College Offering African American History Course for First Time with In-depth Study Meant to Build Students’ Appreciation for All People
Article by: Mike Bratten
African American History, a course offered next spring for the first time at Del Mar College (DMC) through the Social Sciences Department, promises to be an exercise in discovery that’s unlike most other history courses.
People have probably learned about Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, but this class will introduce them to individuals they may not know about who are important in the country’s history.
“Someone like David Walker, who was protesting against slavery all the way back in the 1820s, and Esteban, who was here with (Spanish explorer) Cabeza de Vaca…he was one of the first black people to arrive in America.”
Topics covered in the course, HIST 2381, include:
- Origins of Africans in America in the 1500s – 1600s
- Development of an African American culture
- Realities of the slave experience
- Meanings of emancipation
- Long struggle for equality, justice and full citizenship
- Expressions of African American culture (print, graphic, music, film)
Historical documents related to African American history are key to the course, said Brian Hart, DMC professor of history, another instructor for the course. Students will examine letters, testimony from court cases, speeches, works of art, songs and other material they find on the internet, Del Mar’s William F. White, Jr. Library and other sources.
The textbook, “Freedom on my Mind: A History of African Americans with Documents,” is also part of the curriculum.
Students will find the course especially relevant considering current issues facing the country, Welch said.
“There was a time in history when you didn’t see the contributions of women or minorities. This class is an opportunity for students to get a more in-depth study, right up to the present day.
“When they see that everyone is part of this mosaic, they’ll probably have a greater appreciation for all people in the country, like Native Americans, African Americans, Chinese Americans and others.”
HIST 2381 is offered in spring 2018 and meets from 11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The course satisfies the 3-hour cultural and behavioral sciences component of the DMC core curriculum.
Early registration for spring 2018 classes is underway through Dec. 4. For admissions and registration information, visit www.delmar.edu/registration.
For more information about the course, contact Brian Hart at 361-698-1635 or bhart@delmar.edu; Lisa Welch at 361-698-1636 or lwelch@delmar.edu; or Dr. Dawson Barrett at 361-698-1630 or dbarrett2@delmar.edu.
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.