79-374 Inequality, Social Justice, and the Black Urban Experience: 1930s to 2010s
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
Since the 2016 Presidential Election, politicians, journalists, and academics have looked upon the white working class as the key to understanding the historic boom and bust cycles of American capitalism. Whats left out of this discussion is a crucial component to the American political economyblack workers. AfricanAmericans contribution to the economy spans four hundred years, from the initial settlement of the American continent down through the present day. Throughout this period, black Americans found the courage and creativity to construct their own complex body of political ideas about the contradictory nature between democracy and capitalism. In effect, black Americans made their own history. The legacy of black workers also teaches us that the understanding of race is intimately intertwined with the understanding of class. Throughout this course, we will talk about a wide spectrum of AfricanAmerican leaders, intellectuals, organizations and institutions spanning from the Great Depression to the todays postindustrial era. This course is, thus, constructed around the voices and languages used by black people themselves. The key issues to be discussed are the rise of organized labor, urbanization and segregation, and law enforcement.
Prerequisites: none listed
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