American Culture 305/CAAS 358.001/History 468.001
Asians and Blacks in Detroit
Detroit and Other Place-Based History
Other than my undergraduate and graduate teaching in Asian American history, I devote my greatest attention to teaching classes on topics related to Detroit. I have lived in the City of Detroit for the past six years, and it has been a life-changing experience that has transformed the way I approach my intellectual work. On the one hand, Detroit is an open wound bearing all the scars of neglect (physical, social, emotional) in our culture. If history should prove that early-twenty-first-century America was a dying empire, then people will look back and see that Detroit was its capital. On the other hand, as one of my good friends notes, because Detroit is so materially deprived, it can be the most spiritual place on the planet for those struggling to survive and build community.
The relationship between Ann Arbor and Detroit is complex and could be the subject of an entire book. Though the 45-minute commute separating the two cities is nothing phenomenal, the pristine college town and gritty urban center are socially a world apart. In a nutshell, residents from predominantly white and middle-to-upper-middle-class suburbs are vastly overrepresented while residents of Detroit (predominantly working-class and African American) are vastly underrepresented at the University of Michigan. Moreover, racial, class, and social divisions in metro Detroit are so stark that the typical white suburban student at Michigan knows nothing about the city beyond its sports teams, major downtown entertainment venues, sensational media accounts, and the urban legends passed on as “common sense”—e.g. “Detroit would be a thriving city if [Black mayor] Coleman Young hadn’t ruined it.”
A class on Detroit history, therefore, becomes an opportunity to think about how our individual and social sense of identity, place, and politics is shaped by the stories we tell. Historian Thomas Sugrue has noted that at public readingsof his book The Origins of the Urban Crisis(Princeton, 1996), Black Detroiters often report that the book’s recounting of patterns of employment and housing discrimination confirms what they knew to be true from individual experience. Whites, however, often claim to be shocked to read about incidents of racist violence and exclusion.
I have found this to be generally true among University of Michigan undergraduates. It can be a daunting challenge to recognize that the world is not the way it seemed as you were growing up—to acknowledge that the cultural geography you were immersed in as a child was not natural but a social construction and that your own ancestors may have played a direct or indirect role in fostering discrimination and segregation. I am fortunate, however, to attract students who are dedicated to overcoming these problems and divisions that prior generations once saw as the natural order of things.
This syllabus provides an example of a service-learning course I taught on Detroit. These were some significant features of this course:
- I chose to incorporate Asian American history into the course as a step toward moving beyond the black/white binary, which is particularly symbolic of hardened divisions and entrenched ways of thinking in metro Detroit.
- The class met off-campus in a Detroit community center that was itself a building in the process of being rehabbed. Some students complained that they could not concentrate in such an environment and thought that the commute was over-burdensome. Others were more appreciative of these non-standard arrangements, and some even experienced an epistemological shift simply by overcoming their unfounded fears of the city.
- Meeting in the city provided a basis for field trips to sites we were studying and for meetings with community-based authors and activists. I have found that connecting readings and discussions to physical sites is a particularly effective pedagogical tool that motivates students to become more invested in topics. On other occasions, I have designed self-tours for large lecture classes and have hosted a summer “study abroad” class in Detroit.
- I used supplemental funds to hire four community teachers, two of whom were Detroit high school students. They became our on-the-ground guides to the city.
- I organized a community-based speakers series on issues such as education and urban planning in Detroit. Students attended these evening events, where community participants altered the dynamics of discussions and offered new perspectives beyond those offered during class time.
- Finally, rather than individual papers or final exams, students worked on collaborative group projects tied to the issues they studied with community guides and partners. These included an educational forum and video documentary on the crisis in public education, an educational forum and video documentary on Asian American community issues, and a fundraiser/awareness-raiser for a local non-profit youth organization.
Example of Service-Learning, Frequently Asked Questions
The University of Michigan is a large school with over twenty thousand undergraduates and hundreds of course options. I try to work with students as best as possible, but I have also learned that it’s foolish to think that you can please all students equally. While some of my classes follow a relatively traditional lecture/discussion format, I am constantly experimenting with new techniques designed to force students out of their comfort zones. In these cases, I try to be upfront about course expectations and explain how my class may be qualitatively different than what the typical student is accustomed to. I created the following “Frequently Asked Questions” for a course I taught called “People of Color and the 2004 Elections”
Q:How does the University of Michigan define academic service-learning?
A: “Academic service-learning is a pedagogical model that intentionally integrates community service, academic learning, and civic learning. It is a response to the call for higher education to take responsibility for preparing active citizens for a diverse democracy. In service-learning courses, students are involved in the community in ways that are relevant to the academic content of the course.”
Q: Are their mandatory activities outside of regularly scheduled classes?
A: YES. 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.
Q: If I have trouble finding a time to meet with a student group or I don’t get along with my group, can I arrange to do individual assignments instead?
A: NO. 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. If you prefer working as an individual at your own desired pace and do not wish to alter study/learning routines to which you are accustomed, this class is not best suited to your needs.
Q: Is it possible to “cram” if I fall behind on required work?
A: NO. Given the time-sensitive nature of class projects, you must complete work on time. You must also keep up with weekly readings and assignments to function effectively in this course.
Q: Will the professor provide all the information I am expected to “know” in the form of lectures and assigned readings?
A: NO. Course materials, whether provided by the professor or other students, will serve as building blocks for you to develop your own critical perspective of politics and society. There is no midterm or final exam. Class assignments will focus on analyzing social issues and problems for which there are no easy or automatic solutions. If you are most comfortable with assignments and examinations where an unambiguous distinction can be made between “correct” and “incorrect” answers and your performance can be easily quantified, you should only take this course if you wish to be challenged to step outside of that comfort zone.
Q: But isn’t the professor the “expert” in the class? Isn’t the professor getting paid to give me knowledge?
A: YES AND NO. The professor has training, experience, and education in historical research and analysis, which he will share with students. The goal, however, is not simply to be able to recite the professor’s ideas and opinions but to learn how to develop and communicate your own ideas. The knowledge we seek to acquire consists primarily of methods and skills to understand politics and deepen the practice of democracy.
Q: What if I want or need to learn more about a specific topic than what we have covered during regular class time?
A: You are encouraged and expected to make use of office hours, where the professor will be happy to discuss issues and ideas in greater detail with individuals and groups. The professor will also help guide you toward additional resources for learning.
Q: How will I benefit from working on non-traditional academic assignments?
A: By working collaboratively, engaging in projects that take you beyond the classroom, and reflecting upon the work you have done, you will be able to develop:
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Independent Research Skills
- Ability to Analyze Social Conditions
- Cooperative Working Traits
- Community Organizing Skills
- Public Speaking and Outreach Skills
Q: When doing work related to the elections, can I explicitly support a candidate or political party?
A: YES. You are expected to exercise your democratic free will in this class, including, if you desire to do so, engaging in partisan political work. However, be sure to recognize that you are not being evaluated based on any partisan choice you make. Rather, the purpose of project work is to elevate political awareness, participation, and discourse.
Q: Am I required to support a candidate or political party?
A: NO. You can satisfy all requirements for this course through non-partisan activity. Choosing to engage in non-partisan activity will NOT in any way affect your evaluation. Do NOT attempt to make partisan stances just because you think they are more likely to please the professor or other students.
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
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?
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.
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).
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 50 th Anniversary of Brown v. Board
Co-sponsor On-Campus Forum for 50 th Anniversary of Brown v. Board
Cooperative work with CAAS 487/COMM 458.003 on Web sites and radio documentaries
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.
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
Community Discussions with Detroit Summer
A 3-Part Series on the State of Social Justice in Our Communities
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.
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.