AUGUST

Tue 28
Introductions & course overview; In-class reading: Andrew Jackson fun facts; Cohen, “American Never Was, Yet Will Be” (New York Times)

Thur 30
Visit Hall of Fame; In-class reading: Kenneth Goldsmith, “Metropolitan Forecast”; In-class writing: If you had the power, how would you create, change, or remove a memorial?

SEPTEMBER

Tues 4
Using supporting evidence; Homework (reading/listening): Jack Hitt & Chenjerai Kumanyika, “The Raid” (Uncivil, 29 minutes); In-class viewing: Derek Waters & Crissle West, “Harriet Tubman Leads an Army of Bad Bitches” (Drunk History); In-class writing: What strategies do writers and artists use to shape our ideas about slavery and emancipation?

Thur 6
Class meets in computer lab—ME G02—CUNY Commons orientation; In-class activity: Revise and upload in-class writing from 8/30 or 9/4 & include an image to illustrate your writing

Tues 11     No Classes Scheduled

Thur 13
Taking sides/making an argument & using reasons; Homework: read Andrew Jackson, “On Indian Removal”; In-class viewing: Mitch Landrieu, “Address on Removal of Four Confederate Statues” (19 minutes); In-class writing: Should Andrew Jackson’s bust be removed from the Hall of Fame? Explain why or why not.

Tues 18     No Classes Scheduled

Thur 20
Writing workshop: outlining and documenting the essay.

Tues 25
Essay #1 / Memorials in Everyday Life: If you had the power, how would you create, change, or remove a memorial? Use examples from class reading and discussion, including quotations from at least two of the texts assigned for class.

Thur 27
Exploring patterns of racial violence; In-class viewing: (trigger warning—graphic depictions of violence/images of lynching) Ava DuVernay, 13th (Netflix; excerpt, first 10 minutes); In-class reading: Isabel Wilkerson, “Mike Brown’s shooting and Jim Crow Lynchings Have Too Much in Common” (The Guardian); In-class writing: How would you define “violence”? Use an example from Wilkerson or DuVernay to help explain.

OCTOBER

Tues 2
Reviewing the structure of an essay; Homework (reading/listening): Shereen Marisol Meraji & Gene Demby, “Immigration Nation” (Code Switch, 33 minutes); In-class writing: Write a new conclusion for “Immigration Nation” based on these three questions: 1) What is this podcast about? 2) Why does it matter? 3) What should we do about it?

Thur 4
Class meets in computer lab—NI 101—Assignment: Upload revised “violence” writing; include a quotation from one of the three assigned texts and image or artifact that helps illustrate your point.

Tues 9
How to summarize a text; Homework: read Campbell Robertson, “A Lynching Memorial Is Opening. The Country Has Never Seen Anything Like It” (New York Times); In-class writing: Write one-paragraph summaries of Wilkerson, DuVernay, Meraji & Demby, and Robertson.

Thur 11
Writing workshop for Midterm Exam: in-class reading and outline development. (Counts as in-class writing.)

Tues 16
Essay #2 / Midterm Exam/ Reckoning with Race & Violence: Using “Immigration Nation” and a second reading handed out on the day of the exam, write an essay in which you discuss how the U.S. should take public responsibility for its history of racist bias and violence. Writers must convey a clear understanding of both texts by integrating them into their argument or, at least, summarizing them. (This essay will count as the midterm exam for both ENG 111 and HIS 20.)

Wed 17
No class today
Optional extra credit: Ehrenpreis Lecture, “Regarding Monuments and Memorialization”
Speaker: Dr. Harriet Senie, Professor of Contemporary American Art at CCNY & the CUNY Graduate Center; Director of CUNY’s M.A. in Museum Studies Program
2:00-3:00p.m., Gould Memorial Library

Thur 18
Class meets in computer lab—NI 101—review requirements for term project

Tues 23
Step one of term project due: proposal/advertisement

Thur 25
Class meets in computer lab—NI 101—hands-on research for Step two of term project

Tues 30
Step two of term project due: annotated working bibliography

NOVEMBER

Thur 1
Class meets in library (upper level, northwest corner, near the law library): hands-on research for Step three of term project; Prof. Culkin hosts–thanks Prof Culkin!

Tues 6
Class meets in library (upper level, northwest corner, near the law library):Step three of term project due: print source

N.B. Nov. 6—last day to withdraw with a “W” grade

Thur 8
Class meets in computer lab—NI 101—Step four of term project due: web source

Tues 13
Step five of term project due: podcast “teaser”

Thur 15
Class meets in computer lab—NI 101—Assignment: Upload podcast “teaser” and script.

Tues 20
Class meets in Writing Center—Sage Hall—Workshop: open time for continuing writing your podcast script; Prof. Rodas and Writing Center tutors will be on hand to respond to questions about writing, paragraphing, using evidence, documenting your work.

College Closed—No classes scheduled Nov. 22-25

Tues 27
Essay #3 / Final Research Project / Podcast scripts: Write a 7-10 page script for a 10-15 minute podcast that follows up on a theme, idea, or research area prompted by this class. The script should be a specific, in-depth examination of a question that connects with the issue of historical remembrance. (This will count as the term project for both ENG 111 and HIS 20.)

Thur 29
Begin reading final exam essay (TBA) in class

DECEMBER

Tues 4
Reading assignment due: final exam reading (TBA)

Thur 6
final exam secondary texts review and writing practice

Tues 11
final exam secondary texts review and writing practice; course survey and celebration

Final Exam

Friday, December 14
10:00am – 11:50am
NL 106