History 190: Writing and History

CUNY Queens College – Fall 2017

T/Th, 1:40-2:55, Powdermaker Hall 114

Professor Barry Goldberg

Email: bpgoldberg@gmail.com
Office: Powdermaker Hall 352T
Office Hours: 12:30-1:00 and by appointment

Course Description:
History 190 builds on the work of English 110 (College Writing 1) to teach the conventions of
writing in the discipline of history. Special attention will be paid to problems of evidence,
argument, and authority. Concentrating on one historical theme, students consider a discrete set
of primary and secondary sources and practice analyzing sources and constructing arguments in
clear, correct, and formal academic prose. Note: This course is NOT required for the history
major, but is highly recommended to serve as your 3-credit history elective.

Course Theme:
History 190 courses vary in topic. The topic for this course is The Civil Rights Movement. We
will examine primary and secondary texts about the origins, causes, course, and consequences of
the civil rights movement, focusing particularly on American politics and race relations during
the country’s classically-defined “postwar” period, 1945-1970.

Graded Assignments:

10 points – Key term definitions: One-paragraph definitions of several key people, places, and
events covered in course readings. Due: Th, 9/7 and T, 9/26

10 points – Response paper: A one-page paper summarizing and commenting on the main
argument of a short scholarly article. Due: T, 9/19

15 points – Analytical Essay: A 3-4 page analysis of course readings in response to a specific
prompt. Due: Th, 10/12

10 points – Primary Source Analysis #1: A 2-3 page analysis of a primary source using the rubric
provided in class. Due: Th, 10/19

10 points – Annotated bibliography: Find three articles or book chapter/essays related to your
primary source, and annotate each reading according to instructions. Due: Th, 11/16

25 points – Final Primary Source Analysis: A 6-7 page essay analyzing a primary source from
the QC Civil Rights Archive. The paper should use at least five outside sources (3 must be
secondary sources). Due: Th, 12/12 (last day of class)

20 points – Participation: Based on your completion of homework assignments, and engagement

in class activities (mainly discussions and group work).
Required readings:

 For purchase or rent at the QC Online Bookstore: Manning Marable, Race, Reform, and
Rebellion: The Second Reconstruction and Beyond in Black America, 1945-2006, 3rd edition,
(Jackson: University of Mississippi Press, 2007). Note: Please be sure to get this exact
edition. Use this ISBN # to find it: 9781578061549

 Handed out in class: Excerpts from Katherine Antonova, A Student’s Guide to Writing
History (New York: Oxford University Press, forthcoming)

 Excerpts of various scholarly books and articles as noted on the syllabus: These will be
posted on Blackboard. Please print them out and bring to class on the appropriate day. Note:
You must have access to Blackboard to complete assignments in this class. If you are having
trouble accessing Blackboard, contact the Queens College Help Desk (Dining Hall 151, 718-
997-4444, Helpdesk@qc.cuny.edu) or see the website:
http://www.qc.cuny.edu/Computing/helpdesk/Pages/Welcome.aspx

Class Policies:
 Work will be due every day. Missing class will negatively affect your participation grade.
 Late assignments or papers will not be accepted without documentation (doctor’s note, note
from work, DMV notice, etc). If you will miss class due to religious, military, or
athletic/team sport reasons, contact me ahead of time.
 Laptops are permitted for referring to online texts and/or note-taking only. Those using
laptops to distract others or for non-academic reasons will be asked to leave the class.
 Recording lectures electronically is prohibited.
 No extra credit/bonus points will be assigned.

Plagiarism:
Students who plagiarize will fail the class and be reported to the college. For the CUNY Policy
on Academic Integrity, see http://web.cuny.edu/academics/info-central/policies/academic-
integrity.pdf. For guidelines on what constitutes plagiarism, see
https://www.indiana.edu/~istd/definition.html

Students with disabilities:

Students needing academic accommodation should register with and provide documentation to
the Office of Special Services, Frese Hall 111. The Office of Special Services will provide a
letter for you to bring to your instructors indicating the need for accommodation and the nature
of it. This should be done during the first week of class. For more information about services
available to Queens College students, contact the Office of Special Services (718-997-5870) or
visit http://www.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/services/specialserv/Pages/default.aspx?

Extra help with grammar/ESL:

If you have significant problems with grammar, vocabulary, and/or punctuation, visit the Writing
Center (Kiely 229) to schedule visits with a tutor. The class will address grammar and
punctuation, but focuses on other elements of writing. Students who do not yet have a college-
level grasp of grammar and punctuation will need additional help.
 Class Schedule
**Note: This schedule is subject to change as the semester proceeds**

T, 8/29 Course Introduction: What is History? What is Writing History?

Th, 8/31 Setting the Stage: The “First” Reconstruction

Due:
 Bring in what you consider a good piece of writing.
 In one paragraph, explain why you like your piece of writing, and discuss how it might differ
from the type of writing you will do in this class.

T, 9/5 Defining Key Terms: The Origins of the “Second” Reconstruction

Due:
 Read Clark Hine, 541 (“On the Eve of War”)  558 (stop at “The Transition to Peace”)
 Read Antonova, 4.1  4.6 (stop at “Revising Filling Your Sentences”)
 Select ONE of the following people Clark Hine profiles:
o Steven Robinson
o Mabel K. Staupers
o Bayard Rustin
 Using Antonova’s guidelines, write a one-paragraph definition of your person.

Th, 9/7 Revising Key Terms: Cold War Civil Rights

Due:
 Read Antonova, 4.6  4.10 (stop at “Exam-taking strategy”)
 Read Marable, 17  37
 Using Antonova’s guidelines (and the rubric from Tuesday’s class), revise your definition.

T, 9/12 Reading for Comprehension: Note-Taking and Summarizing

Due:
 Read Antonova, 5.1  5.4 (stop at “From Noticing to Responding”)
 Read Alan Brinkley, “American Liberals: Fighting for a Better World”
 Using Antonova’s guidelines, take notes on the Brinkley essay and bring them to class

Th, 9/14 Reading for Comprehension: Quoting and Revising

Due:
 Read Antonova:
o 5.4 (“Responding”)  5.5 (stop at “Revising: Structure and Weight”)
o 5.6 (“Revising: Showing Not Telling”) 5.7.1 stop at “Confusing Related Terms”)
o 5.7.2 (“Verbs”)  5.8 (stop at “Revising: Cutting More Crap”)
o 5.9 (“Revising: Testing Your Draft”)  End of Chapter 5.
 Rough draft of one-page summary of Brinkley
 OPTIONAL (we will go over this in class, but if you want a head start):
o “Quotation and Annotation”
(http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/Writing/history/skills/quotation.html)
o “Basic Quotes and Footnotes (Chicago System)”
(http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/Writing/history/skills/chicago.html)
T, 9/19 The Roads to Brown and Montgomery
Due:
 Final one-page summary of Brinkley article
 Annotate Marable, 38  58
 Define one of the following terms from the reading:
o Brown v. Board of Education
o Orval Faubus
o George Wallace
o Richard Wright
o The Nation of Islam

Th, 9/21 NO CLASS

T, 9/26 The Kennedy Years

Due:
 Annotate Marable, 59  75 (stop at “IV”)
 Key term assignment

Th, 9/28 1964

Due:
 Annotate Newman, 90 (“The Civil Rights Act of 1964”)  110 (stop at “Northern Protests”)
 Antonova, 6.1  6.3 (stop at “Brainstorming: Evidence”)

T, 10/3 The Analytical Essay

Due:
 Select one of the essay questions.
 Read Antonova, 6.3 (“Brainstorming: Evidence”)  6.5 (stop at “Drafting: Argument-Based
Outlining”)
 Bring/post a list of passages, page numbers, or quotes from any of our readings that relate to
your question.

Th, 10/5 Taking a Stand

Due:
 Read Antonova, 6.5  6.6 (stop at “Revising: Logic”)
 Bring a draft of your analytical essay to class

T, 10/10 Revising
Due:
 Read Antonova, 6.5  the end of Chapter 6
 Bring a revised draft of your analytical essay to class
Th, 10/12 Analyzing Primary Sources, Part I
Due:
 Final draft of analytic essay
 Read Antonova, 9.1  9.5 (up to “Finding Subtext”)
 Skim one of the following primary sources (posted on Blackboard) and bring it to class:
o The Federal Government Calls Segregation an International Embarrassment (1957)
o Southern Congressmen Protest Supreme Court Decision (1956)
o Melba Pattillo Beals Recalls Her First Days at Little Rock Central High School
(1957)
o MLK Writes from His Jail Cell (1963)
o Malcolm X Warns: The Ballot or the Bullet (1964)
o George Wallace Calls the Civil Rights Movement a Fraud, Sham, and Hoax (1964)
o Civil Rights Act of 1964 (1964)

T, 10/17 Analyzing Primary Sources, Part II

Due:
 Bring a rough draft of your primary source analysis to class. Using proper citation,
incorporate at least one quote from one of our readings to support your analysis.

Th, 10/19 Visit to the Queens College Civil Rights Archive

Due:
 Final draft of primary source analysis #1

T, 10/24 Black Power

Due:
 Annotate Marable, 84 111
 Write a one paragraph definition of “Black Power”

Th, 10/26 Expanding Civil Rights: Stonewall and Gay Rights

Due:
 Reading TBD

T, 10/31 Expanding Civil Rights: Women and Other Minorities

Due:
 Annotate ONE of the following:
o Nancy MacLean, “Title VII and the Fight Against Workplace Sex Discrimination,”
and Alice Echols, “Women’s Liberation and Sixties Radicalism” OR
o Ariel Arnau, “Put a Sticker on It: Civil Rights, Bilingual Voting and Puerto Ricans in
Philadelphia in the 1970s,” Centro Journal, Volume XXVVII, No. 1, Spring 2015

Th, 11/2 Historiography

Due:
 Annotate Timothy Tyson, “Robert Williams: Change from the Bottom Up” and John D.
Skrentny, “The Minority Rights Revolution: Top Down and Bottom Up”
 Read Antonova, 8.1  8.3.1b (stop at “Templates for More than Two Authors”)
 Using Antonova’s list of verbs on page 277, list three ways the essays differ
T, 11/7 Finding Secondary Sources and Primary Source Share
Due:
 Bring in at least one source from the QC Civil Rights Archive
 Write down one course reading (secondary sources only for now) that relates to your source

Th, 11/9 Building an Annotated Bibliography

Due:
 Using the QC library website, identify ONE additional secondary source that relates to your
primary source. Bring this source to class (check out the book or print out the article)
 On a sheet of paper, cite the source in complete and correct Chicago Bibliography style. For
the correct format, see http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/Writing/history/skills/bibliographies.html
**Note: Friday, 11/10 is the last day to withdraw from the course with a grade of “W”**

T, 11/14 Writing an Annotated Bibliography

Due:
 Using the QC library website, identify ONE additional secondary source that relates to your
primary source.
 Bring your THREE sources to class.
 One your annotated bibliography handout, list your THREE secondary sources with some
explanation of how they relate

Th, 11/16 Progress Meetings/Next Steps

Due:
 Annotated Bibliography
 Consider for the break: do you need to find other sources (either primary or secondary) that
relate to your primary source? If so, why?

T, 11/21 No Class – Classes Follow a Friday Schedule

Th, 11/23 No Class – Thanksgiving

T, 11/28 Civil Rights in an Age of Conservatism

Due:
 Annotate Newman, 134  158

Th, 11/30 Finding Context and Significance

Due:
 Read Antonova, 9.8 and 4.5
 Bring in a list of at least TWO (2) historical questions your source relates to. Be as specific
as possible.
 Bring in your secondary sources and your primary source.

T, 12/5 Paper Revisions: Context and Significance

Due:
 Full draft of primary source interpretation – it should cite at least FIVE additional sources (at
least three must be secondary sources, and two not from class)
Th, 12/7 Paper Revisions: Coherence and Style
Due:
 Read Antonova, Appendix 1 – keep these rules/reminders in mind when editing.

T, 12/12 Final Primary Source Analysis due/Course conclusions and wrap-up