Motivation to Teach Social Action:
I teach courses in US History. We deal with the theme of what it has meant to be an "American" over time in all my courses. I also want my students to become more civically engaged; to question more about themselves, their neighborhoods, and the society in which they live; and to understand that real patriotism is about challenging entrenched authority for the purpose of making the country better for all people, especially those who are marginalized and discriminated against. Protest has been essential to patriotism since before the nation's founding.
Course Description:
This course examines the thoughts and actions of African Americans from the era of Reconstruction to the present. This course will employ the analytical lenses of race, gender, and class to illustrate how African Americans have helped shape the history of the United States since the end of the Civil War. Students will read primary sources and learn methods of historical analysis. Important topics include the Emergence of Jim Crow, the Great Migrations and Urban Development, the Black Women's Club Movement, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement and "massive resistance," Black Power ideology, and the role of people of African origins in the post-civil rights era.
Taught By:
Kristopher Burrell
Professor (As of August 28, 2026)
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Hostos Community College
Read profile here.