Introduction
While African Americans have always been a minority within the overall population of the United States, African American history is central to US history as a whole. For a nation founded on Enlightenment values of liberty and equality, the existence of an enslaved and oppressed population within the national territory has represented a central contradiction around which US politics has often revolved. From the time of the British North American colonies up to the present day, struggles for Black people’s freedom have in many ways defined US political institutions and structures.
In this course, we will analyze the relationship between African American history and US political history, in order to understand how issues such as slavery, emancipation, and civil rights have shaped US politics and institutions. Beginning in the colonial era, we will examine how developments in African American history map onto revolutions in US political party systems, the constitution, and state structures. We will understand how the three branches of the US government (legislative, executive, and judicial) have all played varying roles at this history in varying times. We will also examine how federalism has played a crucial role in African American history, and vice versa.
Objectives
*Analyze the relationship between African American culture American political institutions and structures
*Critically examine historical documents (primary sources) concerning key elements of African American and US political history
*Explore different historical theories and analyses related to African American and US political History.
Skills developped through the course:
*Critical reading, oral and written communication, scholarly research skills in primary and
secondary materials.
Program
Assessment and Final Grade
There are two assessments:
• Assessment 1 (30%): A short oral primary document presentation (5 minutes)
• Assessment 2 (70%): A short essay (1000 words) on a question related to the course
Plagiarism is not acceptable at the Institut Catholique de Paris, nor at any other institution of higher learning. Plagiarism means taking the intellectual work of others and claiming it as your own, either inadvertently or on purpose. If you are using the words or ideas of another person, you need to cite them. Plagiarism also includes the use of Large Language Models such as ChatGPT. If I detect plagiarism on your assignment, you will receive zero credit for that assignment.
In addition to these assignments, it is a requirement that you attend all course sessions unless excused. All sessions begin on time—do not arrive after class begins. As per university policy, missing more than two (2) sessions will result in failing the course.
There is minimal assigned reading for the course, but I expect you to read it and be prepared to discuss it in the TD sessions.That means that you are able to identify and critically assess its argument and the way that it marshals evidence to support that argument.
Bibliography
Baker, Peter and Critchlow, Donald, eds. The Oxford Handbook of American Political History.
New York: Oxford University Press, 2020.
Chambers, William N. and Walter D. Burnham, eds. The American Party Systems: Stages of Political Development. New York: Oxford University Press, 1967.
Finkelman, Paul, ed. Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895: From the Colonial Period to the Age of Frederick Douglass, 3 vols. NY: Oxford University Press, 2006. Political History of the United States 4
Finkelman, Paul, ed. Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present: From the Age of Segregation to the Twenty-first Century,5 vols. NY: Oxford University Press, 2009.
White, Bay, Martin, eds. Freedom on My Mind: A History of African Americans, with Documents, 3rd ed. NY: Bedford Books, 2020
Libraries
Practical information
