Department of History and Geography

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

M.A. | Ph.D. | Courses | Graduate Faculty | Dissertation Abstracts

THE MASTER'S DEGREE IN HISTORY (M.A.)

The Masters of Arts in History is designed for students who plan to teach in middle schools, high schools, or community colleges; for students who plan careers in public service, public policy and foreign affairs, public history; and for students who contemplate pursuing further scholarly activities. It is a useful adjunct for persons with careers in theology and law; in library science; in journalism and news management; and in government, business and industry, and administration.

ADMISSION: For unconditional admission, applicants must have: (1) a minimum of 24 semester hours of undergraduate history courses; and (2) earned not less than 3.0 in history. For conditional admission, applicants must have earned not less than an undergraduate scholastic average of 2.5 in history.

DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS= 30 credit hours, 24 of which must be in History
3 hours: 598 (Historiography & Historical Methods)
3 hours: Supervised Research, or a seminar course in history
3 hours: 799 (Thesis Seminar)
21 hours: history electives (6 hours may be taken in other disciplines, subject to advisor's approval)
Pass a written comprehensive examination
Submit an acceptably written thesis.

THE DOCTORAL DEGREE IN HISTORY (Ph.D.)

The Ph.D. program in history trains students for professional careers as research scholars, college and university professors, public historians in archives, museums and government and community organizations, and curriculum specialists in secondary and elementary education.

ADMISSION: granted once a year for the Fall semester and is based on the following requirements:

• A Master's Degree, with a thesis or the equivalent thereof in history, or a related field, from a regionally accredited college or university
• A grade point average of at least 3.3 in all previous post-baccalaureate work
• A formal application with an official copy of GRE scores and official transcripts submitted to the School of Graduate Studies
• Students for whom instruction has not been in English must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Three academic letters of recommendation
• A writing sample (a graduate seminar or research paper) in history
• A statement of goals, the proposed major concentration and two minor concentrations of study
• A successful interview with the History Department Doctoral Committee
• Students with post-baccalaureate degrees in related fields must have earned a minimum of 9 graduate credit hours in history.

DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS:

1. Writing proficiency: students entering the program with GRE verbal scores below 400 are required to enroll in and pass with B grade or better - Advanced Expository Writing - ENGL 581 (no credit toward the degree).

2. Select one major concentration/ field: the remaining two fields will serve as minor concentrations/ fields.

   1. African-American History

   2. African Diaspora History

   3. 20th Century United States History

3. Complete required coursework:

   1. (if necessary) Pre-requisite history courses (500+) = 0-6 non-degree credits. History credits earned previously in post baccalaureate study will be evaluated upon matriculation. Students, who have not completed prerequisite credits required for admission in previous post baccalaureate study, will be required upon entering to take up to 6 credits of prerequisite courses at the 500 to 700 levels.

   2. (if necessary) Professional competency = 0-6 non-degree credits. Students must also demonstrate professional competency in two of the following skills/methods related to their research:

      1. Foreign Language. Competency in foreign language may be met by a proficiency examination administered by the Department of Foreign Languages or by enrollment in an undergraduate foreign language class (no language credits toward the degree).

      2. Second Foreign Language

      3. Oral History. The oral history requirement may be met by taking the prerequisite theory course - HIST 708 -Oral History (credits for which may be applied toward the degree as a course in 20th century U.S. History, or as an elective) and then HIST 808 -Oral History Practicum (no credit applied toward the degree).

      4. Archival History. The archival history requirement may be met by taking the prerequisite theory course - HIST 707 (credits for which may be applied toward the degree as an elective) and then HIST 807-Archival Practicum (no credit applied toward the degree).

   3. Content and/or Theory courses = 30 credit hours. Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA in all of their course work at the end of each academic semester:

      3 hours: 804 (Advanced Historiography)
      12 hours: major concentration
      6 hours: 1st minor concentration
      6 hours: 2nd minor concentration
      3 hours: history elective

4. Pass written comprehensive examinations. Exams will be given for both the major and minor concentrations. Each examination may be repeated only once.

5. Dissertation credits = 9 credit hours
   3 hours: 901 (Dissertation Proposal) - must be taken first
   6 hours: (Dissertation Seminar)
   Thereafter, until the dissertation is completed, students must be in residence by registering each semester for either three hours of 997 (Dissertation Guidance - no credits toward the degree) or six hours of 999 (Dissertation II - no credits toward the degree). The dissertation must involve significant, original historical research representing a contribution to historical knowledge.

6. Defend the dissertation. Candidates must be enrolled at the time of the oral defense. Students are required to complete the degree within seven years from entering the program.

GRADUATE HISTORY COURSES

(by type) -- all courses HIST and three credit hours, unless otherwise noted

1. SURVEYS

   501 Revolutionary America and the Constitution, 1750-1800: Emphasis on the origins of the War of Independence, the revolutionary outcomes of the war, the struggle to establish a satisfactory national government, the Constitution, and the establishment of political parties.	504 Civil War and Reconstruction: Emphasizes the role of African- Americans in the war and post-war events and causes of the conflict between the North and South from the Compromise of 1850 through the success of the redemptionists at the end of the 19th century.	505 Turn of the Century America: the Age of Industrialization and Urbanization: Intense study of selected topics from the period of America's "coming of age." These topics will include industrialization, immigration, urbanization, politics, education, popular culture, and social change.
   508 American Thought before 1865: The climate of opinion and spirit of the age as reflected in religion, enlightenment, revolution, government, labor, the west, reform, and sectional conflict.	509 American Thought, 1865 to Present: American thought as reflected in topics such as the gospel of wealth, imperialism, progressivism, the great depression, and other selected themes.	510 History of Maryland: Survey of the history of the Chesapeake bay region with emphasis on Maryland. The region's unique qualities of society, economy, and politics as well as race and ethnicity will be explored placing these issues in a national and international context.
   515 Antebellum Free Blacks, 1800-1860: Describes and analyzes the status of free Blacks and their response to conditions in the United States. Southern African-Americans as well as African-Americans north of the south will be discussed.	516 African Americans to 1900: Role of African-Americans in the development of United States history from the colonial period to 1900. Emphasis will be upon the relationship of African-Americas to the African Diaspora and the place of women in African-American culture and society.	517 African Americans in the Twentieth Century: Role of African-Americans in the development of United States history from 1900 to 2000. Emphasis will be upon African-American responses to civil rights, the African Diaspora, the place of women, and the Black culture in their communities.
   518 History of Baltimore: The history of Baltimore from its founding in 1729 to the present. Special emphasis will be placed on Baltimore's African- American community and the availability of local research sources.	519 The Ethnic Experience in America: Investigation of the experience of Blacks, American Indians, and various immigrant groups in a historical context. Similarities and differences in the experiences of the groups, their interaction, and their impact will be studied.	520 A History of American Urbanization: American urban history beginning with the colonial town, the course will trace the growth of the city to the present. Urban migration, way of life, industrialization, minority groups, and the growth of urban social institutions will be emphasized.
   521 History of Popular Culture in the United States: A history of the diverse cultures of the American people with a focus on the works, trends, and impact of mass culture.	523 Women in American History: Examination of the role of women from many classes and groups (Black, immigrant, working class, etc.) in the nation's development. Attention will be given to major historiographical trends and controversies.	525 Legacy of the Great Depression and the New Deal: Examines the Great Depression and the response of the Franklin Roosevelt administration. It assesses the consequences of public policy about social services, employment, and economy regulation and the evolution of organized labor.
   526 The United States at War in the Twentieth Century: A comparative study of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam with emphasis on the changes they brought in U.S. society on the economy, women and minorities, civil liberties, tradition, attitudes, and values.	527 The United States in the Nuclear Age: Examination of the development and use of the atomic bomb from all perspectives including an assessment of public attitudes in the U.S. It is also a study of the evolution of the nuclear arms race and the development of the nuclear power industry.	529 The Environmental Crisis in Historical Perspective: Environmental problems in light of both their historical development and current implications. Social and economic effects of environmental decline will be treated, as will proposed solutions. Special emphasis will be placed on minority communities and Third World environmental problems.
   561 Pre-Colonial Sub- Sahara Africa: Problems in the history of Sub-Sahara Africa before the partition by the Europeans will be examined both in detail and critical analysis.	562 Colonial and Contemporary Sub- Sahara Africa: History of Sub- Sahara Africa since the partition will be examined. Topics will include the nature of imperial rule, the developmentof African nationalism, and various problems of the emerging African independent states.	572 Latin American History: Beginning with pre- Columbia times, the course will survey social, economic, and political developments in Central and South America from colonial times to the present, with focus upon ethnic and racial diversity as well as U.S. relations.
   575 A History of the Caribbean: Survey of the historical, social, political, and cultural processes and the structures that exist among the major Caribbean states with focus on race, ethnicity, and U.S. relations.	576 Themes in Brazilian History: Study of the major themes that produce Brazilian society and life. These themes will include settlement, slavery, race relations, nationalism, and the political and social successes and problems.	605 The United States Constitution and Public Policy: Application of constitutional law upon selected public policies and political actions throughout the history of the United States.
   613 History of South Africa: Struggle between indigenous groups such as the Zulus and Europeans who have attempted to control the region since the 19th century.	615 History of Traditional West Africa: Selected ethnic groups from this region of Sub-Sahara Africa will be studied in terms of culture, economy, and politics in the pre-colonial world.

2. COLLOQUIUM/ SPECIAL TOPICS

   530 African-American History	531 African Diaspora History	560 African History
   570 American History	571 State and Local History	610 U.S. Public Policy
   626 Caribbean History	580 Historical Origins of Contemporary Problems*	680 Advanced History Colloquium**

   * Students will examine selected "hot spots" around the world. This course will emphasize both understanding of the current situation and analysis of its historical origins. Topics will vary according to world events and student interest.

   ** Special topics of current interest in the historical profession will be discussed and researched in depth. Topics will change and/or rotate.

3. READINGS COURSES

   710-711 Directed Readings: Recent scholarship in selected topics will be explored.	727 Readings in Caribbean History: The works, views, and perspectives of the major writers and historians about the multi-cultural experiences of the Caribbean.	729 Readings in African History: Extensive examination of the works, views, and perspectives of major historians on the multicultural experience of Africa. Special topics will be examined at each offering.
   801 Advanced Readings in African-American History: The literature of African-American history, including classics and publications on the cutting-edge of contemporary scholarship.	802 Advanced Readings in African Diaspora History: The literature of the African Diaspora history, including classics and publications on the cutting-edge of contemporary scholarship.	803 Advanced Readings in Twentieth Century United States History: The literature of the history of the United States in the Twentieth century, including classics and publications on the cutting-edge of contemporary scholarship.

4. RESEARCH SEMINARS -- A major research paper is required of each student in each seminar. Students will read and critique each others papers. Topics for consideration will vary:

   702 African History	705 African-American History	713 African Diaspora
   715 20th Century U.S. History	717 Urban History	720 Women's History
   722 Public Policy	725 Local History	726 Caribbean History
   728 Latin American History	788-789 Supervised Research*

   * Designed to enable students to participate in research in selected topic areas.Students are required to submit research findings orally in class and to submit a final paper. This course is repeatable.

5. HISTORIOGRAPHICAL/ METHODS COURSES

   598 Historiography and HistoricalMethods: Develop proficiency in the basics of research, examine the issues and controversies of history as an enduring discipline, and become familiar with a representative sampling of established historians and their work.A major emphasis will be on library usage and research techniques. This course, or its equivalent, is the prerequisite for HIST 804 and all courses above the 500 level.	618 Recent Trends and Issues in Historiography: Contemporary discussion and debates among the leading historians regarding recent historiographical investigation and analysis. Topics will vary.	707 Principles of Archival Theory: Review of archival literature that outlines and defines the basic theories of archival administration and records management. It will also develop concepts for the practical demonstration of archival principles.
   708 Oral History Approach to the Study of 20th Century United States History: Introduction to methods and techniques of oral history. Supervised oral history projects on selected topics are included.	804 Advanced Historiography-- Historical Methods: Equips the doctoral student with detailed knowledge and research skills necessary for developing historical interpretations and paradigms to complete the dissertation with understanding of cutting-edge historiography. Prerequisite is HIST 598 or its equivalent.	805 Practicum in Public Policy: Methods, skills, and the practical application of historical knowledge to the shaping and implementation of public policy. It includes one or more field experiences.
   807 Practicum in Archival Methods:Methods, skills, and the practical application of historical knowledge to archival work. It includes one or more field experiences. Prerequisite HIST 707.	808 Practicum in Oral History: Methods, skills, and the practical application of oral history to historical research. It includes one or more field experiences in college classrooms.	806 Practicum in Teaching History on the College Level: Methods, skills, and strategies for college-level history teaching. It includes one or more field experiences in collecting oral evidence. Prerequisite HIST 708.
   880- 881 Independent Study: Provides in-depth research on a topic requiring a one-on-one relationship between student and professor.

6. THESIS/ DISSERTATION COURSES

   797 Thesis Guidance: Provides students who have not completed their these in the assigned semester a mechanism for continuing their work under faculty supervision. The course earns "S" grades.	799 Thesis Seminar: Group and one-on-one study between the student and thesis advisor. The advisor will provide the student with the framework for researching and writing on a topic of mutual agreement. The grade is "CS" until the thesis is completed and approved.	901 Dissertation Proposal: Introduction to research, organization, writing, and revising of the doctoral dissertation proposal.
   997 Dissertation Guidance: In-residency course which follows 998 or 999. Dissertation Guidance courses earn "S" grades.	998 Dissertation (Six hours; 6 credits): Group and one-on-one guidance between student and dissertation advisor, who will provide the framework for researching and writing. The grade is "CS" until the dissertation is completed and approved. 998 is required.

7. GEOGRAPHY

   GEOG 503 The Geography of Maryland: Geographical analysis of the spatial associations which exist among the historical, cultural, and physical patterns of Maryland.	GEOG 505 Cultural Geography: Examination of the role of cultures in changing the face of the earth.	GEOG 510 Introduction to Cartography:Practical overview of the principal components of modern cartographic techniques.
   GEOG 511 Intermediate Cartography: Intensive examination of cartographic field techniques.	GEOG 561 Geography of Africa: Geographic analysis of the physical, cultural, historical, and economic patterns of Africa, with special emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa.

GRADUATE FACULTY

-- for more detailed information on each faculty member, please click here

DISSERTATION ABSTRACTS

--samples of previous work from Morgan students in the Ph.D. program

Commercial Poultry Production on Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore and the Involvement of African Americans, 1930s to 1990s
Solomon Iyobosa Omo-Osagie II, 2007 (advised by Jeremiah I. Dibua)

This dissertation traced the beginnings and development of commercial poultry production on the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore up to the 1990s, and the involvement of African Americans in the industry. African Americans were mainly involved in poultry production on the labor supply side, which was crucial to the expansion of the industry. After it became commercialized in the 1930s and showed great promise in the immediate post-World War II years, poultry production expanded and became the dominant economic activity on the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore from the 1950s. The industry expanded through innovative ways such as vertical integration, acquisitions, mergers, and consolidations.

The industry intersected with public health and the environment. The public health implications arose from the introduction of medications in chicken feed, which negatively impacted consumers and caused poultry-borne infections and diseases such as Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In the environmental sphere, commercial poultry production led to water contamination, air pollution, and land degradation. These intersections were problematic for the industry as it attempted to balance a needed and important industry that was crucial to the economic life-wire of the region on the one hand, and on the other, protect public health and ensure a sustainable environment.

Despite large profits accumulated by the industry, issues such as fair wages and working conditions dominated the interactions between the poultry industry and the workers. The result was a labor activism led by the Delmarva Poultry Justice Alliance (DPJA) and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) that forced poultry companies to confront and deal with the workers’ issues. Their activism ultimately helped to bring about changes in wages and working conditions. Primary sources include: documents from the archives of the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., Delaware Public Archives, press releases, newspaper reports, editorials and commentaries, manuscripts, private and unpublished papers, and oral testimony. Other sources of data include United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Bureau of the Census, and Maryland Department of Planning.

Negotiating Intersections of Gender, Social Class, and Race: Black Women in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Activists and Community Builders, 1930-1965
Amy J. Tillerson, 2006 (advised by Rosalyn Terborg-Penn)

The invisibility of Black, Prince Edward County, Virginia women in the local civil rights struggle is much like their invisibleness in the traditional Black Baptist Church. Despite the sexism that worked to mute their voices, women negotiated gender conventions to meet the needs of their children and community. This dissertation presents a gender and social class analysis of roles Black women played in their church and community through their club work and organizations, as they successfully challenged obvious structures of power to exhibit agency and influence. Despite the intersection of racial, gender and social class oppression, some Black women held positions of power; however, due to prevailing gender conventions, this was not often acknowledged. Black women in Prince Edward County, often accepting gender specific divisions of labor in their church and local political organizations, still fought gender discrimination by voicing their opinions and working to challenge the prevailing gender and racial order to achieve community outreach and moral uplift. Primary data include: meeting minutes from churches, clubwomen, the Prince Edward County School Board and Board of Supervisors. Other data include Prince Edward County land records and deed books, manuscript papers from Virginia State University, United States census data, and oral testimony.

“What Is Africa To Us?” The Baltimore Afro American’s Coverage of the African Diaspora, 1915-194
Baiyina W. Muhammad, 2004 (advised by Debra Newman-Ham)

The Baltimore Afro American newspaper, founded in 1892 advocated an African identity and forged a connection to Africa and other parts of the Diaspora for the local and national Black community. This dissertation uses a Pan-African paradigm to examine the Afro American’s coverage of and support for three major Diaspora areas which include, Haiti, Liberia, and Ethiopia between 1915 and 1941. The Afro American’s news coverage primarily focused on political, social, and economic happenings that directly affected the global Black community. The Afro American’s endeavor to encourage solidarity and connect these Diaspora communities was carried out with the hope that African Americans would begin to identify the similarities of their experience in the United States with the shared experience of Africans in other parts of the world. The primary objective of this dissertation is first to examine the relationship between the Afro American and each of the three Diaspora communities. Second, it provides an analysis of the Afro American’s contribution to Diaspora news coverage between 1915 and 1941.

“With hope in their hearts”: the Migration of African Women to Baltimore, 1918-1946
Gloria Vickers Warren, 2002 (advised by Rosalyn Terborg-Penn)

This study examines the migration of fifteen African American Women who came to Baltimore City from the rural South between 1918 and 1946. These dates represent the time period when the women moved to Baltimore. Moreover, the period is significant because it includes the era of World War I and The Great Migration, The Great Depression and World War II. These major changes led to major economic and socio-political changes in the lives of African Americans.

Most scholarship on migration overlooks the experiences of African American women, especially the effects of race, class, and gender on the women’s struggle to establish their place in society. Using Baltimore as a case study, this paper examines the significance of work, which was a major economic factor in migration. The investigation also focuses on how the socio-political issues associated with education, suffrage, segregation, and discrimination affected the lives of migrant women in the city, and finally looks at class and its importance in the women’s social relationship. The oral testimonies of the fifteen migrant women who moved to Baltimore during the years under consideration give voice to their experiences in relation to these factors.

The data are organized into six chapters. Chapter one is a description of the objectives of the study, methodology, problems associated with the research, profiles of the women, and a review of the literature. The chapter also focuses on sources pertinent to Black migration raises questions about how migration influenced the lives of African American women, how gender proscriptions controlled their work, and how and class influenced the women’s social relationships within the Black community in Baltimore. Chapter two focuses on the reasons why women migrated to Baltimore rather than to cities; emphasizing the economic, political and social climate in the South as contributing factors. The analysis also includes an overview of the city’s history, the impact on race on work opportunities, and the effects of the two world wars and the Depression on African Americans in Baltimore. Chapter three is an analysis of these and additional social and political factors in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. These cities were selected because they were magnets for large numbers of African American women from the South. The analysis in chapter four provides a perspective of the times in terms of the economic and socio-political conditions that existed when the women arrived in Baltimore. Chapter V is an analysis of how class and status created social distance, though not class conflict, among the women. Chapter VI contains my conclusions.

The women in the study moved to Baltimore with their parents, with relatives, or alone, from farms and rural towns in Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Problems associated with race, class, and gender continued to plague the women after they moved to Baltimore. This was especially true of the kinds of jobs available to them. And even though they found that segregation and discrimination dictated their place in the city’s economic and socio-political culture, they chose to remain in the city, believing that conditions could be no worse than the life they had left behind in the rural south.

“I Consecrate Myself To The Service of Teaching": the Jeanes Teachers, a Case Study in Fauquier County, Virginia
Donna Tyler Hollie, 2000 (advised by Rosalyn Terborg-Penn)

This dissertation examines and analyzes the role and legacy of the Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teachers, using a case study of a teacher who worked in Northern Virginia’s Fauquier County. In 1908, Anna Thomas Jeanes, a Quaker philanthropist, donated one million dollars to establish a fund for the benefit of small, rural schools for southern African Americans. The funds were used to pay the salaries of teachers, commonly known as Jeanes or Traveling Teachers, who were assigned to county school district and, initially, charged with providing technical assistance to all of the rural teachers in the county. This research is focused on the first four of the teachers who worked in Fauquier County: Esther Williams Tyler, who served from 1917 to 1921. Tyler was chosen for this study because of the availability and scope of the primary sources related to her work and because she is typical in family and educational background to other African American Teachers of the period.

Virginia Randolph, the first Jeanes Teacher, developed the Jeanes model. As the teachers’ responsibilities expanded, great improvements were realized, not only in education, but also in the overall quality of life in rural African American communities. Various people, philanthropists and fund administrators, have been acknowledged as contributing to the success of the program. This study emphasizes the role and contributions of the predominantly female teachers, exploring the effects of gender, race and class on their efforts. It also demonstrates the program’s evolution from a fairly simplistic industrial model to a comprehensive approach to solving a variety of social ills. It discusses the formation of female networks via which knowledge and survival skills were transmitted and community empowerment promoted.

The study begins with a discussion of the social discussion of the social environment in which early twentieth century African Americans struggled to acquire knowledge. Emphasis is given to of African Americans, individually and collectively, to overcome educational deficiencies. There is a detailed discussion of the Jeanes Fund/ Teachers’ origin, purpose, philosophy and methodology as well as a comparative analysis of other foundations established specifically to ameliorate educational conditions in African American communities.

A brief historical overview of education in Virginia is offered as background for the discussion of Tyler’s work in Faquier County. To augment this subject, data, specific to her work in a rural Florida community is also presented. The relationship of the Jeanes Teachers’ activities to those of other African American women engaged in “uplift” activities is explored. Using oral testimony of Faquier County residents, Tyler’s post-retirement work, designed to improve the conditions in her community, is presented. Through this testimony, supported, with a variety of primary sources, a portrait of an African American community in rural Virginia emerges.