Race, Medicine, and Health in U.S. History In this course we will explore the historical relationships between race, medicine, and public health in  the United States from colonial times to the present. Through a series of case studies that include  epidemics such as smallpox, yellow fever, and COVID-19, we will trace the origins of racial  classification and its impact on medical care. Our topics include the management of illness in colonial  times, the relationship between medical schools and slavery, the eugenics movement, immigration restrictions, the use of minorities as experimentation subjects, the fight against medical discrimination, and the current struggles for health care access. We will approach these subjects through sources such  as scholarly publications, diaries, documentaries, medical journals, oral histories, and print media. 2  hrs lect./1 hr. disc.

African American History In this course we will examine the history of African Americans from the rise of the transatlantic slave trade  to the present. The course will reveal how African Americans actively shaped their history and the history  of the United States as an American nation. We will explore topics such as the Middle passage, African American slave cultures, enslaved resistance, emancipation, the rise of legalized segregation, mass migrations, and the  continuing struggles for equality. We will approach the subject matter using a variety of primary and secondary sources that focus on the experiences of individuals such as enslaved narratives, autobiographies, documentaries, and oral histories.

Universities and Slavery in America In this seminar we will explore and compare the different histories of enslavement at schools across the  country from colonial times to the present. Some of the questions we will answer include: what was the  importance of slavery in the development of higher education? How did people experience enslavement in  schools? How did universities perpetuate slavery culture? The class will also consider the emerging debates  over reparations and restorative justice and the role of students in these developments across the country. Using our knowledge of other institutions, students will research Middlebury’s place in this history.

Universities and Slavery in America In this seminar we will explore and compare the different histories of enslavement at schools across the  country from colonial times to the present. Some of the questions we will answer include: what was the  importance of slavery in the development of higher education? How did people experience enslavement in  schools? How did universities perpetuate slavery culture? The class will also consider the emerging debates  over reparations and restorative justice and the role of students in these developments across the country. Using our knowledge of other institutions, students will research Middlebury’s place in this history. 3hrs  sem. This course is part of the Public Humanities Labs Initiative administered by the Axinn Center for the Humanities./

Colonial Commodities & Slavery in the Americas In this course, we will examine the development of extractive economies and the relationship between colonialism, consumption, and forced labor in colonial north and South America. Using a comparative approach, we will survey how commodities such as cacao, cotton, coffee, gold, silver, sugar, and tobacco shaped African and Native slavery across the continent. Our topics will include the development of price systems for enslaved people and goods in the world economy, the emergence of ideas regarding racial differences and their relationship with forced labor, how enslaved people resisted their enslavement, and the abolition of slavery across the Americas. Students will examine primary sources such as financial records, slave narratives, historical price indexes, and scholarly monographs. Pre-1800. 3 hr sem.

Blood & Money: History of Early US Capitalism In this course, we will examine how capitalism emerged, expanded, and enveloped everyday life in the early United States, from colonial times to the Civil War. Our topics will range from the influence of capitalism in the US constitution, how markets shaped gender ideas and human rights, war, and its effects on economic development, the creation of US currency and national banks, and the impact of slavery on the American economy. Ultimately, students will gain an understanding of the forces that shaped the early us economy and the history of current instruments such as credit, currency, financial markets, life insurance, and mortgages. Sources will include financial records, scholarly monographs, state documents, and primary sources. 2 hrs lect. 1 hr disc.

Slavery and Freedom in the American North In this course we will study how the “American North,” constituted by New England, New York,  New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, became a place of enslavement. Although often treated as a cradle  of freedom, we will explore how the region’s colonists imported African slaves and enslaved and  exported Native Americans. Through lecture, discussion, and primary sources, we will examine the transatlantic slave trade of Africans and Native Americans, the communities built by enslaved  and free people, the impact of the American Revolution, the creation of gradual abolition statues,  and the perpetuation of enslavement until the Civil War. We will also grapple with the role of  memory in history, as the region’s slaveholding past is often ignored by its inhabitants.

Baseball, Society, and US History In this course we will use baseball as our lens to examine a broad range of issues in U.S. history from the Civil War to the 20th Century. Baseball’s past will allow us to understand social and cultural change by delving into topics such as capitalism, class, gender, identity, immigration, labor rights, and race. We will read autobiographies, box scores, newspaper accounts, and scholarly monographs that trace the evolution of America’s pastime from a leisurely activity to a multimillion-dollar industry. Class activities will allow students to develop reading, writing, and presentation skills, receiving feedback on their progress throughout the term. This course is part of the Public Humanities Labs Initiative administered by the Axinn Center for the Humanities.*

Elsa Mendoza

Reviews and ratings for Elsa Mendoza at Middlebury College.Elsa Mendoza teaches Race, Medicine, Health U.S., African American History, Universities & Slavery and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Elsa Mendoza good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Professor Mendoza is AWESOME!! She is an amazing professor who has such a clear enthusiasm for what she is teaching, and has a desire to impart knowledge. She is so well-versed with such a specific niche, and that made this class amazing. The final research paper is super daunting, though. She is also one of the toughest graders I've had but really pushes you to do the best you possibly can. Don't take this class if you aren't comfortable with having to work your rear off to get an A- or A.

This course was spectacular.  I would say the course readings were incredibly valuable and the lectures were well designed.  My one complaint is the professor: mendoza designed an excellent course, but as an individual I do not like her.  She is not slightly receptive to student needs and last fall was not slightly receptive towards problems related to the events that occurred.

I thought this course was one of my most interesting courses at Midd. Two of the classes were lectures and we had a discussion on Friday, which you had to do a discussion post before you attended. There was 2 essays and a final project in this class and everything was extremely manageable. I found the material super interesting and thought this professor was incredible and would highly recommend.