Race and Labor History

In this asynchronous online history course, we will explore race and organized labor in US History through an analysis of three 21st-century films. To understand race theory we will study excerpts of Michael Omi and Howard Winant’s 1986 book Racial Formation in the United States; for an overview of labor history, we will study Jeffrey Helgeson’s essay “American Labor and Working-Class History, 1900-1945.” The three films we will review include 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002), Birth of a Nation (2016), and Working: What We Do All Day (2023).

Whether fictionalized or "based on a true story," these films convey messages about race and organized labor that we are tasked to discover. In the course, we will assess, first, how films have represented the relationship between race and organized labor and, second, how the historical moment of the film’s production may have shaped the story producers told in the film.

Canvas, the online repository for the course, will contain class materials like the course syllabus, readings, assignment instructions, and lectures which provide historical context. In the lecture videos, I will discuss context for understanding the films’ historical settings, as well as context for understanding the period in which the film was produced. The lectures will define terms, provide historical context, and raise questions for consideration, among other things. Additionally, I will host weekly one-hour discussions on Zoom (link provided on Canvas) to clarify content, to further discussion on themes in the course, and otherwise to answer questions you may have. To complete this course successfully, one must submit three review essays (500-1000 words each). It is strongly encouraged that all participants secure access to the three films independently. All additional class materials will be provided on Canvas.