Schmidt Fellow on November 18, 2025.

Professor Michael Tuck, our historian of Africa, retired in August 2025 after 29 years of service. Dr. Tuck served the department in several capacities including as chair.

In his honor, current and retired professors, families and guests attended a surprise party that the department threw for him at the Libanais Restaurant. Great food and libations, always an added value, of course!

A few months later, we learned Dr. Tuck's book, he Castle Slaves of the Gambia River: A Creole Community in the Eighteenth Century Atlantic World (Brill, 2026). A copy of the book is now in our department display case and ready to be viewed by visitors.

Also, here is the link to a great book podcast that may interest you. https://newbooksnetwork.com/the-castle-slaves-of-the-gambia-river

It's been a while since the History Department last posted anything, but there is a lot of cool news to share with you. Here is the first one:
the department was happy to welcome back Dr. Leo Bacino, instructor emeritus of American history, Dr. Marla McMackin, Latin American and American history instructor (NEIU MA alumni, 2014, UIC PhD, 2024), and Dr. Conrad Hirano, Asian and Japanese history instructor in fall and spring 2025-26. Drs. Bacino, McMackin, and Hirano will all be back in fall to continue teaching. It's been wonderful having them.

Chicago based history enthusiasts, join us this Thursday, January 29 at 7 PM as urban historian Dominic Pacyga will discuss his new book "Clout City: The Rise and Fall of the Chicago Political Machine." Main campus, 5500 N Saint Louis (or for easier direction 3701 W Bryn Mawr), L**h Walesa Hall, Lecture Room 1001.