LAJ 402 - African Americans and the Constitution

Description:
The law is the way a society governs itself and protects the freedom of all citizens. African Americans and the Constitution will examine legal issues engendered with dispute and division. LAJ 300 is recommended.

Prerequisites:
Prerequisites: Completion of the Basic Skills in the General Education requirements or DTA.

Credits: (4)

Learner Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Critically assess the role of slavery in the formation of the U.S. Constitution.
Identify how the history of slavery impacted future case law in the United States.
Recognize landmark Supreme Court cases and how they have influenced the lived experiences of African Americans.
Critically assess the Brown v. Board of Education case and subsequent decisions via the language of racial jurisprudence.
Identify the “color blind” approach and critically assess it in the context of the lived experience of African Americans.
Distinguish between de jure and de facto racism and how the latter is evident today concerning African Americans.
Identify how the court identifies the racial divide and determine whether it’s more recent decisions are a road map for new change.

Learner Outcomes Approval Date:
2/19/2009

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