American Culture 305/CAAS 358.001/History 468.001
Asians and Blacks in Detroit
Scott Kurashige
Course Description
This interdisciplinary course is designed to link the study of Detroit’s past, present, and future. It offers students an opportunity to gain an in-depth perspective on the issues of racism, poverty, political activism, and community organizing among African Americans, Asian Americans, and other diverse groups in Detroit. First, we will study what the historian Thomas Sugrue has called the “origins of the urban crisis.” We will examine the effects of deindustrialization and racism in the post–World War II era alongside the emergence of social movements. Second, we will study the different ways that politicians, corporations, community activists, and grassroots residents interpret the “urban crisis” and analyze the solutions they propose. Third, we will engage in projects that will promote an understanding of how people in Detroit seek to promote social justice through education and neighborhood revitalization.
This is a non-traditional, academic/community service-learning course which is part of the university’s Brown v. Board of Education Theme Semester. Detroit will serve as our site to study the legacy of racism and segregation fifty years after the Brown decision. In particular, we will focus on three sub-themes: education, redevelopment, and urban culture (with a focus on music and poetry). Our learning process will combine study and research with concrete involvement in community organizations and activities. Through this process, we will better appreciate how and why certain perceptions of Detroit have developed over the decades, how these perceptions shape life and politics in Detroit, and what can be and is being done to generate new perceptions and visions of Detroit.
The Theme Semester provides us with unique opportunities to study Detroit history and politics from an up-close perspective that is usually not possible in university courses. However, in order to take advantage of these opportunities, it is absolutely necessary for each student to be prepared for a demanding range of activities this semester. This is especially important because much of our work will be done in groups, where each student’s contributions are vital. Therefore, I am asking each student to make a commitment to the special demands of this course or choose another course if you feel this class does not suit you at this time. In addition to reviewing the course requirements, be sure to read carefully through this list of special factors before deciding to commit to this course.
1. In order to participate in the multiple facets of this class, you will be required to do things beyond the scheduled meeting time in the class schedule. Thus, if you are engaged in activities that make your schedule inflexible, it will be very difficult for you to adjust to the demands of this course.
2. We will meet in Detroit regularly, and you will find it necessary to travel to the city for research purposes and volunteer activities. Thus, you must either have your own from of transportation, have access to other forms of transportation (e.g. carpool), or make arrangements to use UM resources (e.g. Ginsberg Center).
3. Collaborative work is essential to this course. Some students find working in groups to be frustrating, time consuming, and/or unfair. However, learning how to develop your ability to learn from and cooperate with others is a primary goal in this course.
4. You will be assessed on your ability to think critically and creatively. Class assignments will focus on analyzing social issues and problems for which there are no easy or automatic solutions. There is no midterm or final exam, but this also means this is not a class which you can “cram” for.
5. You must keep up with weekly readings and assignments in this course. This is necessary not only to achieve a satisfactory grade, but for two more important reasons: 1) to be prepared for class discussions, presentations, and field trips; and 2) to contribute to your group’s projects.
6. Please check email and/or coursetools website for possible last minute changes on days with severe weather.
Required Readings
Thomas Sugrue, The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit (1996)
Joe T. Darden, et al., Detroit: Race and Uneven Development (1987)
Grace Lee Boggs, Living for Change: An Autobiography (1998)
Coursepack (Readings denoted with *)
You will also need to keep up with the following newspapers during the semester:
Detroit Free Press (http://www.freep.com)
Detroit News (http://www.detnews.com)
Michigan Citizen (http://www.michigancitizen.com)
Michigan Chronicle (http://www.michiganchronicle.com)
Metro Times (http://www.metrotimes.com)
Course Requirements
1) Book Review (10 points)
Read the The Origins of the Urban Crisis by Thomas Sugrue. Then write a 3–5 page paper analyzing the book and its implications. Submit your document before the start of class on FRIDAY, JANUARY 16 to coursetools.ummu.umich.edu.
a) The first half of your paper should answer these questions:
How should we define the “urban crisis”? According to Sugrue, what caused the “urban crisis”? In your opinion, what makes Sugrue’s argument convincing or not convincing?
b) The second half of your paper should answer these questions:
How and why did this book change (or not change) your understanding of Detroit’s history? In your opinion, what do you think needs to be done to remedy the problems of the “urban crisis” in Detroit? What kinds of resources are needed to develop these solutions? How can you envision these goals being accomplished?
2) Online Journal (15 points)
Before the beginning of class each week, post a one page response to the weekly questioned assigned by the instruction. All posts will be housed on the class Web site at coursetools.ummu.umich.edu.
3) Class Participation (20 points)
Participation is a large component of your overall grade. As this is a seminar-style course, regular attendance and participation in class discussions are mandatory. Repeated absences and/or tardies will severely lower your grade. You are expected to have assigned readings completed before coming to class that day. Your ability to engage in an informed discussion of the readings will also weigh heavily upon your grade for participation.
The January 17 tour is a required component of the course. Thus, if you cannot attend and have a legitimate excuse, you must make arrangements for a make-up assignment.
Each student must also attend at least one Wednesday evening community discussion with Detroit Summer (Jan. 28, Feb. 4, and Feb. 11).
4) Group Projects (50 points)
We will engage in four related activities to promote interaction with the campus and the broader Detroit community. The entire class consists of one team, which is collectively responsible for the successful completion of the four projects. Everyone will receive the same grade based on the collective work done on all of the projects:
Co-sponsor Detroit Chinatown Community Organizing Mini-conference
Co-sponsor Community Event for 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board
Co-sponsor On-Campus Forum for 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board
Cooperative work with CAAS 487/COMM 458.003 on Web sites and radio documentaries
5) Direct Service (5 points plus 15 bonus points)
In addition to work done on class assignments, each student is required to contribute six volunteer hours for the Loud and Clear Media Center. You can receive 5 bonus points by volunteering 10 additional hours with the media center or any other project listed on the class list. You can receive 10 more bonus points (15 total bonus points) by volunteering 20 additional hours or more with the media center or any other project listed on the class list. You must complete all other course requirements satisfactorily to be eligible for bonus points.
Community Discussions with Detroit Summer
We have arranged these community discussions so that all students would have a unique opportunity to interact with Detroit neighborhood residents and activists on the sub-themes of the course.
Weds, January 28 Rebuilding Detroit from the Ground Up
Weds, February 4 Dialogue with Detroit High School Students
Weds, February 11 Music and Culture in Detroit
Class Schedule
January 9
Introductions
Video: “Inner City Blues”
January 16: Urban Segregation (Meet in Ann Arbor)
Sugrue, Origins of the Urban Crisis, introduction and chapters 1–2, 4–5, 8
Saturday, January 17: Tour of Detroit
January 23: Freedom Schooling (Meet in Detroit)
Helping Health Workers Learn
Boggs, Freedom Schooling
January 30: Redevelopment and Historic Preservation
Video: Poletown Lives
Darden, Detroit: Race and Uneven Development, chapters 1, 2 5
February 6: Racial Violence
Video: Who Killed Vincent Chin?
Read:
Sugrue, chapter 9
*Helen Zia, “Detroit Blues” from Asian American Dreams
Grace Lee Boggs, Living for Change, foreword, introduction, chapters 1, 4 and 7
February 13: Community Building and Urban Revitalization
Meet at Boggs Center
Video: Dudley Street
Read: Grace Lee Boggs, Living for Change, chapters 5, 6, 8, 9
Meet at the James and Grace Lee Boggs Center to Nurture Community Leadership
February 20: Migration and Integration
Oral Histories
Darden, chapter 4
Progress Report
February 27: No Class
March 5: Organizing
Charles M. Payne, excerpt from I’ve Got the Light of Freedom
Discussion/Workshop on organizing
March 12: Hip Hop, Spoken Word and Local Music
Guest performance/dialogue: Blair, Invincible, and Lisa Hunter
March 19: Schools
Visit Cass Tech High School
Read: Darden Chs. 6 & 7
March 26: Civil Rights and Black Power
Video: Finally Got the News
Guest: Rick Feldman
Meet at the On Leong/Chung’s building in old Chinatown
April 2: Tour of the Motown Museum
April 8: Deadline for On Campus Forum
April 9: Urban Farming
Fieldwork at F.A.R.M. on Parkhurst near John R
April 16: Neighborhood Revitalization
Fieldwork in Detroit Summer’s urban garden
Join Detroit Summer’s Loud and Clear Media Center
Conversations in Detroit
A 3-Part Series on the State of Social Justice in Our Communities
January 28 “Putting the Neighbor Back in the ‘Hood’”:
Rebuilding Detroit from the Ground Up
Are more casinos, stadiums, freeways and convention centers the answer to Detroit problems? How can people at the grassroots shape what gets built and what gets torn down in our city? Grace Lee Boggs and architect Greg Vendena engage in a discussion with youth, community activists, and you on alternative models for revitalizing the city that emphasize human needs, community relations, and ecological sustainability.
February 4 50 Years after Brown v. Board of Education:
Youth Speak Out on the State of Public Education
In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional? What is the legacy of segregation and the civil rights movement today? Detroit high school students lead a discussion with parents, teachers, and community activists about the conditions in their schools and what must be done to ensure quality education for all.
February 11 “Crabs in a Bucket to Creating Cultural Community”:
Music and Culture in Detroit
Detroit is known for its rich musical and cultural history, however, many artists have had to leave the city in order to gain recognition and/or respect. Despite this phenomenon, there are people working to unite the creative community. We will meet with some of these people, explore the dilemma, and discuss ways we can continue to build a productive and prosperous cultural community.
All Events on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Detroit Summer Youth Space, Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation
Detroit Summer’s Loud and Clear Media Center needs your input. We are developing and independent media center where youth and community members can develop the technological know-how and critical thinking skills to create their own films, music, Web sites, publications, and more.