HIST 90: Race, Law and Social Change in Historical Perspective

Genna Rae McNeil

Far from being mere victims, African-Americans have for centuries defined meaningful freedom and enunciated, accordingly, ideals and aspirations that have served as the impetus for the African-American freedom struggle. Efforts to give new meanings to African-American freedom have often been met, however, with racial oppression and racist or political repression. We will examine specific phenomena within the freedom struggle to understand the intricate relation of individual initiative, ideology, faith and social movements to law, governmental policies and practices, the conduct of law enforcement officers and the criminal justice system. Many of the triumphs and tragedies of the African-American experience as well as of the American nation can be illuminated by careful study of the struggles of African-Americans to gain full freedom and to resist racist and political repression.