Course Catalog

This course examines the experiences and contributions of minority groups in America from the early colonial period into the 21st century. It focuses on specific minority groups within the chronological trajectory of American history: Native Americans from the Columbian period to the Dawes Act, the black experience in America from the colonial slave period to the civil rights movement, the history of Mexican migration to the U.S. before and after the Mexican War up to immigration initiatives of the 21st century, Japanese and Chinese history in Hawaii and California, and recent immigrant groups from Southeast Asia at the end of the 20th century. The focus is on the unique experiences and contributions of each group, and on experiences common to minority and immigrant groups in U.S. history. Texts from minority writers are selected to give voice to their individual and collective experiences.