San Diego Community College District Page 1

Course Syllabus

BLAS 140B (53134)

HIST U.S./BLACK PERSPECTIVES
2010 - SUMMER

INSTRUCTOR: DARIUS SPEARMAN

TELEPHONE: (619) 388-3187
E-MAIL VIA BLACKBOARD

OFFICE HOURS: TBA,

ROOM A-1(E)

CLASS MEETS: TBA, TBA–TBA

FROM 6/22/2010 TO 8/16/2010;
ROOM WEB

ADVICE: English 51 and passing score on English 51 exit exam

THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Students will be notified of syllabus changes during a regularly scheduled class. It will be the students’
responsibility to ensure they possess the latest version of the class syllabus.

NOTE: Controversial subjects may be the topic of discussion or readings.

REQUIRED TEXTS
1. Hine Darlene Clark, et.al., African Americans: A Concise History (Combined Edition 3/E),
Prentice Hall, 2009, ISBN: 0136002781
2. Horne, Gerald. Black and Brown: African Americans in the Mexican Revolution, NYU
Press; ISBN: 0814736734
3. Taylor, Quintard. In Search of the Racial Frontier. W.W. Norton; ISBN: 039-3-31-8893
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Course Syllabus

COURSE DESCRIPTION & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course covers the history of the United States from Reconstruction to the present with emphasis
on African American experience and contributions. It focuses on political, social, economic,
cultural, and intellectual trends, the persistence of racism, and the struggle for full equality for all
Americans. NOTE: The complete one-year course of Black Studies 140A and 140B satisfies the
graduation requirements in American institutions and California state government.

Upon successful completion of the course the student will have gained experience in:

1. Analyze the politics of the post-Reconstruction period and discuss the Republican Party's
abandonment of African Americans.
2. Trace the origins of the "Jim Crow" system, identify its social, political, economic and legal
components and discuss the system's impact on African Americans.
3. Discuss the cultural, economic, social, educational and political struggles and
accomplishments during the Jim Crow period and identify ideas, programs and tactics of key
African American leaders.
4. Discuss the rise of the American Labor movement and illustrate how race affected the
politics and economic achievements of the movement.
5. Analyze factors that account for the rise of "New Imperialism" and the world wide
subjugation of non white nations, and explain implications for African Americans and
overall race relations in the United States.
6. Trace the origins of the Progressive movement, identify the movement's local, state,
national, and racial agenda, and analyze its political, social, and cultural impact on American
life.
7. Analyze the causes of WWI, examine U.S. role in the war and discuss how African
Americans were treated, both at home and in the military during the war.
8. Identify the causes of the large scale migrations of Blacks from the South to Northern cities,
assess the impact of the migration, and describe the culture and political movements that
emerged in the African American community as result of WWI and migrations.
9. Discuss the political, social, and economic developments between WWI and the Great
Depression, and explain how these developments affected U.S. foreign policy and
contributed to social and racial conflict.
10. Analyze the causes of the Great Depression and its political and economic effect on
American society, and illustrate how the New Deal transformed American politics, in
particular African American political orientation.
11. Identify the causes of WWII, describe the role and treatment of Blacks during the war, and
explain how the war transformed the nature of Black struggle for freedom.
12. Discuss the origins of the Cold War, and analyze its impact on American foreign policy and
on Black struggles for freedom.
13. Discuss the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970's, identify key leaders and
organizations involved, and explain the movements effect on other social, economic and
political reform movements of the period.
14. Summarize the accomplishments of African Americans as a result of the Civil Rights
movement and assess the problems that were never resolved by Civil Rights laws.
15. Discuss the rise of Black militancy in the sixties and seventies, analyze the concept of Black
Power and identify the goals of Black Nationalists.
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Course Syllabus

16. Discuss social, political and economic developments between 1980 and the present, and
analyze their impact on society in general and on African Americans in particular.
17. Describe the nature of California government focusing on the principles and processes of
California constitution, explain the relationship between state and local government, and
analyze how social, political, legal and economic developments have affected African
Americans.
18. Interpret, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize primary and secondary reading assignments, and
write essays that are clear and coherent, on important historical questions and issues.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
4 Response Papers (50 points each)
Write a 500-700 word typed paper on a prompt to be determined in class. To adequately address
each question, we would suggest a minimum of 3 main points explored in a fair amount of
detail. The assigned readings should be sufficient to adequately address the topic, and should be
the only materials referenced in your essays. DO NOT CITE FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES.
Key points must be supported and cited with evidence from the required readings. You MUST
cite from at least two sources per paper – i.e. (Author, p. 10). Allow the material to speak to you
and for you. Doing so should also permit you to be creative in how you piece the material
together. Be SPECIFIC in your answer. Eliminate the following words from your vocabulary:
“this,” “these,” “that,” “they,” “its.”
Please see the Response Paper Grading Rubric for specific details on how you will be assessed
for this assignment.
Class Discussion/Participation (300 Points)
Your participation in the weekly discussions, your ability to answer questions, and to initiate
dialogue based on the required readings, will be graded. Each student is expected to have read
the assignments and have given them careful thought. You will be given a weekly prompt for
discussion and will be graded based on the posted rubric. Each week’s discussion is worth 20
points.
Computer Skills Advisory
Enter level of computer skills expected or types of assignments requiring computer skills. (In
most college courses students are expected to have a basic familiarity with computer terms and
use: word processing, document manipulation, spreadsheets, email, and online services. These
skills can be learned at any of the colleges or Continuing Education.)
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Course Syllabus

ATTENDANCE AND GRADING

Attendance Requirements
Students may be dropped after four (4) week without an active log in OR after having missed
four (4) assignments. The 4 week/4 assignment rule is at my discretion, though, so please keep
me informed of any issues as they arise and allow me to help you work through them.
It is the student’s responsibility to drop all classes in which he/she is no longer participating.
• Deadline to drop classes with no “W” recorded is 6/30/2010.
• Withdrawal deadline is 7/24/2010. No drops may be accepted after this date.
Students who remain enrolled in a class beyond the published withdrawal deadline,
as stated in the class schedule, will receive an evaluative letter grade in this class.
Grading will be on a point scale and will be assigned as follows:
GRADING SCALE
A = 500-450 Points
B = 449-400 Points
C = 399-350 Points
D = 349-300 Points
F < 300 Points
Points for individual assignments will be broken down as follows:
• Response Papers: 200 points
• Class Discussion: 300 points

Credit/No Credit
Beginning Fall 2009, the title “credit/no credit” will change to “pass/no pass” in accordance
with Title 5, section 55022.

All assignments are considered due by the posted due date:

LATE WORK WILL BE FORGIVEN ONCE (FOR ANY REASON) – YOU MAY TURN IN ONE LATE
ASSIGNMENT WITHIN ONE WEEK OF THE POSTED DEADLINE. AFTER THAT NO LATE WORK
WILL BE ACCEPTED

HONEST ACADEMIC CONDUCT

Students are expected to be honest and ethical at all times in their pursuit of academic goals.
Students who are found in violation of district Procedure 3100.3, Honest Academic Conduct,
will receive a zero (0) grade on the assignment in question with no opportunity to make up the
grade. Additionally students may be referred for disciplinary action in accordance with
Procedure 3100.2, Student Disciplinary Procedures. This policy applies to all work submitted in
class or online including, but not limited to, emails, discussion postings, assignments, essays,
and exams.

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) STATEMENT

Please meet with me to discuss any academic accommodations that may be necessary for
students with disabilities. An alternate from of this syllabus and other class handouts is available
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Course Syllabus

upon request. Further accommodations can be made upon arrangement with myself and the
Department of Disability Support Programs and Services (DSPS), Room A-115 (619) 388-3513
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Course Syllabus

COURSE SCHEDULE
Date Topic Assignment
Week 1: UNIT 1: The Unfinished Revolution June 22 – June 27

 Discussion #01: Assessment of the Reconstruction  Hine, CH 13

Week 2: Post Reconstruction and Westward Migration June 28 – July 4
 Discussion #02: The "Unfinished" Revolution  Hine, CH 14-15
 Discussion #03: Savage Acts–Wars, Fairs, and Empire  Taylor, CH 4-5
PAPER 1 DUE
Week 3: UNIT 2: Assimilation, Agitation or Class Unity? July 5 – July 11

 Discussion #04: The Cry Was Unity (Part 1)  Hine, CH 16

 Discussion #05: Discharged Without Honor  Horne, CH 2-7
Week 4: Conflicting Ideologies and Voices of Dissent July 12 – July 18
 Discussion #06: The Cry Was Unit (Part 2)  Hine, CH 17-18
 Discussion #07: Alternative Voices of the Harlem
RESPONSE PAPER 2 DUE
Renaissance
Week 5: UNIT 3: Civil Rights July 19 – July 25

 Discussion #08: Scottsboro–An American Tragedy  Hine, CH 19

 Discussion #09: Eyes on the Prize–Awakenings  Taylor, CH 8
Week 6: It’s Time to Resist! July 26 – Aug 1
 Discussion #10: Eyes on the Prize –The Time Has Come  Hine, CH 20-21
 Discussion #11: Eyes on the Prize –A Nation of Law?
RESPONSE PAPER 3 DUE
Week 7: UNIT 4: Completing the Revolution August 2 – August 8

 Discussion #12: Bastards of the Party  Hine, CH 22

 Discussion #13: Democracy Now! Soldiers Go From  Taylor, CH 9 - Conclusion
Fighting in Iraq to Fighting A New War At Home
Week 8: The Challenge of Conservatism August 9 – August 15
 Discussion #14: Race vs. Gender  Hine, CH 23-24
 Discussion #15: Black Politics, White Backlash - From RESPONSE PAPER 4 DUE
Reagan and the Conservative Era to the Age of Obama