College Seminar - American History (102-7-20)

Topic

Race and the American Presidency

Instructors

Brett V. Gadsden
Harris Hall 209

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L28: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

Topic: Race and the American Presidency

How did Lyndon B. Johnson, a son of the Texas Hill Country and a product of the Jim Crow South, become the standard bearer of presidential liberalism? Against the backdrop of a rising tide of civil rights activism, this course explores a history of political reform—the passage of federal civil rights legislation that dealt a blow to Jim Crow and the enactment of the Great Society, which expanded the nation's social welfare net—and the nation's continuing struggle over the legacy of the 1960s.

Learning Objectives

Describe key concepts and issues related to the American presidency and the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Critically evaluate historical evidence regarding social movements and governmental institutions in effectuating policy reforms and societal changes.

Evaluation Method

Essays, class participation

Class Materials (Required)

Julian Zelizer, The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the Battle for The Great Society

Class Notes

History Areas of Concentration: Americas

Class Attributes

WCAS College Seminar