The History of Urban America "The magnification of all the dimensions of life," writes Lewis Mumford, " . . . has been the supreme office of the city in history." Mumford's appraisal of the mission of the city can be debated, but the importance of the city to human development cannot be denied. In this course we will cover the rise of the city in America from the colonial era to the present. We will explore why Americans have huddled in concentrated settlements and the consequences of that clustering. Special attention will be given to the growth of the industrial city of the late 19th century and the modern metropolis of the 20th century.

Chicagoland In this course we will explore Chicago’s significance by focusing on its physical and spatial character. Moving from the 19th to the 21st century, we will examine the 1871 fire; the 1893 World’s Fair; the settlement house movement; the rise of modern architecture; the emergence of Black Chicago and development of a multi-ethnic, multi-class metropolis spread across various neighborhoods and suburbs; and recent planning efforts to revitalize the city as a space for all Chicagoans. Interdisciplinary in scope, the course will draw on a range of texts and theoretical perspectives to show the generative importance of Chicago’s rich and varied landscape.

The Long Struggle for Civil Rights and Black Freedom The modern civil rights movement is the central focus of this course, but it offers more than a survey of events from Montgomery to Memphis. It explores the pre-World War II roots of the modern black freedom struggle, the complex array of local, regional, and national initiatives in the 1950s and 1960s, the competing strategies for empowerment offered by Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X, and developments since the 1970s, including the rise of Black Lives Matter.  This course employs a "race relations" perspective, stressing the linkages among the experiences of African Americans, whites, and other groups.  2. Hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc.

Jim Ralph

Reviews and ratings for Jim Ralph at Middlebury College.Jim Ralph teaches History of Urban America, Chicagoland, Civil Rights & Black Freedom and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Jim Ralph good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

This class is an easy 4th class with limited writing assignments and easy exams. He gives the essay questions that are on the exam ahead of time which makes it easy to prepare. The discussions are very interesting and he is open to adjusting the amount of reading.

very fast paced class, but the professor is very open to sharing presentation material and helping students succeed in class. A lot of readings but manageable, and the discussions were always a good way to end the week. 

At first I was hesitant about actually enjoying a history class, but I ended up really liking this class and found I learned a lot about the urban landscape of America. Professor Ralph was engaging and exited about the material, and brought in many different topics into his lectures. We also only had two papers and two exams, so the amount of work was very do-able.