OU Center for Public Humanities

09/11/2026

We're thrilled to announce our first event of the season, in partnership with Rochester Hills Public Library. Please join us at Rochester Hills Public Library on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7pm for "Freedom for Who: Indigenous Nations and the American Revolution." Heather Bruegl, a historian and member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin/Stockbridge-Munsee, outlines the history of the indigenous nations who fought for independence and their ultimate betrayal they faced afterwards.

Due to space restrictions, registration in advance is required: https://tinyurl.com/freedomforwho

08/04/2026

Join us for an evening of group support, inspiration, and designated writing time in preparation for the inaugural issue of the Faith in Detroit journal

The Faith in Detroit Journal invites you to our first community write in!

Join us on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 7 – 8:30 in the Multipurpose Room of Christ Church Cranbrook for an evening of group support, inspiration, and designated writing time. This event is designed to reconnect Summer Writing Workshop participants, invite new writers into our community, and encourage all of metro Detroit’s writers to submit their stories to the Faith in Detroit Journal.

Oakland University Professor Kathy Pfeiffer will open the session by demonstrating a short writing exercise on “Writing About Renewal: Starting with a Photograph.” Bring a photo connected to a story you’d like to tell. From there, we will move into a period of quiet writing time, where you can either develop Kathy’s prompt or tend to your own work in progress. The writing session will conclude with q & a, and a brief demonstration of the Faith in Detroit Journal submission process. If time permits, participants are welcome to read from their writing if they choose.

A Zoom option will be available for those who cannot attend in person.

Free and open to the public.

Click here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-write-in-faith-in-detroit-tickets-1995561851216

06/16/2026

Snapshots from inside the rooms where magic happens. ✨ We are all so proud of the beautiful work of sharing, growth, community and creativity at this past weekend’s inaugural Faith in Detroit Writing Workshop. Thanks to our partners at .in.detroit and especially for leadership and support. And many thanks to colleagues at .cas and for your support and enthusiasm.

Our presenters and and shared their very best insights and we all came away feeling wiser, more inspired, and wholly in awe of the power of storytelling.

06/16/2026

OU President Ora Pescovitz made a special trip to to welcome our .in.detroit Writing Workshop participants on Friday Morning. Her poignant and inspiring remarks reminded us that compassion, respect, and personal kindness are at the center of all good storytelling. .cas

06/05/2026

What does "public humanities" mean, and how do we engage with community? CPH advisory board member and OU professor Greg Giberson explains, “We engage with intellectually and emotionally challenging topics. Having the opportunity to work through those things with them is very inspiring and keeps me motivated to continue this important community-based work.”

Check out this feature story Prof. Giberson’s writing group at Pomeroy Living Orion. This has transitioned to a larger collaboration between Pomeroy and CPH (including Tuesday's lecture on the Constitution that we hope you'll attend.)

Professor of Writing and Rhetoric Greg Giberson poses for a photo with the three women who participated in his writing workshop at Pomeroy Senior Living Orion community.

05/20/2026

We hope everyone fared okay during the water main break, and we're pleased to announce we've rescheduled our special guest lecture on the U.S. constitution with Prof. Todd Estes for Tuesday, June 9, at 2pm at Pomeroy Living Orion. This event is free to attend. Registration encouraged; registration link in comments.

05/16/2026

The Center for Public Humanities and Christ Church Cranbrook are pleased to present:

Faith In Detroit: A Summer Writing Workshop
June 11-14, 2026

This is an invitation to participate in the first annual Summer Writing Workshop, hosted by Christ Church Cranbrook, which is part of the Faith in Detroit initiative. Created by the Center for Public Humanities at Oakland University and Christ Church Cranbrook, the Summer Writing Workshop is intended to help participants grow their writing skills and share their stories of faith.

Directed by OU Professor of English Kathy Pfeiffer, the Faith in Detroit Summer Writing Workshop will feature generative sessions, writing inspiration and advice, panels, and keynote speaker Emily Bernard. Other panelists include Mark Stryker, Billy Mark, William Danaher, and Susan McCarty. Hosted on the beautiful campus of Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, all sessions are free and open to all.

The Faith in Detroit Summer Writing Workshop runs from Thursday evening, June 11, to Sunday afternoon, June 14. Participants can attend the whole workshop or pick the days and times they wish to join. You can select your preferences on the registration site, which we recommend to provide a head count for meal preparation.

The workshop and meals are free and paid for by Christ Church Cranbrook.

Please see like and follow FFaith in Detroit For more information or to register, visit the CPH's webpage on the project, linked in the comments.

05/04/2026

UPDATED: Originalism or Living Constitutionalism?: How to Read the 18th Century Constitution in the 21st Century
with Guest Speaker Prof. Todd Estes
WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR A LATER DATE DUE TO THE ONGOING WATER MAIN BREAK AND BOIL ORDER

Join CPH and Pomeroy Living Orion for a lively discussion about the U.S. constitution at this free event with Todd Estes, author of The Jay Treaty Debate, Public Opinion, and the Evolution of Early American Political Culture.

03/06/2026

Thanks to all who came out to the Rochester Hills Public Library last night to hear Mark Stryker’s lively and fascinating discussion of his book Jazz From Detroit!

Be sure to join us on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 pm in 201 Dodge Hall on the Oakland University campus for a screening of Mark’s film The Best of the Best: Jazz From Detroit. It’s free and open to the public; link for registration in comments.

03/04/2026

Detroit changed jazz forever. 🎷
On Thursday, March 5, join author Mark Stryker for a discussion of his book Jazz From Detroit at 7 pm at the Rochester Hills Public Library.
One night.
Powerful music history.
Community conversation.

Link to register in comments