The central focus of the course is how the issue of race has shaped the history of the United States Constitution and how constitutional law contributed to the history of ideas about race in the United States. We study the origins of the law of race and slavery in the pre-revolutionary period and end with understanding the origins of affirmative action in the post-World War II period. Students will read various books about U.S. Constitutional history in order to understand various interpretations of historical events and ideas about race. Student will also read original court cases about racial minorities in order to develop an understanding of original historical texts. Many of the skills emphasized in the class prepare students for law school, public service, and analyzing the historical roots of contemporary issues. Class discussion about constitutional issues is designed to give students confidence and precision in public speaking. Students will also write book reviews in order to develop an understanding of how historians collect evidence in order to construct historical interpretations and to develop their own interpretations of historical events and their personal writing skills. Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Studies in Race (RS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.