Fall 2002

Dr. Glenn McNair

T 1:10-4:00

Timberlake Seminar Room

Office Hours, MW 2:15-5:00 and by appointment

Seitz House No. 6

Ph. 427-5325

Email: mcnairg@kenyon.edu

Historian Rayford Logan has described the years between 1880 and 1920 as the "nadir of black life." During this period African Americans were politically disfranchised, forced into debt peonage, excluded from the general social life of the society through Jim Crow segregation and subjected to unprecedented levels of extralegal violence. This course will examine how African America was affected by these efforts at racial subjugation and how the community responded socially, politically, economically, intellectually and culturally. Students will be presented with a variety of primary and secondary sources materials; timely and careful reading of these sources will prepare students for class discussions. Students will be confronted with conflicting bodies of evidence and challenged to analyze these issues and arrive at conclusions for themselves.

*Leon F. Litwack, Trouble in Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim

*David M. Oshinsky, Worse than Slavery: Parchman Farm and the Ordeal of Jim Crow Justice

*August Meier, Negro Thought in America, 1880-1915

*Jacqueline M. Moore, Leading the Race: The Transformation of the Black Elite in the Nation’s

*Glenda E. Gilmore, Gender & Jim Crow, Women and the Politics of White Supremacy in North

*Sharon Ann Holt: Making Freedom Pay: North Carolina Freedpeople Working For

*James R. Grossman, Land of Hope: Chicago, Black Southerners and the Great Migration

*Articles placed on Reserve on Eres (ERES Password: hist312)

1. Class participation and discussion 35%

2. Research proposal 20%

3. Film Review 5%

4. Research paper (On a topic of the student’s choice, subject to instructor approval) 40%

Attendance: Each student is expected to attend class regularly and on time. Roll will be taken and more than one unexcused absence during the semester will result in the deduction of a full letter grade. Excuses must be obtained from the Dean of Students or the Dean for Academic Advising

Class meetings: Students are expected to have read the assigned material, and to be fully prepared to discuss the same. The class participation grade will be based on student participation in classroom, which will include a one to two page summary and response to the major themes of each week’s readings. Students must submit at least ten response papers to receive full credit in this area.

Film Review: Each student is required to submit a 3-5 page double-spaced review of a film viewed for class purposes. (This film will be viewed after normal class hours at a time agreed upon by class members and the instructor.) This review will provide a brief overview of the narrative line of the film and then a discussion of its major themes. This thematic discussion should focus on whether these themes were accurately presented based on what the student has learned through readings and class discussion, and if not, why not. The due date for this assignment will be based on when the film is screened.

Research Paper: Each student will provide the instructor with a proposal for a double-spaced, 12-15 page research paper. Students may choose any topic which is relevant to the issues and time period under examination. Papers must have a clear thesis and use both primary and secondary source materials. All sources should be cited in footnotes; footnotes and all other matters of style must conform to the Chicago Manual of Style (14^th ed.) or A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations (6^th ed.) by Kate L. Turabian. (Both are available at the Olin Library). Students must also provide a research proposal including an annotated bibliography describing the sources that will be consulted. This proposal will outline the thesis/argument that the student plans to make or questions to be asked. The annotated bibliography will describe (a short paragraph for each primary and secondary source) how these works will contribute to the thesis/argument or answer the questions posed. Students will write their papers using a 12 point Times New Roman font, with page margins of one inch on the top, bottom and both sides of each page. Each paper must have a cover page; each page must be numbered, and the entire paper must be stapled or bound in some fashion. Grading of this paper will be based on the clarity of the thesis, the construction of the argument and grammar. As grammar and construction are critical considerations in the grading of this assignment, student use of the Writing Center is strongly recommended. (The instructor will review drafts, provided they are submitted no later than Nov. 5^th ) This assignment is due on Nov. 19^th .

Late Work: All assignments are due at the beginning of class. Assignments received after this point will be downgraded 10 points per 24 hours, beginning at the end of the class period. Exceptions will be granted in only in cases of dire circumstance. (I will not grant exceptions because your printer did not print, you lost the diskette, or you had eight other assignments due at the same time! Prepare your work in advance.)

In order to ensure academic integrity Kenyon College has established an Honor Code. The Honor Code of Kenyon College prohibits all forms of academic dishonesty, which include cheating and plagiarism. In accordance with the policy of the Kenyon College any breach of the Code will be immediately reported to the Academic Infractions Board. A copy of the 2002-2003 course of study guidelines regarding plagiarism and academic dishonesty is attached and each student should read it carefully. The instructor will clarify any concern students may have on these issues.

Aug. 27 First day of class (Orientation)

Documentary: "Going to Chicago"