Ethnic Studies

Ethnic Studies is a course designed to view the historical development and experiences of various cultures, and trace the path of how things came to be for those groups today.  In order to understand the entire story of Ethnic Studies, it is crucial to understand the origins of race.  It is important to understand the stories of those who have been on the other side of the history books, and to grasp their perspective of how things have played out.  This course is designed to examine the histories of four major ethnicities in the United States: African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans.  We will look at the origins of each group and why they came to the United States (or how they were effected by those who came to the United States), the policies that shaped their historical experiences, and how each ethnicity has emerged from this process.  We will study some of the key figures from each group, and the struggles they went through (and continue to go through) to gain equality, respect, and a voice in American society for their people.  Ethnic Studies is intended to open your eyes to the varying experiences of those who have been marginalized in American history and to understand how their story fits in to the American story.  Only by understanding the experiences of the past can we begin grasp the events of today, and shape the world to be a better place in the future.