Emails. Jacqueline Jones, chair, Department of History, University of Texas, Jan. 19-20 and 26, 2017
From: Jones, Jacqueline
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2017 4:20 PM
To: Bird, J.B.
Subject: Seeking appropriate official to help us track progress on promises related to higher education
I would be glad to talk to you on the phone and elaborate on these points:
--We have about 700 history majors here at UT.
--By legislative mandate, all UT undergraduates must take at least two US history courses (or show transfer credit from an accredited institution).
--Most UT students take the US history survey, which is divided into two semesters—pre-1865 and post-1865.
--Students also have the opportunity to make more specialized courses at an introductory level; these fulfill the US history requirement. These are all wonderful courses, taught by distinguished faculty. They allow students to look at a theme in some depth, and in, many cases, to do original research on that subject. Such research projects are usually not possible in the very large survey courses. We are pleased to offer students this range of choices, and we find that these specialized courses can serve as gateways to the history major by engaging students and allowing them to work closely with a professor.
Some examples include
Introduction to American Studies
History of Mexican-Americans in the US
Colonial America
Introduction to African-American History
Introduction to Asian-American History
The 17th C Atlantic World
Building America (the built landscape; engineering)
Establishing America, 1565-1815
History of Religion in the US
Readings in US History
The course “Jews in American Entertainment”—which by the way, offers insight into 20th c. immigration, mass entertainment, commercialized leisure, business, and ethnic “niches”—is an *upper-division course* and it would be highly unlikely that a student would be able to substitute this particular course for one of the lower-division courses—the US history survey, or one of the courses I have listed above.
Let me know if you would like to talk.
Jackie Jones
Chair of the UT History Department
4:54 p.m.
Jan. 19, 2017
[PolitiFact Texas query:] State law seems pretty clear on what Texas students must take—
Yes, and I think we are one of only a few institutions of higher learning that require two courses in American history.
On a more general national note, what do you make of the analysis in this 2016 report? Anything awry? Anything overlooked?
As an historian, I do believe that a basic understanding of this nation’s past is a critical component of American citizenship! (Besides that, history is a dramatic story peopled with fascinating characters—it’s fun to learn about!)
However, I am not certain that the only way to achieve that understanding is through a US survey course. Specialized courses often serve to interest and engage students in ways that large survey courses do not and cannot. Even what appear to be narrow, highly specialized courses can offer a wide window into American life, culture, and history. Students are more likely to get excited about history when they can work closely with a professor, research and write an original research paper, and basically engage with material they find interesting. I do object to this notion that there is only one way to teach American history, or only one way to reach students who do not know much about American history.
As I noted in my corrected email to you, the “Jews in American Entertainment” course has been taught in our department, but it is not one of the lower-level courses that a student can take to fulfill the legislative mandate for two American history courses. I’m not sure why some folks like to focus on it/cast doubt upon it, but as I noted, the course offers insight into patterns of 19th and 20th c. immigration, mass entertainment, commercialized leisure, business, ethnic “niches,” and the idea of the “American Dream.”
ALSO: Are there other authorities nationally you’d urge us to consult about the significance, or not, of many elite institutions not requiring history majors to take American history?
You might contact Dr. Jim Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association in Washington, D. C.
Any other suggestions?
Yes: We seem to be living in a “post-truth” world, which I consider quite dangerous. History is an evidence-based discipline. It is our aim as history faculty to teach students how to evaluate evidence. I fear that fake news today will yield fake history tomorrow. That’s why fact-checkers (like you!) as well as historians are necessary to correct the rumors and outright lies that in some instances pass for news—or history—today. I could give you examples but I’m sure you know what I mean. Consider that even when president Obama presented his long-form birth certificate, some Americans persisted in believing the “birther lie.”
9:12 a.m.
Jan. 20, 2017
Also, you might be interested to know that currently (this semester, spring 2017) 4,600 UT undergraduates are taking history courses—that’s a pretty sizable chunk of the undergrad population, considering how many different departments there are throughout the University!
Jackie
7:27 p.m.
Jan. 26, 2017
As you know, all UT undergrads are required to take two American history courses, so you might note that in your article.
Although our history majors can concentrate in US history courses if they wish, there is no requirement that they do so. As far as I know, most undergraduate history BA degrees are in “history” and not in “American history” or “Southeast Asia history.” So for most institutions, there is no such thing as “majoring in American history.”
I do take issue with the premise that if a college student does not take history-department courses, s/he has learned no American history. My colleagues in the American Studies department teach many different history courses. Faculty in the Government department who teach U. S. politics and political institutions also teach American history. I could go on and list other relevant departments here—Mexican-American and Latino/Latina Studies and African and African Diaspora Studies for example. In fact, historians are scattered throughout many UT departments—Classics, Religious Studies, Sociology…I could go on.
I also disagree with the idea that one must take a survey course to learn American history. Many of our more specialized courses have smaller enrollments, giving students an opportunity to work closely with the professor, study a topic in some depth, and, in many cases, conduct original research in that topic. These smaller courses are often “gateways” to the major because they get students excited about studying history and conducting research.
Bottom line: Focusing on history-department requirements related to the U. S. survey misses a wide range of history offerings that undergraduates can choose from.