HIST 615: Problems in American History
HIST 615-006: 20thC African American History
(Spring 2026)
07:20 PM to 10:00 PM R
Innovation Hall 316
Section Information for Spring 2026
How did African Americans navigate modernity? How did the long shadow of enslavement shape how they pursued equality and justice in the 20th century? How did the rise of mass culture complicate, compound, and sometimes invigorate the fight against Jim Crow segregation? How did African Americans claim and reclaim public space as well as land/real estate during the Jim Crow era? This readings course examines the cultural history of African Americans in the 20th-century United States. Throughout the semester, the course will explore how African Americans not only adapted to modern America but also transformed it through engagement and activism in the face of racism and racial discrimination. The readings encompass a wide range of topics, including the contested collective memories of enslavement, new religious movements, African American cinema, mobility and travel, underground economies, race and recreation, Black expressive culture, and the cultural politics of African American music.
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Course Information from the University Catalog
Credits: 1-6
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
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