History of the Urban African American Experience
in the 20th Century:
From the Great Migration to the "Second Ghetto"
(History - 30 HIST 460 444 or
African American Studies - 30 AFAM 460 444)

Fritz Casey-Leininger
caseylcf@email.uc.edu
University of Cincinnati
College of Evening and Continuing Education
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Spring 2000
Professor Casey-Leininger comments:
This course is taught in one weekend, Friday evening through late Sunday afternoon, with significant pre- and post class independent work done by the students. In addition to class discussion, brief lectures, and videos, the class has two field trips that explore Cincinnati's first ghetto and its evolution and its much more massive post-World War II ghetto.

Enrollment is limited to juniors and seniors with 3.0 grade point average.

SYLLABUS

INTRODUCTION

The racial isolation and concentrated poverty of decaying slum-ghettos in American cities have become one of the most visible signs of the failure of American society to deal with our nation's persisting racism. There is also a larger and more successful black middle-class than at any time in American history, but largely living separate lives from the white middle-class except during the work day. This course will examine the complex interactions that have resulted in this situation including public policy choices, private choices made by millions of whites, and the desires of Black Americans for self determination.

The course will begin about 1900, when distinct African American ghettos began to emerge in American cities as blacks began leaving the rural south in large numbers for cities throughout the country, but particularly for northern cities - the "Great Migration." It will end at about 1980 by which time massive inner-city slum ghettos ("Second Ghettos") surrounded by more affluent white communities had solidified and the post-Civil Rights black middle-class had emerged.


COURSE PRE-REQUISITES

Eng. 103 or permission of instructor. All weekend courses offered through the Adult Scholars Accelerated Program (ASAP) require that the students enrolled have a strong academic record in order to assure that students can undertake the rigors of significant independent study as well as the intensity of the weekend experience itself. General knowledge of American history, including especially, African American history will be helpful, but all students capable of and willing to do serious academic work will find the course useful.


ASSIGNED READINGS

James R. Grossman
Land of Hope: Chicago, Black Southerners, and the Great Migration, University of Chicago Press, paperback edition, 1991.

Thomas J. Sugrue
Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit, Princeton University Press, 1997.
See also H-Urban book review at http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=14964881258202.

Rosemary L. Bray
Unafraid of the Dark: A Memoir, Anchor Books, 1998.
See also book review at http://www.yale.edu/yrb/winter98/review07.htm.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Due at first meeting of class, Friday, April 28.
Students who have not done these assignments will not be allowed to continue with the class.
  • Read Grossman, Land of Hope and Sugrue, Origins of the Urban Crisis, before the class meets for the first time on Friday, April 28.


  • Write a 4-5 page review of Grossman, Land of Hope, to be turned in at the first meeting on April 28. Keep a copy for your use during the class. See below for instructions on how to write a review. 30% of grade.


  • Prepare discussion notes for three chapters of Land of Hope, as assigned on April 1 to be turned in at the first meeting of the class. Keep a copy for your use during the class. Part of Land of Hope discussion grade, see below.
In Class Assignments
  • Active participation in all phases of the class. 10% of final grade.


  • Work with a small group of class members to lead a class discussion of the chapters Land of Hope for which you have prepared discussion notes. Your discussion will occur on Friday, April 28 or Saturday, April 29, depending on which chapters you were assigned. 10% of final grade.


  • In-class writing assignments on Sugrue, Origins of the Urban Crisis and discussion of this book in class. 10% of the final grade


  • Take Home Final Exam, due by 9 am, Tuesday, May 30. 40% of final grade:
    • 2-3 page essay on Bray, Unafraid of the Dark
    • 2-3 page essay on a choice of one of two questions distributed at the end of class on Sunday, April 30.

COURSE SCHEDULE
(May be adjusted as necessary.)

Friday, April 28
6:00-6:30 Introduction to course
6:30-7:00 Class discussion - African Americans in modern American cities
7:00-8:00 Lecture - Before the Ghetto: Urban African Americans in the 19th Century
8:00-8:15 Break
8:15-9:00 Land of Hope breakout groups
9:00-10:00 Discussion of Land of Hope, ch. 1-3


Saturday, April 29
9:00-9:15 Recap
9:15-10:15 Discussion of Land of Hope, ch. 4-6
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:30 Discussion of Land of Hope, ch. 7-9
11:30-12:00 Conclusions - Land of Hope
12:00-1:00 Lunch on your own
1:00-3:00 Field Trip - The West End: Cincinnati's first "ghetto"
3:00-3:15 Break
3:15-4:15 Lecture - Public Policy and Racial Segregation, 1900-1940
4:15-4:30 Break
4:30-6:00 Video and discussion - Goin' to Chicago (71 minutes)
6:00-6:30 Summation of day


Sunday, April 30
9:00-9:15 Recap
9:15-9:45 In-class writing assignment - review of Sugrue, Origins of the Urban Crisis
9:45-10:00 Break
10:00-11:00 Class discussion of Origins of the Urban Crisis
11:00-11:45 Making the Second Ghetto in Cincinnati
11:45-12:45 Lunch - on your own
12:45-2:45 Field Trip - Slum Clearance, Urban Redevelopment and the growth of Avondale's African American Community
2:45-3:00 Break
3:00-4:00 Lecture - Public Policy and the concentration of poverty and growth of racial isolation in America's inner cities.
4:00-4:15 Break
4:15-5:45 Throwaway People - video and discussion
5:45-6:30 Summation, directions for take home exam and create questions for take home exam.


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Syllabus prepared for archive 24 January 2001.