Austin Jews in the Civil Rights Era ANT 325U; JS 364; AMS 324J T/TH 12:30-2:00; Zoom Mtg. FALL 2020 Suzanne Seriff, Ph.D Office Hours: 11:00-12:00 T TH by appt on zoom Phone: 512 471-0816 [email protected] Course Description: This season marks the 50th anniversary of a pivotal moment on college campuses anD civil rights activism arounD the nation anD across the globe. Austin Jews in the Civil Rights Era asks the question: What role DiD Longhorn anD Austin Jews play in the social changes of the 1960s anD early 70s—both on campus and beyond? Revolution was in the air on college campuses in the 1960s anD early 70s – UT incluDed. De-segregation sit-ins, free love, anti-war protests, feminism, flower power, counter-culture were the (Dis)orDer of the Day. Were UT Jews allies or activists? Greeks or geeks? Feminists or Princesses? AnD what was the relationship between the campus anD the wiDer Austin community? What about Austin’s Jewish merchants, bankers, lawyers, businessmen, synagogue leaDers, anD artist/entertainers? How were they involveD in the movements for equity, justice anD peace? StuDents will learn the art of oral history anD Digital storytelling to uncover the untold tales of Austin’s Jewish community in the Age of Aquarius. In this course, we will examine a small piece of Austin’s historical development, thinking critically about how history is researcheD, written anD presenteD to public audiences. With a focus on civil rights activism in the Austin Jewish community of the 1960s anD ‘70s, we will Document stories of inclusion in a multi-meDia Digital storytelling map that we hope will become a foundation for UT’s interdisciplinary and cross-racial research on this era in Austin’s civil right’s history. Seriff, Fall 2020 2 Austin Jews in the Civil Rights Era In the process, we will explore not only the impact of national civil rights struggles on UT’s campus anD the wiDer Austin Jewish community, but also the involvement of Austin Jews in the struggle anD the resistance. Our job will be to uncover some of the ways in which national protest marches, sit- ins, anD other strategies for Direct action catalyzeD local action here in Austin, anD the ways that local strategies became moDels for national movements. As a class we will research anD Discuss the legacy of these milestones anD commemorations, builD connections with inDiviDuals anD organizations that continue to be involveD in activism, anD then work as a team to share our finDings with the larger Austin community. Experiential Learning Component As you can see, this course includes activities that can be described as “experiential,” a type of active learning that engages you in your own decision-making about how to conceive, shape, anD proDuce your project. The activities leaDing up to the creation of the Digital story map, anD its public presentation, are all baseD on hanDs-on, experience-based practice. You will do some of these activities on your own anD some will be completeD as part of a team. Regardless, the goal is to support you in making your own Decisions about how to proceeD anD then ask you to reflect on the trajectory of your project. DiD it go as you expecteD? What was unexpected? What did you learn? What did you learn about what techniques work anD which Don’t work as well well? You have probably heard some of your teachers talk about learning from failure – hard as it may be to believe, in this course you can stumble anD still get a gooD graDe. I will evaluate the process of your Doing anD learning, not just the product. After all, once out of college or graDuate school, you will have only yourself to guiDe your learning what you neeD to have a happy anD successful life. Here are some of the experiential learning components of our course: • You will have the opportunity to conDuct original archival research on a specific topic of your choice within our larger class themes, making use of archival resources at worlD-class research institutions such as the Dolph Briscoe Center of American History, the Austin History Center, and the Harry Ransom Center. • You will have a chance to learn one of the most important tools of the public historian’s trade—oral history. Each stuDent will have an Seriff, Fall 2020 3 Austin Jews in the Civil Rights Era opportunity to conDuct anD transcribe an oral history with a member of Austin’s Jewish community—incluDing former UT stuDents, faculty or staff members, as well as community store owners, clergy, anD community members—by zoom or skype!. • You will explore anD Discuss with your classmates anD the larger community theories of memory anD commemoration—how memory is constructeD anD forgotten—followeD by preparing for anD conDucting oral interviews. • You will have the opportunity to create two original entries to an Austin Civil Rights Digital story map we will create together. • Finally, we will conceive anD implement—together as a class—a moDe of public presentation to share the seeDs of our research, anD, in the process, explore activist approaches to archiving, knowleDge production, exhibitions, representation, anD community engagement. Throughout the semester, we will Discuss ideas about how history is shapeD by those who write and tell it; how memories and memorialization operate in the public sphere; anD the powerful role that history can play in activism aimeD at liberation anD social change. Course Objectives: At the conclusion of this course, stuDents will builD capacity in the following areas: Skills • BuilD a learning community that supports active engagement anD critical thinking • Assess the assets anD challenges of Doing local history anD documentary research as a tool for social and human rights activism • Acquire skills in using specific Documentary techniques such as photography, interviewing, and audio work. • Acquire ability to critically analyze situations anD problem-solve • Improve critical thinking, reaDing, analyzing anD writing skills through interDisciplinary explorations of publisheD acaDemic texts, first Seriff, Fall 2020 4 Austin Jews in the Civil Rights Era person oral histories, primary archival documents, exhibitions, and film. • Learn how to conceive, shape anD implement your own project within the context of a large group activity. • Develop competency in a range of oral communication skills incluDing inDividual presentations, group presentations anD facilitateD Dialogue. Knowledge • Develop a more complex unDerstanDing of UT’s and Austin’s civil rights history anD the role anD response of Austin’s Jewish Community in these issues anD actions • UnDerstanD the role of memory anD acaDemic historical research anD public history programming in shaping public consciousness about the past. • UnDerstanD the neeD to analyze the economic, political, social, anD cultural contexts in a community when consiDering approaches to human rights and documentary work • Recognize the value, power, anD resource Differences that impeDe human rights organizing and change efforts Values • Value active citizenship anD community participation • Appreciate the complexity inherent in representing the stories, views anD images of others through local history research anD documentary work. • Value inDiviDual worth anD Dignity anD a person's unique characteristics of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, age, veteran status, ability, socioeconomic status, genDer, genDer iDentity, sexual orientation, anD/or political orientation • Appreciate professional ethics, anD recognize the inDiviDual's right to self-determination and active participation in social change and documentary work Student Rights Seriff, Fall 2020 5 Austin Jews in the Civil Rights Era As a stuDent, you have the right to criticize anD question what you are hearing and reaDing, without fear of riDicule or threat of retribution. You have the right to support and affirm what is being discussed and shareD, as well. You have the right to be treated equally and with respect. You have the right to be fully informeD of course requirements and grading procedures. You have the right to receive prompt and comprehensive feeDback on your assignments. Teaching Methods and Course Structure Community-Based/Experiential-Learning In this course, learning will take place both insiDe anD outside of the classroom. UT anD Austin in the Civil Rights Era is the focus of our class, both metaphorically as a collection of memories and as a physical location. Memory anD experience are often closely associateD with a specific place or location. With this in mind, we will experience Austin anD the UT canvas through virtual fielD trips, historical analysis anD our own inDepenDently conceiveD anD executeD fielDwork. In the enD we will literally embeD our documentary work in a digital map, a representation of a place anD its meaning, anD conceive together, as a group, a moDe of public presentation of our finDings—whether that be a symposium, a “teach in,” an online exhibition, or a series of poDcasts, or something entirely Different. Community engagement, the core principle of our work for the semester, is entirely reliant upon nurturing anD building personal relationships. In this course we will explore ethical approaches to this work, our responsibilities to each other as Austin anD UT community members anD the ways that community engagement can be a catalyst for social change. With this in minD, we will work collaboratively with civil anD human rights activists in Austin to share their experiences through our mapping project. Collaborative Learning We all have things to learn anD likewise, things to teach. With this is minD, there will be limiteD lecture in this class. Primarily we will engage in small group or large group Discussions, community work anD workshops. These discussions will require you to come to class having not only reaD the reaDings assigneD for the week but prepareD to engage them within the Seriff, Fall 2020 6 Austin Jews in the Civil Rights Era class community.