ETHN 220W: Civil Rights in the U.S. Fall semester 2012

Transcription

1 ETHN 220W: Civil Rights in the U.S. Fall semester 2012 Instructor: Kebba Darboe, Ph. D. Sociology Office Location: Morris Hall 109 Office Phone: Office Hours: Monday: 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Tuesday: 10:00 to 10:50 am; Wednesday: 10:00-11:00 a.m.; Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; and Friday: 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. & by appointment Website: Mavdisk\MSU\Staff\D\Darboe_Kebba\My_Public_Files Classroom location/time: AH 223A, Wednesdays 11:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Required Reading: Text books to buy: 1. Dierenfield, Bruce J (2008). The Civil Rights Movement: Revised Edition. Canisius College, New York, Pearson Longman 2. Harold J. Sullivan. (2005). Civil Rights and Liberties: Provocative Questions & Evolving Answers, 2/E. Prentice Hall Goals of the course: The civil rights movement is one of the most significant sources of social change in the United States history. In his famous work the social scientist Gunnar Myrdal (1948) labeled race as the American Dilemma. Arguably, the struggle for racial justice has been the preeminent domestic story in American history. Therefore, the purpose of this course is to examine the history of the Civil Rights Movement which embodied the perennial racial struggle. In this connection, we will examine social movements such as National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the impact of the twenty seven Amendments to the United States Constitution on our civil rights and civil liberties in America. Based on the readings, videos, and critical thinking questions students will be able to understand the enduring debates on civil rights and civil liberties. Objectives: This course meets both writing intensive and diverse cultures purple requirements. Therefore, a course requirement of written assignments totaling a minimum of 20 pages or more should be completed by every student. The instructor provides paper outline, which guides students through a step-by-step procedure leading to a refined, professional research paper that is theoretically and substantively grounded on the civil rights movement and other social movements. At the conclusion of the course students should be able to: 1) Understand the legal fight for desegregation, for instance, Plessy v. Ferguson case, 1896, which sanctioned legalized segregation, and the Brown case which overturned it in ) Understand the impact of the 27 Amendments to the United States Constitution on all citizens 3) Understand the role played by significant African American leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X 4) Understand that the civil rights movement stimulated the formation of Latin-American Citizens (LULAC), which was formed in 1929, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) was formed in 1929, the National Organization for Women (NOW) was founded on June 30, 1966, in Washington, D.C., Gay and Lesbian Movement, and many other social movements in the United States and around the world. 5) Answer the question: why social movements succeed or fail? And the theoretical perspectives which explain their formation 1

2 COURSE REQUIREMENT: (Submit all examinations and assignments via the D2L Drop box ) 1. Two essay examinations (first and final): covering the readings and course materials. Each is worth 100 points 2. Paper Project (20 pages minimum): recommended topics: Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA); Latin- American Citizens (LULAC), which was formed in 1929; The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) established in 1967; The Japanese American Citizen s League (JACL) was formed in 1929, The National Organization for Women (NOW) was founded on June 30, 1966, in Washington, D.C.; Gay and Lesbian Movement; The United Farm Workers of America (UFW) is a labor union that evolved from unions founded in 1962 by César Chávez, Philip Vera Cruz, Dolores Huerta, and Larry Itliong 3. Write short essays (1-2 pages) and answer the following Critical Thinking Questions: Each question is worth 15 points, total points =150 1) Chapter One: Introduction: Judicial Defense of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (due date: week 2) (i) Compare and contrast civil liberties and civil rights (ii) How do we know what the constitution means? 2) Chapter Two: The First Amendment and Freedom of Expression (due date: week 3) (i) What is freedom of speech? (ii) Why should a democratic society tolerate the expression of views that are offensive to the majority? 3) Chapter Three: Freedom of Religion(due date: week 4) (i) Why can t government help advance the religious values that the majority of Americans share? (iii) Doesn t banning voluntary prayer in public schools interfere with children s freedom of religion? 4) Chapter Four: Equality Under the Constitution (due date: week 5) (i) How does the Constitution make us equal? (ii)why did the courts order forced busing? 5) Chapter Five: Privacy and Individual Autonomy (due date: week 6) (i) How did the right to privacy lead to a woman s right to have an abortion? (ii)why doesn t the right to privacy include the right to decide to end our lives? 6) Chapter Six: Contemporary Issues of Equality and Freedom (due date: week 8) (i) What use is freedom of speech if no one can hear you? (ii) Does the Constitution protect us from private institutions which interfere with our liberties and rights? 7) Chapter Seven: Conclusion: (due date: week 10) (i) What Is the Future of Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties in America? 8) Appendix: The Constitution of the United States (due date: week 12) (i) Briefly explain the significance of the 13 th, 14 th and 15 th Amendments to the US Constitution 9) Readings and lecture notes (due date: week 13) (i) What is the main goal of the Modern Civil Rights Movement? (ii) What are the implications, i.e., positives/negatives of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965? (iii) How raced-based gerrymandering is related to affirmative action? Note: The 1963 March on Washington was the largest civil right demonstration in history, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous speech I have a dream As a result, of these demonstrations and speech Congress enacted the Civil Rights Act of The Selma-to-Montgomery march stimulated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which made it possible for southern blacks to register and vote with little difficulty It was also the last mass demonstration of the civil rights movement. 2

3 10) What are the major contributions of social movements to the perennial struggle of civil rights in the U.S? To answer the question, select one of the social movements: American Indian Movement (AIM), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and The Japanese American Citizen s League (JACL) (due date: week 14) GRADING POLICY: The grading system for this course is point cumulative, that is, grades are given on the basis of points not percentages. Student grade will be determined by completion of the following assignments: Points First Examination, Wednesday, October Final Examination, Wednesday, December Critical thinking questions 150 Paper Project 100 Film (videos) assignments 50 Total possible points 500 Course grade: A total of 500 points can be earned in the course. The final grade will be determined as follows: A = A-= B+ = B = B- = C+ = C = C- = D+ = D = D- = F = 249 & below Special Needs: Any student with a disability requiring special accommodation should contact the Office of Disability Services at (507) or disabilityserv@mnsu.edu as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Course Agenda: The following are tentative dates, topics, chapters and readings: Weeks Chapters Lecture Topics: Week 1 (August 29) Welcome: Introduction to the course Why do people join social movements? The stages of social movements Theoretical Perspectives Why do social movements succeed or fail? Week 2 (September 5) Chapter 1: Introduction: Judicial Defense of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Read: Appendix: The Constitution of the United States Chapter 2: The First Amendment and Freedom of Expression Week 3 (September 12) Chapter 3: Freedom of Religion Chapter 4: Equality Under the Constitution 3

4 Week 4 (September 19) Chapter 5: Privacy and Individual Autonomy Chapter 6: Contemporary Issues of Equality and Freedom Week 5 (September 26) Chapter 7: Conclusion: What Is the Future of Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties in America? Appendix: The Constitution of the United States Week 6 (October 3) PART ONE: The Mississippi Plan 1. Jim Crow South Week 7 (October 10) PART TWO: The New Negro 2. Origins of the Movement 3. The Brown Decision 4. Little Rock Crisis Week 8 (October 17) PART THREE: Freedom Bound 5. Montgomery Bus Boycott 6. Sit-Ins 7. Freedom Ride 8. Battle Of Ole Miss 9. Bombingham 10. March On Washington Week 9 (October 24) PART FOUR: The Movement Fractures 11. Freedom Summer 12. Bloody Sunday Week 10 (October 31) PART FIVE: The Dream Deferred 13. Black Power Assessment Week 11 (November 7) PART SIX: DOCUMENTS Week 12 (November 14) Compare and contrast the strategies of Martin Luther King, Jr. & Malcolm X Week 13 (November 21) Legacy of the civil rights movement 4

5 Week 14 (November 28) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) 1965 Immigration Reform The American Indian Movement (AIM) League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Election of the first African American president: Barack Obama Week 15 (December 5) Last day of class PRESENTATIONS Week 16 (December 10-14) Final exam: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 Final exams week