The history of the United State is a unique topic. With many controversies, the average person is not taught all the areas of history in America. While completing freshmen year of college, I realized that the history I had in college was way better compared to the ones in high school. Here are the reasons why I loved taking a controversial history class in college.
1. Open discussion
The best part about going to a small college is the professors allow open discussion in the class, and for my history class this was perfect. Having class discussion allowed others to learn from different perspectives. During an open discussion, professors were able to facilitate conversations. Open discussion proved that not everyone had the same background and were taught different value from their families.
2. Student-led Classes
Every class period in my Southern history classes there was class discussion. Each weak two groups would work together and design lessons. Skeptical at first, I realized that I learn very well from my peers. My classmates were able to pull out material from the text that was not very clear and explain it to make sense. In the classroom, it is easier to connect with people who are your age and teaching, than a professors who can appear to be intimidating.
3. Everyone's opinions were valued
Speaking up in class is not the easiest, especially when you are a freshmen. The first day of class, the professor made us vow to listen to what everyone had to say. We might not have agreed with someone's opinion, but we had to listen and respond with respect. This made getting that participation grade a breeze and less stressful.
4. It was about Southern history
If there was a list for controversial times in history, the American South would be there. In my college history class, we learned about all aspects of the South post-Civil War. We discussed topics from the 13th amendment to the election of Barack Obama. This classes was full of many interesting topics about the advances of the South.
5. No sugar coating
My southern history classes was probably one of the most realest history classes I have ever taken. It was not like high school history, where the state controls what teachers are supposed to teach. We were taught the truth, and sometimes the truth was brutal. Our professor taught us that gender roles were strictly enforced. We were taught about lynchings, and how the white society treated them like ritual. Slave owners were not progressive and disenfranchisement in the black community was a dark moment in history. The NAACP did not praise black women for their work within the organization, but the men got most of the glory.
6. Civil Rights lasted longer than a day
I did not know who Anne Moody was until recently, and in my history class we dived deep into black activist during the Civil Rights. Civil Rights lasted longer than a day, and we did not just focus on Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, or W.E.B DuBois. Black women were brought up frequently, and we devoted time into reading "Coming of Age in Mississippi." Through a new perspective, we talked about how black women felt during the movement, and how their voice was often hidden. We talked about the Little Rock Nine, and read their stories about Central High School, Little Rock Arkansas in 1957. My knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement in the South broadened and expanded.
The best thing about going to a small liberal arts school is the quality of education. The professors take different teaching approaches, and the students are able to learn so much. I learned that high school students are never taught genuine history because the government prevents them from knowing certain information. Coming out of my college history, I obtained so much information about the South. If their is one thing I can suggest while picking out college classes, it is to take a history class, and a controversial class at that.
