Introduction to Afro-American History
AAAS 70B
INTRODUCTION TO AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORY
Spring 2014
Department of African and Afro-American Studies
Monday and Wednesday, 3:30-4:50 PM
Olin Sang 112
Chad Williams
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of African and Afro-American Studies
e-mail:
Phone: 781-736-3250
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course offers a general introduction to the history of African Americans from the era of slavery to the present. In studying the struggle of African Americans to obtain and secure freedom, we will focus on three broad but yet interconnected themes: what it means to be African, what it means to be American, and what it means to be human. This course will reveal how African Americans actively shaped their history, the history of the nation, and determined their own future in the midst of tremendous challenges. Topics of exploration will include slavery and the slave trade, the meaning of freedom, community formation and institution creation, identity development, Jim Crow and organized white supremacy, war and democracy, cultural production, civil rights movements, and the contradictions of racial progress.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
-Provide a broad overview to the major themes and issues of African American history from the beginnings of the trans-Atlantic slave trade to the present.
-Critically interrogate major themes and issues shaping the experiences of African Americans at various points in American history, with particular focus on what it means to be African, what it means to be American, and what it means to be human.
-Introduce students to canonical texts and key primary source documents in African American history
-Recognition of diversity of thought amongst African Americans
COURSE OUTCOMES
-Familiarity with key events, dates, and figures that have shaped African American history from slavery to the present
-Be able to clearly articulate in synchronous and asynchronous formats the major themes and issues that have shaped the experiences of African Americans at various points in American history.
-Produce written analyses of key texts and their significance to African American history.
-Be able to convey the broad range of views African Americans have articulate about various issues throughout African American history.
REQUIRED TEXTS
-John Hope Franklin and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, From Slavery to Freedom, 9th edition
-Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
-W. E. B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk
-Anne Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi
-Ta-Nahesi Coates, The Beautiful Struggle
Additional weekly readings as indicated on the course syllabus will be available on our LATTE course site
EXAMINATIONS
Midterm Exam
In class. Identification and short answer. February 24
Final Exam
Take home essays. Will be posted on LATTE on Friday, April 25 at 12:00 pm. Due on Friday, May 2 by 12:00 pm. Late exams will automatically be penalized 1/3 grade and an additional 1/3 for every day it is late.
ASSIGNMENTS
LATTE Discussion Board
Each week students are asked to post a comment and/or response to the Weekly Discussions forum question by the TUESDAY of each week. The starter thread in the related LATTE weekly forum will contain the text of the question. These discussions align with the reading materials available during the corresponding week.
Original posts should contain your own insights and critical analysis of the issues/themes raised in the starter question; well written, with no spelling or grammatical errors; includes references to the weekly required readings. Responses must be substantive (beyond an "I agree" post); engages with the comments and/or questions raised in the post you are responding to; extends the conversation through constructive comments; well written, with no spelling or grammatical errors; at least 150-200 words.
Thoughts on Discussions: Keep in mind that these postings to the forums will be as rich as we make them. They are required to encourage you to share your knowledge and ideas while gaining from the experiences of your peers as well. You will quickly adjust to the weekly requirements and become familiar with the review criteria, and I look forward to some rich discussions.
Research Paper
This research paper (10-12 pp) will be based on a topic of your choosing. In consultation with the professor and informed by your own interests, you will select a topic, question, theme or subject that sparks your historical imagination. Organization and process are essential for constructing an effectively researched and well written paper. 10% of your grade will be based on your adherence to a specific completion schedule (ex. If you submit an “A” quality paper, but have not met all of the completion schedule requirements you will receive a “B” grade). The deadlines for completing the research paper are as follows:
Statement of topic
-You will submit a written statement of your research topic, approximately 300 words in length. The statement should describe why you selected this topic, preliminarily, what you hope to examine in the course of your research and any ideas you have for potential sources.
-Due date:February 3
Meeting with Reference Librarian
-You are required to schedule a half-hour appointment with Judith Pinnolis to discuss your topic and consult with her about relevant primary and secondary sources available in the Brandeis library. You must return the appointment form, signed by Ms. Pinolis, confirm that you have met with her. Ms. Pinolis can be reached at:
-Due date: February 26
Bibliography
-Your preliminary bibliography must consist of at least five secondary sources,comprised of either monographs or scholarly articles, and at least two primary source archives. Your bibliography must be properly formatted according Chicago Style bibliographic citations. Primary and secondary sources must be clearly demarcated under separate list headings.
-Due date:March 10
Outline
-The outline is intended for you to develop a clear structure for the paper and provide an opportunity to organize your research based on your argument. The outline must contain a preliminary thesis statement in the introduction. You must adhere to proper formatting of the outline, with appropriately marked headings and sub headings.
-Due date:March 24
Paper draft
-The paper draft (10-12 pages) should be approached as writing as complete a paper as possible. This is not merely a more elaborate version of your outline. The draft must contain your working thesis and clearly reflect your research at this stage of the paper production process. Most important, the draft is an opportunity for you to receive constructive feedback from me about your strength of your argument, the depth of your research, and the quality of your writing.
-Due date:April 4 via e-mail
Final draft
-The final paper is due in class. Please remember to do a final proof reading before submitting your paper.
-Due date:April 23
An "A" paper will possess the following qualities:
Thesis- A hallmark of strong historical writing is argumentation. Your paper must possess a clearly articulated thesis statement as part of the introduction. The thesis statement is not simply any empty expression of opinion, but an informed argument, based on your interpretation of all available evidence, that articulates the focus and scope of your paper. The thesis should be succinct and identifiable.
Research and Documentation- The best works of history are defined by in-depth research and rigorous documentation. Your paper must be rooted in primary source research (letters, diaries, newspapers, personal letters, government documents, etc.) that serves to support your overall argument. Your primary source research must also be supplemented with engagement in the relevant secondary source literature (monographs, journal articles, etc.) related to your paper topic. It is essential that you provide proper documentation for both primary and secondary sources. All citations, either endnotes or footnotes, must be properly formatted and adhere to Chicago Style guidelines. You must also include a bibliography that clearly lists the primary and secondary sources you have utilized in the paper.
Analysis of Evidence- Historical evidence does not speak for itself. It is the job of the historian to critically analyze the source material before him or her and make judgments regarding its meaning and significance to the particular topic of study. Primary and secondary source evidence, therefore, should not be simply presented, but rigorously interrogated and analyzed in its proper historical context. No free-floating quotes.
Organization- The key to constructing a well-argued and readable paper is organization. A well organized paper begins with an outline that sketches out, in as much specificity as possible, the structure of the paper. The paper itself must be comprised of an introduction, supporting body paragraphs and a conclusion. The body paragraphs should be characterized by strong topic and concluding/transition sentences. Your argument should have a logical flow and skip around from issue to issue.
Grammar and Style- Regardless of how thorough your research is, or how effectively the paper is organized, poor grammar and style will inevitably lead to a lower grade. Good history is good writing. Your paper, in the most general sense, should be readable with no grammatical errors. More specifically, your paper should be characterized by proper sentence structure, appropriate vocabulary usage, a lack of jargon and vacuous moralization, minimal use of passive voice, and appropriate use of semi-colons. Please refer to the BrandeisWritingCenter resource page for further guidance:
Revision- The final paper must reflect a deep engagement with the revision process. The art of quality writing is the art of revision. Your paper should ideally go through multiple drafts as you work to craft a final polished product. I expect for you to take my comments on your draft seriously. I should therefore be able to identify specific revisions and improvements from the draft to the final paper.
GRADING
Class participation:10%
Discussion board posts:20%
Research Paper:25%
Midterm Exam:20%
Final Exam: 25%
COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK 1:Beginnings
January 13:Introduction and Course Overview
January 15:Africa, the Atlantic Slave Trade and the Middle Passage
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 1-2
Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of OlaudahEquiano,ch. 1-2
WEEK 2:Race and Slavery in Colonial America
January 20:No Class-MLK Holiday
January 22:Slavery and the Making of Race
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 3-4
Slave laws
Hume, Beattie and Kant on race
WEEK 3:African Americans in the New Nation
January 27:Slavery, Freedom and the American Revolution
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 5
January 29:Race and Slavery in the United States of America
Readings:Thomas Jefferson, “Notes on the State of Virginia”
Benjamin Banneker, “Letter to Thomas Jefferson”
From Slavery to Freedom, 6
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
WEEK 4:Slavery and Freedom in Antebellum America
February 3:Slavery and Resistance
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 7
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
February 5:Abolitionism
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 8-9
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
WEEK 5-:War and Freedom
February 10:The Road to War
Readings:Documents on Dred Scott and colonization
February 12:Emancipation and Black Military Service
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 10
February 17 and February 19 No Class—Midterm Recess
WEEK 6:Reconstruction
February 24:Midterm Examination
February 26:The Tragedy of Reconstruction
Readings:Frederick Douglass, “What the Black Man Wants”
Henry McNeal Turner, “I Claim the Rights of a Man”
From Slavery to Freedom, 11
The Souls of Black Folk
WEEK 7:Black Life and the Color Line
March 3:Birth of the Jim Crow Era
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 12
The Souls of Black Folk
March 5:Leadership and Survival during the “Nadir”
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 13
The Souls of Black Folk
Booker T. Washington, “Atlanta Exposition Address”
Anna Julia Cooper, “A Voice from the South”
WEEK 8:The Quest for Democracy
March 10:African Americans and World War I
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 14
W. E. B. Du Bois, “Close Ranks”; “Returning Soldiers”
March 12:The New Negro
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 15-16
Marcus Garvey, “The New Negro and the UNIA”
Alaine Locke, “The New Negro”
Langston Hughes, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain”
WEEK 9:Double V
March 17:Black Politics in the Great Depression and the New Deal
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 17
Asa Philip Randolph, “Why Should We March?”
Ralph Ellison, “Editorial Comment”
March 19:African Americans and World War II
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 18
WEEK 10:The Long Civil Rights Movement
March 24:From the Grassroots
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 19
Coming of Age in Mississippi
March 26:The Second Reconstruction
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 20
Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Coming of Age in Mississippi
WEEK 11:Black Power
March 31:Demystifying Black Power
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 21
“Black Panther Party 10 Point Program”
April 2:The Legacies of Black Cultural Nationalism
Readings:The Beautiful Struggle
WEEK 12:The Post Civil Rights Era
April 7:The Hip Hop Generation
Readings:The Beautiful Struggle
April 9: Tricia Rose Lecture, 4:00pm, Rapaporte Treasure Hall
Readings:Tricia Rose, “Six Guiding Principles for Progressive Creativity, Consumption, and Community in Hip Hop and Beyond,” from The Hip Hop Wars
WEEK 13:The Meaning of Progress
April 23:The Contradictions of African American Life in the 1990s
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 22
Glenn Loury, “Beyond Civil Rights”
Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas Hearings
WEEK 14:African American History in the 21st Century
April 28:Race and Blackness in the Age of Obama
Readings:From Slavery to Freedom, 23
Obama, “A More Perfect Union”
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