On a Tuesday morning, the classroom buzzes with quiet anticipation. Professor Jeremy Burbick walks in with a stack of notes and a calm, focused energy. He begins the lecture not with a slide but with a story about a jazz musician whose life intersected with civil rights history. Students lean in, some scribbling notes, others listening. It’s clear that this isn’t just a history class; it’s a conversation with the past.
Burbick doesn’t merely teach history; he lives it, breathes it, and invites students to see the world through its lens. After a long career as a warehouse supervisor, Burbick has transformed into a historian who turns dusty timelines into living narratives.
“History isn’t just about memorizing dates,” Burbick said, leaning back in his chair with a thoughtful smile spreading under his greenish blue eyes and gray hair; “It’s about understanding how people lived, what they believed, and why they made the choices they did.” That philosophy is clear in the way he teaches. Each lecture feels more like a story unfolding than a list of facts.
In the fall of 2024, when I observed him teaching as one of his students, the classroom was quiet, except for the soft shuffle of papers and the occasional creak of a chair. At the front, Burbick stood beside a whiteboard filled with dates and names from colonial times that seemed to whisper stories from centuries past.
Burbick began, “History isn’t just about what happened. It’s about why it mattered.” This wasn’t a lecture; it was a journey.
During our interview, Burbick recalled a moment that shaped his approach: “I had a professor in college who told us, ‘If you can’t feel history, you’re not learning it.’ That stuck with me.” His passion is contagious.
One student I spoke with described his class as “the only one where I actually look forward to taking notes.” Whether discussing medieval Europe or the civil rights movement, Burbick brings empathy and curiosity into every lesson, making the past feel urgent and alive.
Before stepping into the classroom as a professor, Burbick spent over a decade working as a warehouse manager. His academic journey was anything but linear.
“It took me a long time to earn my four-year degree,” Burbick said. Switching majors, enrolling in classes without a clear goal, and balancing full-time jobs with family responsibilities slowed progress. Yet through that uncertainty, a spark emerged. Reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X sparked a deep interest in American history. That moment became a turning point, motivating him to pursue a path that eventually led to teaching.
“I’m glad that I found my interest in history because it motivated me to keep going,” said Burbick. Teaching history in today’s political climate presents unique challenges, but he approaches them with care and professionalism.
“I don’t find it any harder to talk about the past, but when discussions move closer to more current events, I’m thinking about how to phrase what I say more carefully,” said Burbick. His goal is to foster respectful dialogue, even when topics become sensitive. In the five years he has been teaching, he hasn’t faced major classroom conflicts, but he’s prepared to redirect conversations when needed. His approach reflects a commitment to creating a learning environment where students feel safe to explore complex ideas without fear of judgment.
Outside of teaching, Burbick continues to explore history through personal passions. A musician by background, he finds joy in studying musical history, especially early 20th-century music. His interest in film is equally immersive; he collects 16mm films and owns a vintage projector, often revisiting silent films. They’re extensions of his historical curiosity. Whether through sound or image, he seeks to understand how people of the past expressed themselves and shaped their world. His personal interests enrich his teaching by integrating film and music into his presentations, offering students a more textured, human view of history.
“He doesn’t just teach history, he makes you feel like you’re part of it,” said one student. “I remember a lecture on Reconstruction where he used music and film clips to show how culture reflected political change. It stuck with me.”
“I’m proud to be part of upper education,” Burbick said, and it’s clear that his work is his calling. Burbick said, “I would like to continue to teach until retirement, but I see it more as a second job in the future. I would like to be a part of the profession of history in other ways: possibly writing or museum work.”
In an age of fast information and short attention spans, Burbick reminds us that history is worth slowing down for. His work shows that understanding the past is personal, cultural, and deeply human.
