Dr. Samuel Finesurrey: Samuel.finesurrey@guttman.cuny.edu
Fall 2024
Class: Tuesday & Thursday 1:15-2:45
Office Hours: Thursdays 12-1
Open Educational Resource & Zero Textbook Cost Course
Dr. Samuel Finesurrey: Samuel.finesurrey@guttman.cuny.edu
Student Learning Outcomes:
This course examines the development of urban communities across the United States and beyond both temporally and geographically. It examines the patterns of cleavage, conflict, convergence of interests, and consensus that have structured urban life. Social, cultural, and economic forces will be analyzed for the roles they have played in shaping the diverse communities of America’s cities.
Students will analyze the history of diverse groups who helped create U.S. cities and evaluate their accomplishments and the structures that framed their respective experiences.
Students will learn to identify historical patterns that shape and reshape hierarchies, struggles, challenges and triumphs for diverse groups of urban dwellers.
Students will be able to illustrate both the evolution of U.S. cities overtime and explain the development of a myth-making by urban elites often whitewashing the more shameful elements of that history.
Students will build their academic writing skills by proposing a research question, creating an outline to organize an essay around a thesis, topic sentences and quotes from the interviews of their peers, before writing a final research paper based on the knowledge produced by themselves and their classmates.
Students will acquire professional communications skills by participating as an interviewer for the oral history project.
Diversity Statement
Diversity at Guttman spans an incredible range of racial, national, ethnic, sexual, gender, linguistic, socioeconomic, and disability dynamics. In this course, from conversations about black and immigrant struggles for liberation, to examinations of movements for women’s, workers’ and gay rights, and with an oral history project that looks to uplift voices too often silenced by exploitative structures, we are deeply dependent on the rich range of backgrounds at Guttman. In this classroom I will ask you to think about your own experience and those of your elders and classmates to challenge and complicate dominant discourses and contribute to understandings of our collective history.
Accessibility Statement
I know people learn in all different types of way. I still struggle with ADD today, but have created structures — ways of staying organized and on task — to accommodate the way my brain is wired. If you need any accommodations please utilize the office of accessibility and let me know how I can help. The primary goal for me is that you’re able to achieve the course learning outcomes. I’m willing to work with you in whatever ways its takes to attain that.
NOTE: The syllabus may change if the instructor feels it will improve how the class operates.
Weekly Schedule – All work will be due Sundays at 11:59 PM
Thursday 9/5: Introductions, Evaluate Grading System, Syllabus, Quiz on Where We’re At, Oral History Part One.
Sunday 9/8: Oral History Part One
Tuesday 9/10: Oral History Scripts
Thursday 9/12: No Class
Sunday 9/15: Assignment One – Native Cities and European Contact Native Cities
Tuesday 9/17: Quiz + Native Cities and European Contact + Create Rubric for Visits (9/19 & 9/26)
Thursday 9/19: Trip to Native American Smithsonian
Sunday 9/22: Assignment Two – Race and Slavery in the American Colonies
Tuesday 9/24: Quiz + Race and Slavery in the American Colonies
Thursday 9/26: Trip to African American Burial Ground
Sunday 9/29: Assignment Three – Urban Slavery Through the Civil War
Tuesday 10/1: Quiz + Urban Slavery Through the Civil War
Thursday 10/3: No Class Scheduled
Sunday 10/6: Assignment Four: Early Immigrants Alter Urban Landscapes
Tuesday 10/8: Quiz + Early Immigrants Alter Urban Landscapes
Thursday 10/10: Group Work on Trip Presentations — One-on-Ones
Sunday 10/13: Assignment Five: New Others to American Cities & Oral History Part II Due
Tuesday 10/15: Quiz + New Other to American Cities
Thursday 10/17: Introduce Transcripts + Group Presentation on Field Trips
Sunday 10/20: Assignment Six – The Great Migration and Great Depression
Tuesday 10/22: Quiz + The Great Migration and Great Depression
Thursday 10/24: W0rk on Transcripts — One-on-Ones — Intro to Oral History Part IV
Sunday 10/27: Oral History Part III Due
Tuesday 10/29: No Class
Thursday 10/31: No Class
Sunday 11/3: Assignment Seven – WWII on the Urban Home Front and the Civil Rights Movement
Tuesday 11/5: Quiz + WWII on the Urban Home Front and the Civil Rights Movement
Thursday 11/7: Work on Oral History Part IV: The Outline + One-on-Ones
Sunday 11/10: Assignment Eight – The Revolution and Repression of the 1960s
Tuesday 11/12: No Class — Friday Schedule
Thursday 11/14: Quiz — The Radical 60s and Beyond
Sunday 11/17: Oral History Part IV: Outlines
Tuesday 11/19: Oral History Part V: The Essay/Presentation
Thursday 11/21: In Person One-on-Ones
Sunday 11/24: Find an article about a fairly well-known modern movement, event, or new story. In a paragraph explain the context of the movement, event or new story and come up with three related discussion questions for the class.
Tuesday 11/26: Connecting then and now.
Thursday 11/28: No Class
Sunday 12/1: Work on Final Projects
Tuesday 12/3: Final Exam Review/Exam Structure Creation
Thursday 12/5: In Person Optional One-on-Ones
Sunday 12/8: Oral History Part Five Due
Thursday 12/12: Final Exam @ 12:40 Room 410
GRADING
| A+ | 4.0 | 97-100% |
| A | 4.0 | 93-96.9% |
| A- | 3.7 | 90-92.9% |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87-89.9% |
| B | 3.0 | 83-86.9% |
| B- | 2.7 | 80-82.9% |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77-79.9% |
| C | 2.0 | 73-76.9% |
| C- | 1.7 | 70-72.9% |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67-69.9% |
| D (passing) | 1.0 | 60-66.9% |
| F | 0 | 0-59.9% |
| NC* | Not calculated | 0-59.9% |
Weekly Assignments (325 Points):
- Notes for Readings/Videos: 225 Points (25 Points x 9 Weeks). Nearly every week there will be notes. The notes will be submitted via assignments on Brightspace. YOU WILL SUBMIT ALL THE MATERIALS IN A SINGLE FILE.
- Quizzes: 125 Points (25 x 5 Counted Quizzes): On Tuesdays, after you have been assigned notes we will start class with a Quiz. Only your top five (of seven) quiz performances will count towards your grade.
How to Take Good Notes:
| A | B | C | D | F |
| An original outline with captions and subheadings focusing on important names and events covering the entire assignment. Exceeding expectations through explaining/adding original concepts, patterns, questions and ideas derived from the material. | An original outline with captions and subheadings focusing on important names and events covering the entire assignment. | An outline with captions and subheadings focusing on important names and events covering the entire assignment. | An outline focusing on important names and events covering part, but not all of the assignment. | Do something related to the assignment. |
Group Presentations from Native American Smithsonian and African American Burial Grounds (150 Points): You will on aspects of the two visits. We will create a rubric in class.
Oral History Project: Voices from the Heart of Gotham (300 Points): You will conduct an oral history with someone in your social network (a family member or friend) on a range of subjects selected by the class. Each student will be required to record and submit an interview on their phone of at least 15 Mins.
Ideally, you would find someone willing to donate their oral history to the Voices from the Heart of Gotham: Undergraduate Scholars Oral History Collection at Guttman Community College. This can be one of your classmates, one of your family members, a community member, or a friend.
IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE DONATING YOUR ORAL HISTORY, PLEASE TELL ME. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ADD YOUR INTERVIEW TO THE PUBLIC COLLECTION.
IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE DOING THE ORAL HISTORY ASSIGNMENT AT ALL PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE WILL CREATE AN ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT.
Part One: 20 Points
Part Two: 65 Points
Part Three: 65 Points
Part Four: 50 Points
Part Five: 100 Points
In-Class Final Exam (150 Points): Open Notes
Additional Information
Office Hours: Office hours can be virtual, but I will be on campus during my office hours so either way works.
Plagiarism: If you have a question about whether something is plagiarism, always err on the side of caution, or come and ask the professor if it is okay. With new technology like ChatGPT, the rules of cheating are in flux, which makes it even more important to check in with your professors about what’s okay and what’s not okay. Getting caught cheating can negatively impact your grade and your academic career dramatically.
Late Assignments: You will lose a letter grade every week that an assignment is late. Everything except the final exam is revisable for a better grade.
Questions: If you ever need clarification or have a question about anything, please do not be afraid to ask me. I will return your text or email within 24 hours. I can almost guarantee that turnaround will be quicker however, there will be times this semester when I may not have access to the internet.
Problems With Course: If you have a problem with the materials, assignments, or the way the course I am teaching the course, please let me know at your earliest convenience. I am good at taking criticism and more than anything want this class to be as enjoyable an experience as possible for you and your classmates.
Mental Health/Personal Issues: If you are feeling overwhelmed by your schoolwork or life outside of Guttman and it is impacting your grades, please inform your professors that you’re facing some challenges and ask about Guttman resources to support you. We have wonderful mental health professionals at the College and the Connect Center in the basement can help out with anything from groceries to emergency housing. The college cannot support you if we do not know you need assistance.
