San Diego Community College District Page 1

Course Syllabus

BLAS 140B (50618)

HIST U.S./BLACK PERSPECTIVES
2010 - FALL

INSTRUCTOR: DARIUS SPEARMAN

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

OFFICE HOURS: MON & WED 9:30-11:00AM;

TUE & THUR 11:05AM-12:35PM
AND BY APPOINTMENT,
ROOM A-1(E)

CLASS MEETS: FROM 8/23/2010 TO 12/18/2010;

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.

WHAT’S INSIDE:
REQUIRED TEXTS ...................................................................................................................................... 2
COURSE DESCRIPTION & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ..................................................................... 2
COURSE REQUIREMENTS........................................................................................................................... 3
ATTENDANCE AND GRADING .................................................................................................................... 4
HONEST ACADEMIC CONDUCT ................................................................................................................. 5
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) STATEMENT ................................................................................ 5
COURSE SCHEDULE ................................................................................................................................... 6
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Course Syllabus

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

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.
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Course Syllabus

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.
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.
Honors Option (100 Points) *
Write a 7-10 page research paper on the topic of your choice. Your paper should include no
less than four print sources such as books or scholarly journals – no more than two of those
sources may be from texts used in the classroom. Please discuss and clear your topic with me
by 9/24/2010.

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

*
Please contact the Honors Department for details in room A1-N (619) 388-3512, or http://www.sdcity.edu/honors/.
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Course Syllabus

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.)

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 responsibilisty to drop all classes in which he/she is no longer participating.
Deadline to drop classes with no “W” recorded is 9/3/2010.
• Withdrawal deadline is 10/29/2010. 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:
REGULAR SCALE HONORS OPTION*
A = 500-450 Points A = 600-540 Points
B = 449-400 Points B = 539-480 Points
C = 399-350 Points C = 479-420 Points
D = 349-300 Points D = 419-360 Points
F < 300 Points F < 360 Points
Points for individual assignments will be broken down as follows:
• Response Papers: 200 points
• In-Class Discussion/Participation: 300 points
• Optional Honors Paper: 100 *
Credit/No Credit
Beginning Fall 2009, the title “credit/no credit” will change to “pass/no pass” in accordan
ce with Title 5, section 55022.

All assignments are considered by the posted due date:

LATE WORK WILL BE FORGIVEN ONCE (FOR ANY REASON) – AFTER THAT NO LATE WORK
WILL BE ACCEPTED

*
Please contact the Honors Department for details in room A1-N (619) 388-3512, or http://www.sdcity.edu/honors/.
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Course Syllabus

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 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

UNIT 1: THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION (4 WEEKS)

Week Date Topic Assignment
Week 1 Aug 23 - Aug 29 Course Introduction
Week 2 Aug 30 - Sep 5 Discussion 01: Assessment of Reconstruction Hine, CH 13
Week 3 Sep 6 - Sep 12 Discussion 02: The “Unfinished” Revolution Hine, CH 14-15
Week 4 Sep 13 - Sep 19 Discussion 03: Savage Acts–Wars, Fairs, and Empire Taylor, CH 4-5

UNIT 2: ASSIMILATION, AGITATION OR CLASS UNITY? (4 WEEKS)

Week 5 Sep 20 - Sep 26 Discussion 04: The Cry Was Unity (Part 1) Hine, Ch 16
Response Paper 1 Due
Week 6 Sep 27 – Oct 3 Discussion 05: Discharged Without Honor Horne, CH 2-7 Hine, CH 17
Week 7 Oct 4 - Oct 10 Discussion 06: The Cry Was Unit (Part 2) Hine, CH 17

Week 8 Oct 11 - Oct 17 Discussion 07: Alternative Voices of the Harlem Hine, CH 18
Renaissance

UNIT 3: Civil Rights (4 Weeks)

Week 9 Oct 18 - Oct 24 Discussion 08: Scottsboro: An American Tragedy Hine, CH 19
Taylor, CH 8
Response Paper 2 Due
Week 10 Oct 25 - Oct 31 Discussion 9: Eyes on the Prize, Awakenings Taylor, CH 9

Week 11 Nov 1 - Nov 7 Discussion 10: Eyes on the Prize, The Time Has Come Hine, CH 20
Week 12 Nov 8 - Nov 14 Discussion 11: Eyes on the Prize, Nation of Law? Hine, CH 21

UNIT 4: Completing the Revolution (5 Weeks)

Week 13 Nov 15 - Nov 21 Discussion 12: Bastards of the Party Taylor, CH 10-Conclusion
Response Paper 3 Due
Week 14 Nov 22 - Nov 28 **Thanksgiving Holliday**
Week 15 Nov 29 - Dec 5 Discussion 13: Black Politics, White Backlash Hine, CH 22
Week 16 Dec 6 - Dec 12 Discussion 14: Democracy Now! Soldiers Go From Hine, CH 23
Fighting in Iraq to Fighting A New War At Home
Week 17 Dec 13 - Dec 19 Discussion 15: Race vs. Gender - Femiphobia and Hine, CH 24
Homophobia Within the Black Liberation Struggle Response Paper 4 Due