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AAS 371: the Black Athlete Spring 2016 Andrew Mcgregor Office

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AAS 371: the Black Athlete Spring 2016 Andrew Mcgregor Office AAS 371: The Black Athlete Spring 2016 Andrew McGregor Office: BRNG 6168 Office Hours: M & W 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Email: [email protected] Cell: (913) 220-6431 Twitter: @admcgregor85 Course Time & Location: Monday-Wednesday-Friday, 10:30-11:20 a.m., BRNG B242 Course Overview: This course explores the lives of black athletes in the United States. It focuses on prominent African American sports figures and uses their lives to help us interrogate the social, cultural, economic, and political structures that frame them. Through lectures, readings, and multimedia presentations we will look at events, personalities, and historical moments that define black athletes and investigate the narrative representations that surround them. To do this we will study the history of sports in America so that we can uncover how sport mediates the experience of black athletes within broader American society. We will also consider how other factors -- such as class, gender, and sexuality -- inform these narratives and alter the experience of black athletes. Course Goals & Objectives: • To develop an understanding of the significant events, ideas, and figures in the history of sports generally, and the experience of African Americans in sport specifically. • To provide depth and context to the mythology of black athletes in America. • To analyze how categories of race, class, gender, sexuality, and other factors have been ideologically constructed through sport. • To employ critical reading, thinking, and writing skills. • To cultivate effective communication skills through research, writing, and presentation. Books: Required: Jennifer H. Lansbury, A Spectacular Leap: Black Women Athletes in Twentieth-Century America, (University of Arkansas Press, 2014). Randy Roberts and John Matthew Smith, Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship Between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X, (New York: Basic Books, 2016). Pick 2 of the following: William J. Baker, Jesse Owens: An American Life, (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2006). Randy Roberts, Joe Louis: Hard Times Man, (Yale University Press, 2010). Eric Allen Hall, Arthur Ashe: Tennis and Justice in the Civil Rights Era, (Johns Hopkins University Press August 2014). 1 Aram Goudsouzian, King of the Court: Bill Russell and the Basketball Revolution, (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010). Donald Spivey, If You Were Only White: The Life of Leroy "Satchel" Paige, (University of Missouri Press, 2012). Supplementary Readings for discussion days will be posted on Blackboard. Assignments & Grading: Reflections (8 x 10 points each) 80 points 16% Midterm 100 points 20% Book Reviews (2 x 50 points each) 100 points 20% Research Paper 70 points 14% Research Presentation 30 points 6% Final Exam 100 points 20% Participation 20 points 4% Total 500 points Reflection Papers – Due on Friday Discussion Days These short papers are due in-class on discussion days. The paper should engage with that week’s assigned readings, films, and lectures, offering your thoughts on how they interact and what you learned. They should be 1 page, double-spaced, size 11 font, with 1-inch margins. Note: There are 9 reflection paper due dates, you only have to write 8. Midterm – Friday, March 4th The Midterm exam will cover all topics and readings from the first half of the course, focusing on the construction and destruction of the color line. It will be a written Blue Book Exam featuring a combination of short answer identification terms and an essay. Book Reviews – Due Friday, February 12 & Friday, April 8th Each student is required to read 2 biographies of notable black athletes. You have the choice of reading books about Joe Louis, Satchel Paige, Jesse Owens, Arthur Ashe, or Bill Russell. The book review provides an opportunity for you to learn about an individual athlete in more depth. You are also expected to critically evaluate the biography and apply ideas and information from class to explain how the individual fits in or adds to our understanding of black athletes. Each review should be 3-4 pages, double-spaced, size 11 font, with 1-inch margins. Research Paper – Due, Friday, April 29th The research paper is your opportunity to explore your interests. The research paper must focus on a significant event in the life of an individual black athlete. Depending on whom you select, this can range from a single season to a specific competition. The idea is to explore the context of the event, representations of the athlete, and perhaps even remembrances of the event. This requires primary and secondary source research. The research paper should be 5 pages, double-spaced, size 11 font, with 1-inch margins. 2 Checkpoints: Topic Proposal (1 page + sources): Due Monday, February 22nd Research Progress Report (2 pages + more sources): Due Monday, March 21st Individual Meeting (bring an outline or draft): Monday-Tuesday, April 11th & 12th Research Presentation – In-class during Week 16 Each student must give an oral presentation over their research paper during the final week of class. Presentations are over the major findings and conclusions of your paper. Good presentations tell a story and engage the audience. Final EXam – TBA (during final eXam week) The Final exam covers the last half of the course as well as the Blood Brothers text. It will be a Blue Book essay exam that requires you to reflect on the state of the black athlete since integration and in the present. Participation Your participation grade will be based on your involvement and engagement during class. This includes things like discussions, class activities, attendance, etc. Course Schedule: Week 1 Monday 11-Jan Syllabus Day Wednesday 13-Jan Sports & History Friday 15-Jan Early Black Athletes Week 2 Monday 18-Jan MLK DAY - NO CLASS! Wednesday 20-Jan Boxing, Masculinity, & The Color Line Friday 22-Jan Jack Johnson & Black Progressives Week 3 Monday 25-Jan Unforgiveable Blackness Film Wednesday 27-Jan Unforgiveable Blackness Film Friday 29-Jan Discussion Read: “Racial Traits in Athletics” and “Emperors of Masculinity” Due: Reflection Paper 1 Week 4 Monday 1-Feb Baseball & the Color Line Wednesday 3-Feb The Negro Leagues & the Harlem Ren Friday 5-Feb Discussion Read: “Negro Leagues” and “Disappointment in Pittsburgh” Due: Reflection Paper 2 Week 5 Monday 8-Feb Early Black College Sports Wednesday 10-Feb The Forgotten Four Film Friday 12-Feb Black Icons: Jesse Owens & Joe Louis Due: Book Review #1 (Louis, Owens, Paige) 3 Week 6 Monday 15-Feb Early Black Women Athletes Wednesday 17-Feb Discussion Read: “The Truth About Women Athletes” Jet and Lansbury Ch. 1 & 2 Due: Reflection Paper 3 Friday 19-Feb Jackie Robinson & UCLA Week 7 Monday 22-Feb Jackie Robinson & MLB Due: Research Topic Proposal Wednesday 24-Feb 42 – Film Friday 26-Feb 42 – Film Due: Reflection Paper 4 Week 8 Monday 29-Feb 42 - Film Wednesday 2-Mar Exam Review Friday 4-Mar Midterm Week 9 Monday 7-Mar The Black Fives Wednesday 9-Mar Integrating College Sports Friday 11-Mar Discussion Read: “Can Basketball Survive Wilt Chamberlain?” and “Massive Resistance” Due: Reflection Paper 5 Week 10 Monday 14-Mar SPRING BREAK Wednesday 16-Mar SPRING BREAK Friday 18-Mar SPRING BREAK Week 11 Monday 21-Mar Race, Gender, and the Olympics Read: Lansbury Ch. 3-4-5 Due: Research Progress Report Wednesday 23-Mar Black Heavyweights: Ali, Frazier, ad Foreman Read: “Revisiting the Thrilla in Manila” Friday 25-Mar Discussion Due: Reflection Paper 6 Week 12 Monday 28-Mar The Revolt of the Black Athlete Wednesday 30-Mar Film Friday 1-Apr Discussion Read: “The Revolt of the Black Athlete” and “It’s Not Really My Country” Due: Reflection Paper 7 Week 13 Monday 4-Apr Giants of the Game: Russell & Chamberlain Wednesday 6-Apr Killing Nostalgia: Hammerin' Hank & Curt Flood Friday 8-Apr Rand University – Film Due: Book Review #2 (Ashe, Paige, Russell) Week 14 Monday 11-Apr No Class: Individual Meetings Due: Bring an outline or paper draft to your meeting Wednesday 13-Apr Amateur Myth: Education or Exploitation? Friday 15-Apr Discussion 4 Read: “To Got Game” and NCAA Reports on: “Probability of Competing in Sports Beyond High School” Due: Reflection Paper 8 Week 15 Monday 18-Apr Black Women Athletes Today Read: Lansbury Ch. 6 & Conclusion and “Star-Spangled Fingernails” Wednesday 20-Apr King of What? LeBron and the New Black Athlete Friday 22-Apr Discussion Read: “Baseball's Black Problem” Due: Reflection Paper 9 Week 15 Monday 25-Apr PRESENTATIONS Wednesday 27-Apr PRESENTATIONS Friday 29-Apr PRESENTATIONS Due: Research Paper Finals Week TBA FINAL EXAM Read: Blood Brothers Communication: Feel free to call me Andrew. I’m not just your instructor but your #1 resources for doing well in this course. My goal is for everyone to succeed. Clear communication is essential to your success. I’m readily available for consultation and encourage you to visit my office hours. You can call also research me via email, Twitter, or by phone. Attendance & Behavior: Attendance is not required, but strongly encouraged. Please come to class prepared to participate and take notes. The classroom is an important space for learning and respectful interactions. Abusive, intolerant, or disrespectful behavior toward classmates or me will not be tolerated. Laptops are only to be used for note taking. Please silence your cell phones before class. Talking, texting, reading the newspaper, napping, surfing the Internet on your laptop may earn you an invitation to leave the classroom. Grief Absence Policy for Students: Purdue University recognizes that a time of bereavement is very difficult for a student. The University therefore provides the following rights to students facing the loss of a family member through the Grief Absence Policy for Students (GAPS). GAPS Policy: Students will be excused for funeral leave and given the opportunity to earn equivalent credit and to demonstrate evidence of meeting the learning outcomes for misses assignments or assessments in the event of the death of a member of the student’s family.
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