San Diego Community College District Page 1

Course Syllabus

BLAS 100 (63156)

INTRO TO BLACK STUDIES
2010 - FALL

INSTRUCTOR: DARIUS SPEARMAN

TELEPHONE: (619) 388-3187
E-MAIL VIA WEBCT

OFFICE HOURS: MON & WED 9:30-11:00AM;

TUE & THUR 11:05AM-12:35PM
AND BY APPOINTMENT,
ROOM A-1(E)

CLASS MEETS: FROM 8/23/2010 TO 12/18/2010;

ROOM WEB

ADVICE: English 51 and passing score on English 51 exit exam

THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Students will be notified of syllabus changes during a regularly scheduled class. It will be the students’ responsibility
to ensure they possess the latest version of the class syllabus.

NOTE: Controversial subjects may be the topic of discussion or readings.

WHAT’S INSIDE:
REQUIRED TEXTS................................................................................................................................................................. 2
COURSE DESCRIPTION & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ................................................................................................ 2
COURSE REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
ATTENDANCE AND GRADING .............................................................................................................................................. 3
HONEST ACADEMIC CONDUCT ............................................................................................................................................ 4
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) STATEMENT........................................................................................................... 4
COURSE SCHEDULE ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
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Course Syllabus

REQUIRED TEXTS
• Brown, Scot. Fighting for Us: Maulana Karenga, the US Organization, and Black Cultural
Nationalism., NYU Press, 2005, ISBN: 0814798780 (Available freely at NetLibrary)
• Henry, Charles. Long Overdue: The Politics of Racial Reparations, NYU Press, 2009, ISBN:
0814737412 (Available freely at NetLibrary)
• ONLINE READINGS (POSTED IN BLACKBOARD)
1. Colon, Alan, “Black Studies: Historical Background, Modern Origins, and Development
Priorities for the Early Twenty First Century.”
2. Rooks, Noliwe M., White Money/Black Power: The Surprising History of African American
Studies and the Crisis of Race in Higher Education (Chatpter 1)
3. Dyson, Michael Eric, The Michael Eric Dyson Reader (Introduction)
4. Outterson, Kevin, “Slave Taxes.”
5. Asante, Molefi Kete, “The African American Warrant for Reparations: The Crime of European
Enslavement of Africans and Its Consequences.”
6. Winbush, Raymond A., “And the Earth Moved: Stealing Black Land in the United States.”
7. Westley, Robert, “Many Billions Gone: Is It Time to Reconsider the Case for Black
Reparations?”
8. Rooks, Noliwe M., White Money/Black Power: The Surprising History of African American
Studies and the Crisis of Race in Higher Education (Chatpter 5)
9. Voeks, Robert. “African Medicine And Magic In The Americas”

COURSE DESCRIPTION & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course is a survey of the Black Studies discipline including its social and academic origins, goals and
development. Emphasis is placed on providing students with an understanding of the fundamental areas of
study within the field and of the interdisciplinary approach to studying the African experience in America
and the world. This course is intended for students who wish to major in Black Studies and/or who wish to
gain general knowledge of the Black experience.

Upon successful completion of the course the student will have gained experience in:

1. Explain the origins and relevance of Black Studies as a discipline and analyze the ways in which its
interdisciplinary scope has affected the development of topics and trends in the field.
2. Describe, compare and contrast Nile Valley, Western Sudanic and Moorish civilizations and explain
the decline of early African societies.
3. Set up a timeline to illustrate the experience of Africans in America from enslavement through the
Civil War and Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement and the struggles of the late 20th century.
4. Compare and contrast ancient African religious traditions with subsequent and contemporary Black
Christian and Islamic traditions.
5. Use historical and current data to assess contemporary issues related to Blacks in American society,
politics, economics and business.
6. Analyze the history of Black artistic, musical and literary expression from its African origins to the
present.
7. Distinguish among the traditional, reformist and radical schools of Black psychology.
8. Evaluate contemporary academic, political and intellectual challenges and possibilities facing the
discipline of Black Studies.
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Course Syllabus

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
4 Response Papers (50 points each)
Write a 500-700 word typed paper on a prompt to be determined in class. To adequately address each
question, we would suggest a minimum of 3 main points explored in a fair amount of detail. The
assigned readings should be sufficient to adequately address the topic, and should be the only materials
referenced in your essays. DO NOT CITE FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES.
Key points must be supported and cited with evidence from the required readings. You MUST cite from
at least two sources per paper – i.e. (Author, p. 10). Allow the material to speak to you and for you.
Doing so should also permit you to be creative in how you piece the material together. Be SPECIFIC in
your answer. Eliminate the following words from your vocabulary: “this,” “these,” “that,” “they,” “its.”
Please see the Response Paper Grading Rubric for specific details on how you will be assessed for this
assignment.
Optional Honors Paper (100 Points) *
Write a 7-10 page research paper on the topic of your choice. Your paper should include no less than
four print sources such as books or scholarly journals – no more than two of those sources may be from
texts used in the classroom. Please discuss and clear your topic with me by 9/24/2010.

Class Discussion/Participation (300 Points)

Your participation in the weekly discussions, your ability to answer questions, and to initiate dialogue
based on the required readings, will be graded. Each student is expected to have read the assignments
and have given them careful thought. You will be given a weekly prompt for discussion and will be
graded based on the posted rubric. Each week’s discussion is worth 20 points.

Computer Skills Advisory

Enter level of computer skills expected or types of assignments requiring computer skills. (In most
college courses students are expected to have a basic familiarity with computer terms and use: word
processing, document manipulation, spreadsheets, email, and online services. These skills can be
learned at any of the colleges or Continuing Education.)

ATTENDANCE AND GRADING

Attendance Requirements
Students may be dropped after four (4) week without an active log in OR after having missed four (4)
assignments. The 4 week/4 assignment rule is at my discretion, though, so please keep me informed of
any issues as they arise and allow me to help you work through them.
It is the student’s responsibilisty to drop all classes in which he/she is no longer participating.
• Deadline to drop classes with no “W” recorded is 9/3/2010.
• Withdrawal deadline is 10/29/2010. No drops may be accepted after this date. Students who
remain enrolled in a class beyond the published withdrawal deadline, as stated in the class
schedule, will receive an evaluative letter grade in this class.

*
Please contact the Honors Department for details in room A1-N (619) 388-3512, or http://www.sdcity.edu/honors/.
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Course Syllabus

Grading will be on a point scale and will be assigned as follows:

REGULAR SCALE HONORS OPTION*

A = 500-450 Points A = 600-540 Points
B = 449-400 Points B = 539-480 Points
C = 399-350 Points C = 479-420 Points
D = 349-300 Points D = 419-360 Points
F < 300 Points F < 360 Points
Points for individual assignments will be broken down as follows:
• Response Papers: 200 points
• In-Class Discussion/Participation: 300 points
• Optional Honors Paper: 100 *
Credit/No Credit
Beginning Fall 2009, the title “credit/no credit” will change to “pass/no pass” in accordance with Titl
e 5, section 55022.

All assignments are considered by the posted due date:

LATE WORK WILL BE FORGIVEN ONCE (FOR ANY REASON) – AFTER THAT NO LATE WORK WILL BE
ACCEPTED

HONEST ACADEMIC CONDUCT

Students are expected to be honest and ethical at all times in their pursuit of academic goals. Students
who are found in violation of district Procedure 3100.3, Honest Academic Conduct, will receive a zero
(0) grade on the assignment in question with no opportunity to make up the grade. Additionally students
may be referred for disciplinary action in accordance with Procedure 3100.2, Student Disciplinary
Procedures. This policy applies to all work submitted in class or online including, but not limited to,
emails, discussion postings, assignments, essays, and exams.

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) STATEMENT

Please meet with me to discuss any academic accommodations that may be necessary for students with
disabilities. An alternate from of this syllabus and other class handouts is available upon request. Further
accommodations can be made upon arrangement with myself and the Department of Disability Support
Programs and Services (DSPS), Room A-115 (619) 388-3513

*
Please contact the Honors Department for details in room A1-N (619) 388-3512, or http://www.sdcity.edu/honors/.
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Course Syllabus

COURSE SCHEDULE

UNIT 1: AFRICANA STUDIES (5 WEEKS)

Week Date Topic Assignment
Week 1 Aug 23 - Aug 29 Introductions (Ungraded Topic)
Week 2 Aug 30 - Sep 5 Discussion 01: The Development of Africana Studies Online Reading #1; Colon,
Article
Week 3 Sep 6 - Sep 12 Discussion 02: Black Studies In Liberal Arts Education Online Reading #2;
Rooks, Ch 1
Week 4 Sep 13 - Sep 19 Discussion 03: Why Become an Intellectual? Online Reading #3; Dyson
Week 5 Sep 20 - Sep 26 Discussion 04: African Centered Education Brown, Ch 1

UNIT 2: THE ROOTS OF THE TREE – A BIT OF HISTORY (4 WEEKS)

Week 6 Sep 27 – Oct 3 Discussion 05: Early Africa in Historical Context Online Reading #4;
Outterson, pp. 135-149
Response Paper 1 Due
Week 7 Oct 4 - Oct 10 Discussion 06: The Shaping of Black America Online Reading #5;
Asante, pp. 3-13
Week 8 Oct 11 - Oct 17 Discussion 07: Assessment of Reconstruction Online Reading #6;
Winbush, pp. 46-54
Online Reading #7; 109-
134
Week 9 Oct 18 - Oct 24 Discussion 08: Conservative Backlash: Challenge of Online Reading #8; Rooks,
Conservatism Ch 5

UNIT 3: Black Culture and Artistic Traditions (5 Weeks)

Week 10 Oct 25 - Oct 31 Discussion 09: Healing as Resistance Online Reading #9; Voeks
Response Paper 2 Due
Week 11 Nov 1 - Nov 4 Discussion 10: Cultural Nationalism Brown, Ch. 2 &3

Week 12 Nov 8 - Nov 14 Discussion 11: The Politics of Culture Brown, Ch. 4 & 5

Week 13 Nov 15 - Nov 21 Discussion 12: DN! Amiri Baraka on the Black Arts Brown, Ch. 6 & 7
Movement
Week 14 Nov 22 - Nov 28 **Thanksgiving Holliday**

UNIT 4: Reparations and Healing (3 Weeks)

Week 15 Nov 29 - Dec 5 Discussion 13: What is Reparations? Henry, Ch.1 & 2
Response Paper 3 Due
Week 16 Dec 6 - Dec 12 Discussion 14: Randall Robinson on DN! "Bush Was Henry, Ch. 3, 4 & 5
Responsible for Destroying Haitian Democracy"
Week 17 Dec 13 - Dec 19 Discussion 15: A True Revolution Henry, Ch. 6 & Epilogue
Response Paper 4 Due