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HIST 152/AFR AM 152: AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
SEMESTER SYLLABUS
Instructor: Assistant Professor Joy M. Giguere
Office: GIST 219
Office Phone: (717) 771-8449
E-mail: jmg66@psu.edu
Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday, 2-4PM
Class Time & Location: MW 10:40-11:55AM, Pullo 112
COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES: This course covers major themes in African American history
including the societies and cultures of Africa, the Middle Passage, the Colonial experience, slavery,
abolition, and the quest for freedom, Civil War and emancipation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Great
Migration, African American cultural expressions, WWII and the seeds of Civil Rights, the Freedom
Movement, Black politics and White backlash. By the end of the semester, in addition to having a firm grasp
of the contents of these themes, students will also be expected to be able to critically read, analyze and write
about primary and secondary documents and what they tell us about the past; be able to weigh different kinds
of information and make coherent arguments regarding major historical themes; be able to critically analyze
two historical monographs on particular themes; and be able to engage in an original research project on a
topic of the student’s choosing.
REQUIRED COURSE READINGS: The following books will be required for the completion of reading
and writing assignments. They may be purchased at the campus bookstore.
Carson, Clayborne, et al. The Struggle For Freedom: A History of African Americans (Combined
Volume), 2nd ed. (Penguin Academics, 2011); ISBN-13: 978-0-205-83240-8
Marable, Manning and Mullings, Leith, eds. Let Nobody Turn Us Around: An African American
Anthology, 2nd ed. (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009); ISBN-13: 978-0-7425-6057-4
Rediker, Marcus. The Slave Ship: A Human History (Penguin Books, 2008); ISBN-13: 978-0-14311425-3
Hahn, Steven. A Nation Under Our Feet: Black Political Struggles in the Rural South from Slavery
to the Great Migration (Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2003); ISBN-13: 978-0-67401765-8
These books will also be available on reserve at the Penn State York Library the semester, so if you choose
not to purchase the books, you can still keep up on assignments. As these books are available at the library,
there is NO excuse for not completing reading/writing assignments!
ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING: The semester grade will be based upon performance in the following
categories: Class Participation, African Cultures & Traditions Paper (3-5 pages), Short Document Analysis
Papers (2 pages), A Nation Under Our Feet Paper (3-5 pages), and the Final Research Paper (8-12 pages)
and Presentation. Your final grade will be determined according to the percentages in the following
categories, NOT out of a running total of points.
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Class Participation (10% of semester grade): It is of the utmost importance that students attend every class
meeting. However, class participation goes beyond simple attendance. This portion of the grade is based
upon the student’s level of engagement in the class, including asking questions, discussing readings and
sharing ideas.
Document Analysis Papers (25% of semester grade): Throughout the semester, students will complete
readings in Marable and Mullings’ Let Nobody Turn Us Around. For each set of assigned documents,
students will be required to write a short (2 pages) analysis outlining the major ideas/themes presented in the
readings. Please refer to the instructions at the end of the Syllabus for this assignment.
African Cultures & Traditions Paper (20% of semester grade): Please refer to the assignment guidelines at
the end of the Syllabus.
A Nation Under Our Feet Paper (20% of semester grade): Please refer to the assignment guidelines at the end
of the Syllabus.
Final Research Paper (20%) and Research Presentation (5%): Students will be required to write an original
8-12 page research paper on a topic of their choosing (I will provide a list of suggested possible topics). This
will be a semester-long project during which time students will be expected, at various points in the
semester, to hand in evidence of their progress (e.g. topic proposal, annotated bibliography, paper outline,
rough draft). In place of a final exam, the last week of the semester will be set aside for in-class student
presentations of their work.
GRADING:
On any given writing-based assignment, content (that is, what you know) will be graded most heavily.
However, poor writing (grammar, spelling, punctuation), will negatively affect your grade. Late assignments
will be accepted within one week of the assignment’s due date, with 20 points taken off for each week late.
If an assignment is more than one week late, it will NOT be accepted for credit.
If you must miss a class, you may e-mail me your weekly paper so that it is counted as on-time; however,
you must hand a hardcopy in to me at the next class meeting for the assignment to receive full credit.
All late or extra credit work must be handed in to me, in hardcopy, NO LATER than the last week of lectures
BEFORE finals week.
All grading will be done according to a 100-point scale. Numeric Grade Breakdown:
93-100
A
90-92
A87-89
B+
84-86
B
80-83
B77-79
C+
70-76
C
60-69
D
0-59
F
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MAKE-UP & ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Being late or not attending class will negatively affect your grade. Missing 25% of the class may result
in failure of the course due to missed instruction and missed work that cannot be made up. You are
responsible for all missed material due to any absences, and there is no make-up for absence from class.
ACADEMIC HONESTY STATEMENT:
Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and
responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students’ dignity, rights and
property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their
efforts (Faculty Senate Policy 49-20).
Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to,
cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others,
having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used
without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students who are
found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions and will be reported to the University’s Judicial
Affairs office for possible further disciplinary sanction.
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:
Cell phones MUST be turned off or put on vibrate mode. Text messaging is NOT allowed during class – it
is rude. You must gain permission from the instructor if you wish to use your laptop or tablet to take notes
during the class.
DISABILITY SERVICES:
It is Penn State York's policy to not discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities. If
you have a disability-related need for accommodations in this course, please contact your instructor during
the first week of class. You may also wish to contact Dr. Dzubak in the Nittany Success Center (771- 4013
and cmd14@psu.edu ) for assistance with testing accommodations that extend beyond the scope of the
instructor.
CAMPUS CLOSURE STATEMENT:
In the event of a campus closure, course requirements, classes, deadlines and grading schemes are subject to
changes that may include alternative delivery methods, alternative methods of interaction with the instructor,
class materials, and/or classmates, a revised attendance policy, and a revised semester calendar and/or
grading scheme. Information about course changes will be communicated through [ANGEL, e-mail, etc….]
For notification about campus closures, please refer to Penn State York’s website at
http://www.yk.psu.edu , call the weather hotline at 717 771-4079, or sign up for live text messages at
PSUAlert (https://psualert.psu.edu/psualert/ ). This is a service designed to alert the Penn State community
via text messages to cell phones when situations arise on campus that affect the ability of the campus students, faculty and staff - to function normally.
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SEMESTER SCHEDULE:
WEEK 1
Monday (1/12) – Introductions & Syllabus Overview
Wednesday (1/14) – Discussion: How does African American History differ from other types of
history? What assumptions/stereotypes do we have about African cultures and societies? About
African American and other black cultures in the western hemisphere?
Reading for Wednesday: C.E. Orser, Jr., “The Archaeology of the African Diaspora,” Annual Review
of Anthropology, Vol.27 (1998), pp.63-82.
Assignment for Wednesday: Be prepared to discuss Orser’s article in class (you will be expected to
be able to type out ahead of time 3 questions/points for discussion,
which you will hand in at the end of discussion – the evidence of your
having read the article will count towards your participation grade. Be
prepared to do this for all assigned articles)
.
WEEK 2
Monday (1/19) – NO CLASS (MLK Day)
Wednesday (1/21) – A Brief History of Africa (beginning)
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapter 1, pp.1-24
The Slave Ship, Introduction – Chapter 2, pp.1-72
WEEK 3
Monday (1/26) – A Brief History of Africa (conclusion)
Wednesday (1/28) – Creating an African Diaspora
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapters 2-3, pp.25-69
The Slave Ship, Chapters 3-5, pp.73-156
Ina J. Fandrich, “Yorùbá Influences on Haitian Vodou and New Orleans
Voodoo,” Journal of Black Studies 37:5 (May 2007), 775-791.
Assignment for Wednesday: Discussion of Rediker and Fandrich (3 questions/points for discussion)
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WEEK 4
Monday (2/2) – Library Instruction and Research Day
Wednesday (2/4) – The Transition from African to African American
Readings for Class: The Slave Ship, Chapters 6-8, pp.157-262
Frank Shuffelton, “Circumstantial Accounts, Dangerous Art:
Recognizing African American Culture in Travelers’ Narratives,” EighteenthCentury Studies 27:4 (Summer 1994), 589-603.
Ross W. Jamieson, “Material Culture and Social Death: African-American Burial
Practices,” Historical Archaeology 29:4 (1995), pp.39-58.
Assignment for Wednesday: Discussion of Shuffelton and Jamieson (3 questions/points for
discussion)
WEEK 5
Monday (2/9) – Slavery & Independence(?)
Wednesday (2/11) – Wrap up discussion of The Slave Ship and Documents 1-6
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapters 4-6, pp.70-151
The Slave Ship, Chapter 9 – Epilogue, pp.263-256
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 1, Docs 1-6, pp.1-38
Assignment for Wednesday: Preliminary Research Topic Proposal Due in Class (1 paragraph)
Document Analysis Paper (2 pages)
WEEK 6
Monday (2/16) – Freedom & Slavery in Antebellum America
Wednesday (2/18) – The Abolitionist Movement
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapters 7-9, pp.152-231
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 1, Docs 7-15, pp.39-67
Assignment for Wednesday: 3-5 page African Cultures & Traditions Paper Due in Class
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WEEK 7
Monday (2/23) – Black Resistance in the 1850s
Wednesday (2/25) – Civil War: A Fight for Freedom
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapter 10, pp.232-260
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 1, Docs 16-21, pp.68-114
A Nation Under Our Feet, Prologue, pp.1-12
Assignment for Wednesday: Document Analysis Paper (2 pages)
WEEK 8
Monday (3/2) – Monuments to Slavery, Monuments to Freedom
Wednesday (3/4) – Reconstruction & The Struggle for True Freedom
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapters 11-12, pp.261-319
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 2, Docs 1-3, pp.115-134
A Nation Under Our Feet, Chapters 1-2, pp.13-115
Assignment for Wednesday: Document Analysis Paper (2 pages)
Preliminary Bibliography (3 sources) Due in Class
NO CLASSES MARCH 9TH – 13TH (SPRING BREAK!)
Reading Assignment Over Spring Break: A Nation Under Our Feet, Chapters 3-6, pp.116-316
WEEK 9
Monday (3/16) – New Directions
Wednesday (3/18) – New Century, Old Problems
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapter 13, pp. 320-348
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 2, Docs 4-16, pp.135-216
A Nation Under Our Feet, Chapter 7, pp.317-363
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Assignment for Wednesday: Document Analysis Paper (2 pages)
WEEK 10
Monday (3/23) – Black Service in the World War
Wednesday (3/25) – 1920s: The Harlem Renaissance
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapter 14, pp.349-377
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 3, Docs 1-8, pp.217-272
A Nation Under Our Feet, Chapter 8, pp.364-411
Assignment for Wednesday: Document Analysis Paper (2 pages)
WEEK 11
Monday (3/30) – Black Labor Spotlight: The Pullman Porters
Wednesday (4/1) – Black Struggles During the Great Depression
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapter 15, pp.378-405
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 3, Docs 9-16, pp.273-307
A Nation Under Our Feet, Chapter 9-Epilogue, pp.412-478
Assignment for Wednesday: Discussion of A Nation (3 questions/points for discussion)
Final Research Proposal & Annotated Bibliography (5-7 sources)
WEEK 12
Monday (4/6) – Black Service in WWII
Wednesday (4/8) – The Negro Soldier (in-class viewing and discussion)
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapter 16, pp.406-433
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 3, Docs 17-18, pp.308-315
Assignment for Wednesday: A Nation Under Our Feet Paper (3-5 pages) Due in Class
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WEEK 13
Monday (4/13) – Black Revolution: The 1950s
Wednesday (4/15) – The Revolution Continues: The 1960s
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapters 17-19, pp.434-517
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 3, Docs 19-21; Section 4, Docs 1-18,
pp.316-458
Assignment for Wednesday: Document Analysis Paper (2 pages)
Research Paper Outline
WEEK 14
Monday (4/20) – Era of Activism for All
Wednesday (4/22) – Black Feminism
Readings for Class: The Struggle for Freedom, Chapters 20-22, pp.518-593
Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 4, Docs 19-24; Section 5, Docs 1-9,
pp.459-557
Assignment for Wednesday: Document Analysis Paper (2 pages)
WEEK 15
Monday (4/27) – The Struggle Continues
Wednesday (4/29) – Final Discussion
Readings for Class: Let Nobody Turn Us Around, Section 5, Docs 10-24, pp.558-642
Assignment for Wednesday: 3 questions/points for discussion
WEEK 16
FINAL EXAM WEEK (5/4-5/7)
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Guidelines for Document Analysis Papers
1. Every paper must be:
a. Typed
b. Double-spaced
c. 1-inch margins
d. Times or Times New Roman font size 12
2. To be included in the top right or left-hand corner of the first page (single-spaced):
a. Name
b. Date
c. Course Number
3. Every paper must include a title (be creative!)
4. Paper length: 1-2 pages
5. Required content:
a. Introductory paragraph
i. Provide a brief explanation of the time period the documents are from and which
documents your paper will analyze
b. You may choose to do a general, collective analysis addressing multiple/all of the assigned
documents and how they address the particular theme of that week’s reading or you may
choose to do a focused analysis of just two or three documents to compare and contrast the
arguments/perspectives of the authors
c. Conclusion paragraph
i. Do the documents you have analyzed come from similar or differing perspectives?
What do they tell us about the time period/place/people/events?
The primary point of this exercise is for you to go beyond basic summary of the documents. I want you to be
able to examine what these documents tell us about how African American writers dealt with the issues they
faced during the time periods in which they lived. What were the most relevant issues of the time? How did
black writers feel about what was going on in the world around them?
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African Culture & Traditions Paper
The process of the transatlantic slave trade wrested about 11 million Africans from their homeland for sale in
North America, South and Latin America, and the Caribbean. While Africans intended for sale as slaves
primarily came from the West Coast of Africa, they came from a variety of tribal societies and cultures, each
with their own languages, belief systems, forms of personal expression (e.g. hair, scarification, clothing),
forms of cultural expression (e.g. art, music, literature), and material culture (e.g. architecture, pottery, etc.).
The slave trade involved a systematic process of “culture stripping” to transition slaves from life in Africa to
life among Europeans.
Based upon your reading of Rediker’s The Slave Ship, as well as the articles by Orser, Fandrich, Shuffelton
and Jamieson, in a well-written, well-argued 3-5 page paper, I want you to address the following questions:
1. What methods did Europeans (both in the slave trade and at the slaves’ destinations) employ to strip
Africans of their traditional social and cultural practices?
a. What was the desired effect in doing so?
b. To what degree was this process effective?
c. In what ways did Africans resist or accommodate this process?
2. How did Africans adapt to their new environments?
3. Choose two or three forms of African cultural or religious expression/beliefs
a. Explain their significance in their original context (Africa)
b. Explain how they persisted, died out, or were altered to adapt to life in the colonial West.
4. For your Conclusion, explain in what ways traditional African tribal patterns helped to shape the
emergence of African American culture in the New World.
Required format/style components:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Title Page, including paper title, name, date, and class information
A property Introductory paragraph and Conclusion
Footnotes (Chicago Style)
1-inch margins, Times New Roman font size 12
Sources cited page
Final format requirement:
This paper MUST include a minimum of THREE direct quotes from your readings thus far this
semester (The Struggle for Freedom; Rediker; Orser; Fandrich; Shuffelton; Jamieson). However, you should
not rely solely on direct quotes. Try to choose brief, one or two line quotations to use to support your own
analysis (your textbook and these articles are your evidence to support what you’re writing about).
Remember, quotes do NOT speak for themselves, so you must EXPLAIN them!
This paper will primarily be graded on its content and the detail of your analysis. However, poor
writing (grammar, spelling, etc.) will result in a lowered grade. The basic breakdown, according to 100 total
possible points will be: 75 points for content; 25 points for format.
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A Nation Under Our Feet Paper Assignment
For this assignment, you will write a 3-5 page essay in which you examine the following themes/questions:
1) What is the A Nation Under Our Feet about? (This should be a brief summary of no more than a page
of the general topics and themes discussed by the Hahn)
2) What is the principle argument or theory proposed by Steven Hahn?
3) In what ways did African Americans, from slavery through the period of the Great Migration, use
informal channels to engage in political behavior? In what ways did they use formal channels? Which
kinds appeared to be most effective?
4) How did the political struggles of African Americans change from the Reconstruction era to the postReconstruction era? In the face of southern white “redemption,” how did African Americans deal
with such issues as disfranchisement and Jim Crow laws?
In the course of writing this essay, you will be required to include at least THREE direct quotes
from the text in order to support your analysis. As this is a focused analysis of A Nation Under Our Feet, I
do not want you to do outside research for this paper.
This paper will primarily be graded on its content and the detail of your analysis. However, poor
writing (grammar, spelling, etc.) will result in a lowered grade. The basic breakdown, according to 100 total
possible points will be: 75 points for content; 25 points for format.
Required format/style components:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Title Page, including paper title, name, date, and class information
A property Introductory paragraph and Conclusion
Footnotes (Chicago Style)
1-inch margins, Times New Roman font size 12
Sources cited page