ENGL 212 - Black Cleveland in Migration (Narrative)

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
The Cleveland-bound African American migration gained momentum in the early twentieth century–not, intergenerationally, that long ago! This course begins with readings on physical and human geography focused on space and place making. We transition to select literary testimonies of migrants (Brooks and Himes), paired with historical and urban studies of the African American migration to and settlement in Cleveland (e.g., Kusmer’s A Ghetto Takes Shape and Phillips’ AlabamaNorth). We will then develop a protocol for collecting oral history, and students will interview Cleveland residents to learn real-world family migration stories and integrate these oral histories into the patterns of our readings. Recommended: paired with ENGL 210, Imagined African American Geographies. Field trip(s) required.

Community-Based Learning
This course is appropriate for new students.