UW-MILWAUKEE DEPARTMENT OF AFRICOLOGY
Black Reality: Survey of African-American Society
Africology 100-003
Spring Semester 2016
Instructor: O. Peter Akubeze
Teaching Assistant: Maxime Mianzokouna ([email protected])
Office: Mitchell Hall, Room 214G
Office Hours: Mon Wed: 2:30PM - 3:30PM
Tel: 414.229.4489
E-mail: [email protected]
D2L Course Site: (https://uwm.courses.wisconsin.edu/)
Class Meeting: Mon, Wed: 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM in Mitchell Hall Room 191
Course Description
Africology 100 is an introduction to key concepts, structures, and institutions in African-American
society. Our goal is to critically evaluate the events, issues, concepts, institutions that have helped
shape the reality of African Americans and their respective communities. The course also explores
the origins of some common misconceptions about the history and culture of African Americans with
a view to debunking them.
To achieve this goal the course is divided into three major parts. First, we examine the history of
Africans in America from slavery up to the civil war. The second part looks into the period commonly
referred to as the Reconstruction and continues to the Great Migration, when African Americans in
the south moved north. The third part covers the modern civil rights era, the struggles for
desegregation of public schools, and an analysis of contemporary African American society. Since
issues of race are at the core of the African American experience, the relevance and impact of racism
is analyzed all through the course. Rather than dwell solely on the problems faced by African
Americans, strategies for dealing with them and possible solutions will be critically examined.
Objectives
At the end of the semester, students should be able to:
1. Identify and track the chronology of events leading to significant milestones in the journey of
African Americans from slavery to the present.
2. Understand the continual relevance and impact of race, class, and gender on the life-chances
of African Americans in the U.S.
3. Evaluate and analyze how the history of slavery, segregation and civil rights helped shape the
realities of contemporary African American society.
4. Offer alternative strategies to improve opportunities of African Americans in their respective
communities.
Required Texts and Technology
1. Deborah Gray White, Mia Bay, and Waldo E. Martin, Jr.: “Freedom On My Mind – A History
of African Americans with Documents”, Bedford St. Martin’s, 2013. This text is available at
http://uwm.ecampus.com/.
2. David W. Blight, ed.: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave
Written by Himself with Related Documents, 2nd Edition. This text is available at
http://uwm.ecampus.com/.
3. Top Hat: We will be using the Top Hat (www.tophat.com) classroom response system in
class. You will be able to submit answers to in-class questions using Apple or Android
smartphones and tablets, laptops, or via text message (SMS).
You can visit http://tinyurl.com/THStudentRegistration for the Student Quick Start
Guide which outlines how you will register for a Top Hat account, as well as providing a
brief overview to get you up and running on the system. An email invitation will also be
sent to your email account (if you don't receive this email, you can register by visiting our
direct Top Hat course URL tophat.com/e/855711).
Top Hat will require a subscription. There are three options to choose from:
- $24 for 4 months of unlimited access
- $36 for 12 months of unlimited access
- $72 for lifetime* access
Examination policies:
There will be three exams – two midterms and a final, during the course of the semester. Exams are
required to be taken during the designated time periods. Failure to do so without prior
consultation with the instructor will result in failing grade on that exam. Special
arrangement may be made for disabled students or in the case of an excused absence (see below).
Grade Composition and Distribution:
All assignments, quizzes, exams, and projects will count towards the final grade.
1
Class Attendance and Class Participation
5%
2
Homework Exercises
10%
3
Quizzes
15%
4
Exams
40%
5
Group Project
30%
Grade Scale:
Raw Score
Letter Grade
Raw Score
Letter Grade
93 - 100
A
70 – 73
C
89 – 92
A-
65 – 69
C-
85 – 88
B+
60 – 64
D+
80 – 84
B
55 – 59
D
77 – 79
B-
50 – 54
D-
74 - 76
C+
0 – 49
F
Academic Honesty.
All students are governed by the university’s policy on “Academic Misconduct.” Academic misconduct
refers to cheating, plagiarism and/or otherwise taking credit for work not your own. Plagiarism, or
any form of cheating, as determined by the instructor (or Teaching Assistant) will earn a failing grade
for the assignment and will be reported to the appropriate administrators for further action.
Go to: http://www4.uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/academicmisconduct.cfm
Statement of Time Investment:
This is a 3 credit course that requires 2 hours of lectures per week, and a 1 hour discussion section.
Homework assignments are given every week for approximately 14 weeks. So, on the average
students should expect to spend approximately 9 hours of study per week for the duration of the
semester.
Department and UWM policies:
Information concerning the Department of Africology and UWM Policies on participation by students
with disabilities, accommodation for religious observations, academic conduct, complaint procedures,
grade appeals procedures, and other standing policies is available through the following link:
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/SyllabusLinks.pdf.
Course Plan
1.
Class meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:30 pm to 1:45 pm.
2.
While this is not an online course, D2L will be used extensively – for homework, quizzes,
group project, and, possibly, exams. Every student is required to check the D2L
course site at the beginning of each week for current information on the course.
3.
Class attendance is mandatory and (together with class participation and discussions) will
account for 5 percent of the course grade. Attendance may be taken at different times
during the lecture sessions. Periodically, discussion topics may be assigned on D2L.
4.
Top Hat: Top Hat is a comprehensive teaching platform that facilitates an interactive
lecture experience. Attendance and participation will be monitored through this platform.
All enrolled students are required to subscribe to Top Hat. Information on how to
subscribe has been sent out to students. More information will be provided in class.
5.
For excused absences, students must provide written documentation – doctor’s note,
police report, etc. Furthermore, students are still responsible for all assigned work and
must, therefore, arrange to obtain any necessary lecture notes from classmates.
6.
An open discussion forum has been set up on D2L. Students may use this forum to
comment on the class or ask questions, communicate with the instructor (and TA), or
share ideas with other members of the class. Students may also communicate with the
instructor via email. However, submission of any work via email is not allowed.
7.
Besides the required texts, supplemental readings may be assigned periodically. These
readings will be available on the D2L course site.
8.
At the beginning of each week, a schedule of tasks, including lecture notes for the week
(PowerPoint slides in PDF format) will be posted on D2L.
9.
Some films and/or video clips will be shown in class periodically, beginning with the PBS
documentary – “Race, the Power of an Illusion” – which will be shown in its entirety
during the first two weeks of class. Students are required to view, listen, and take careful
notes as the video is shown. The discussion of the video will begin in class but may be
continued on the D2L Open Discussion forum. In addition, students may be required to
write and submit a reflection and/or analysis of any video (or clips) shown in class.
10.
There will be periodic homework exercises and quizzes during the course of the semester.
These will usually follow the completion of each chapter of the course text or after an
assigned reading. All work must be turned in by the due dates.
11.
There will be three exams – two midterms and a final. The midterms will be online (D2L)
and the final will be in-class. The final exam is cumulative.
12.
Group Project: For the purpose of the group project, the class will be divided into groups
of no more than 8 students each. A group project will be assigned after the first midterm
exam. Students will meet with their group members, discuss, and work on the project
together. The leader of each group will be responsible for putting together the project
report and submitting it to the instructor. Finally, the group leader will be responsible for
organizing the group’s presentation to the rest of the class. More details on the project
requirements will be revealed at the time of assignment.
Course Outline
Note: Check the D2L site for additional assigned weekly readings
W B M = White, Bay, and Martin, Jr. (Course Text).
F D N = Frederick Douglass’ Narrative
Week
1
Date
Jan. 25
Topic
Readings
Class introductions on D2L
Reading available on D2L
Introduction to Africology
Karenga: “Introduction to
Black Studies”, 2ed.
PBS Documentary: Race, the Power of an Illusion
Part I: African American History – From Slavery to the Civil War
2
Feb. 1
PBS Documentary: Race, the Power of an Illusion
WBM Ch. 1 & 2
Early African Society
The Slave Trade
The Long Middle Passage
African Slavery in North America
Frontiers of Forced Labor
3
Feb. 8
PBS Documentary: Race, the Power of an Illusion
WBM Ch. 3
African Americans in the Age of Revolution
Slaves and free blacks in the colonies
The road to independence – the role of Blacks
Black patriots and loyalists
4
Feb. 15
The Paradox of Slavery and Freedom
WBM Ch. 4
African Americans and the War of Independence
Early African American Community
5
Feb. 22
Black life in the Slave South
WBM Ch. 5
Black Resistance
FDN: Begin reading the
Survival, Community, and Culture
“Narrative”
1st Midterm Exam (Online) - Feb. 26
6
Feb. 29
The Northern Black Freedom Struggle and the
Coming of the Civil War
WBM Ch. 6
The Abolitionist Movement (the role of Blacks)
“Narrative”
FDN: Continue reading the
Black Communities; Black Activism
7
Mar. 7
Freedom Rising: The Civil War
WBM Ch. 7
The seizing of freedom
FDN: Finish reading the
The Emancipation Proclamation and Equality
“Narrative”
Week
Date
Topic
8
Mar 14
Spring Break
(Mar. 13 – Mar. 20)
Readings
Complete reading
WBM Ch. 7
Part II: African American Society from the Civil War through Reconstruction
9
Mar. 21
Reconstruction and African American Hopes
Political Revolution
Opportunities and Limitations in the South
WBM Ch. 8
The Struggle for Civil Rights
10
Mar. 28
Black Life and Culture
Racism and Black Challenges
Disenfranchisement and Political Activism
Black Women and Men in the Era of Jim Crow
WBM Ch. 9
11
Apr. 4
The New Negro
The Great Migration and the Great War
The Great Depression and the New Deal
WBM Ch. 10
2nd Midterm Exam (Online) – Apr. 8
12
Apr. 11
Fighting for a Double Victory
The Crisis of World War II
African Americans on the Home Front
The Struggle for Citizenship Rights
WBM Ch. 11
Part III: The Era of Civil Rights and Contemporary African American Society
13
Apr. 18
The Early Civil Rights Movement
Postwar Black Freedom Struggle
The transformation of the Southern Civil Rights
Movement and the National Civil Rights Movement
WBM Ch. 12
14
Apr. 25
Multiple Meanings of Freedom
The Emergence of Black Power
The Struggle Transforms
Economic Justice and Affirmative Action
War, Radicalism, and Turbulence
WBM Ch. 13
15
May 2
The Challenge of Conservatism in an Era of Change:
WBM Ch. 14
Opposition to the Black Freedom Movement
The Persistence of the Black Freedom Struggle
The Different Faces of Black America
16
May 9
Review and Final Exam Preparation
Final Exam (In-class, MIT 191)
Monday, May 16, 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
This outline is tentative and may be revised at any time during the semester. A copy of the entire syllabus has been
placed on the “Syllabus and Course Plan” section of the “Content” area on D2L. Respective exam dates will be
announced in class.
GER/Cultural Diversity and Humanities (CD, HU):
This is a GER Cultural Diversity and Humanities course. It is a survey of the African American
experience through history. The course examines the evolution of the African American society
from the early days of slavery, through emancipation, and ultimately to the present urban and
rural communities. It also meets the requirements for Cultural Diversity because it focuses on
the role of political and social institutions, morality, and ideology that have life chance
consequences for African Americans. The lectures, readings, projects, and assessment
instruments in this course are designed to fulfill the requirements of Cultural Diversity and
Humanities. How these requirements are met (for CD and HU) is outlined below.
GER Humanities Requirements: Lectures are focused on;
 The subject uses humanistic means of inquiry; such as the critical use of sources
and evaluation of evidence, the exercise of judgment and expression of ideas, the
organization, logical analysis, and creative use of substantial bodies of knowledge
 Students are introduced to substantial and coherent bodies of historical, cultural,
literary or philosophical knowledge, as a means of increasing an understanding of
the complexities and varieties of human events.
 Techniques (mostly analytical) for understanding basic research building blocks and
how to apply these to real life circumstances
 Evaluating and analyzing the role of the history of slavery, segregation and the civil
rights movement in shaping the realities of contemporary African American society.
 Introducing students to the roles of the individual, the group, and conflicting
interests that result from other factors such as ideologies, religion, community
standards and other values.
 Critically examining strategies that can be adopted to improve opportunities of
African Americans in their respective communities.
GER Cultural Diversity Requirements: Lectures and reading assignments are geared
towards helping students understand;

The primary social and economic issues that affect groups, especially racial
minorities (and/or women).

The importance of historical context in trying to analyze real world issues such a
poverty, inequality, and unemployment in African American Communities.

The cross-cultural similarities between various groups in different societies with a
view to giving students a more global perspective on conditions, such as poverty.

The tools necessary for analysis and how to apply these methodologies and
concepts to further develop their ability to research group-specific issues.
A group project will help to improve the students’ capacities for organizing information
pertaining to the relevant groups, analyzing this data, observing similarities within
geographies, and drawing meaningful conclusions on the observations. This group project
helps to reinforce the criteria described under the GER requirements for Cultural Diversity
and Humanities. The following is a grading rubric for the group projects, which account for
35 percent of the course grade.
Grading Rubric for Group Project:
Criteria
Organization (20%)
Excellent (89 – 100)
A demonstration of the
ability to put together a
logical sequence of
thoughts using,
headings, sub-headings,
etc.
Good (75 – 88)
A demonstration of
ability to organize
the project, but
lacking in proper
division of the
presentation
Poor (Less than 75)
Evidence of lack of
proper focus – resulting
in a disorganized
presentation of thoughts
Procedure (15%)
The ability to follow
step-by-step instructions
very clearly.
Instructions followed
but not strictly.
Lack of focus.
Observation (15%)
A thoughtful and clear
description of collected
data; demonstration of
clarity.
Good description.
Poor description
Comparison (20%)
Ability to accurately
compare the correct
magnitudes in a manner
that demonstrates an
understanding of the
purpose.
Fairly good
comparison of the
magnitudes
described and
evidence of
understanding of the
purpose
Poor comparisons
Inference (20%)
Creativity in making
generalizations from
observed information
Good grasp of
outcomes but less
creative.
Careless generalizations.
Conclusion (10%)
A cohesive summary of
the key aspects of the
project.
Good summary.
Poor summary.