Critical Social Inquiry 0217 - Reconstruction: Struggles for Land, Labor and Leisure

Reconstruction represents one of the nation's most dramatic battles to redefine the meanings of freedom and U.S. citizenship. This course will begin during the Civil War or what W.E.B. Dubois called the "rehearsal for reconstruction." We will explore how freedmen and women organized to make their newly free status have meaning in several arenas. These arenas include Freedmen and women's rights to enjoy the fruits of their own labors, access to land, public education, and the time and freedom to enjoy leisure, express joy and engage in artistic production. Students will read historical literature of this period, as well as historical newspapers, and primary documents, such as Freedmen's Bureau records. Students will deepen their understanding of Reconstruction scholarship, its potential meaning for current debates about democracy, as well as a strong grasp of historical methods. Keywords:African American History, US history, Reconstruction, labor history, agricultural history

Students should expect to spend 6-8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time