Critical Social Inquiry 0248 - Reading, Writing, Citizenship

The fight for equity in education is one of the most critical and enduring themes in the African American struggle to fully exercise their citizenship rights. This course will explore the ways in which local African American communities fought to create educational spaces for their children and for future generations. The class will begin with the dynamic struggle of Boston's African American community to desegregate public education during the pre-civil war decade and trace the varied strategies of educational leaders to broaden educational opportunities through the Reconstruction, Jim Crow and Civil Rights/Black Power eras. Readings will uncover hidden strategies for strengthening the academic programs in segregated Black schools, and increasing access to secondary and post secondary education available to Black students. The second half of the course will explore more overt strategies for educational advancement, such as the student led boycotts of the 1950s and 1960s and local campaigns history as well as primary sources, students will begin to identify specific research questions and develop their own research agenda. This course will require students to become familiar with resource materials found in the library research databases and in the W.E.B. Dubois Special Collection located at UMASS.

Power, Community and Social Justice Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.