How Do Americans Feel About Racial Inequality?

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The course "How Do Americans Feel About Racial Inequality?" examines citizens' perceptions of racial inequity throughout history. More specifically, the class investigates the tactics and strategies that political leaders have used to influence the racial perceptions of the mass public. Through the examination of the Reconstruction Era, the Civil Rights Movement, and former presidents, this class will explore the evolution and subtleties of racial attitudes. We will read from authors and activists like Frederick Douglass, Fanny Lou Hamer, SNCC, John Lewis, Martin Luther King, and Dick Gregory. Specific topics discussed are the Southern strategy, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Dixiecrats, racial resentment, stereotypes, and dog-whistle politics.