THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN JOURNALISM OF CO

From Frederick Douglass’s The North Star, which insisted that journalism could be a tool for liberation and collective conscience, to today’s digital-first platforms, American journalism has always been a site of struggle over truth, power, and representation. This course explores the power of journalism to shape public conscience — from the days when print was the Twitter of its time to the rise of radio, television, and digital media. At its core, this seminar centers the voices of journalists of conscience — those who speak truth to power, challenge dominant narratives, and reflect the full spectrum of human experience. We will approach journalism through a lens that foregrounds the perspectives of people of color, recognizing how mainstream media has historically erased, distorted, or marginalized their voices while also highlighting the powerful traditions of resistance and self-representation in journalism.

To foster meaningful connection and collaboration, students will be split into groups for the semester. These groups will meet in breakout rooms during each class session to workshop ideas, respond to prompts, and sometimes collaborate on short journalistic pieces. The goal is to make a large seminar feel intimate and to encourage peer-to-peer dialogue throughout the course.

Through weekly readings, in-class discussions, site visits, guest speakers, and multimedia projects, students will examine how journalism has both reflected and resisted dominant narratives across history. Students will also create original work that embodies conscience-based journalism.