Recommended Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 8 th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2013.

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1 HIST 5970/6970 NASA & the South January 13 May 6, 2016, MWF, 11:00 am 11:50 pm, Lowder Hall 26 Dr. Laney, 323 Thach Hall, Office hours: MWF, 2:00 3:00 pm, and by appointment Course Description & Goals People around the globe have heard of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Florida, but few know the history and relationship between space exploration and the US South. In this course, we will examine the politics and prior infrastructure that brought the nation s spaceflight endeavors to the region and look closely at several NASA centers and the communities they are a part of, in order to explore how this massive undertaking affected the region s economies, social groups, and culture since the 1950s. Firmly rooted in the history of technology, this course will examine the roles of the federal government and the military-industrial complex on the economic development of the post-wwii South, while also exploring the role of women at NASA s southern centers and the role of NASA in the civil rights movement. By the end of this course, we will have created an informed conversation around an under researched area in space history and a knowledgebase that will allow us to offer new research questions for future historical investigations. Required Readings (All books are on 2-hour-reserve at the RBD library). Schulman, Bruce J. From Cotton Belt to Sunbelt: Federal Policy, Economic Development, and the Transformation of the South, New York: Oxford University Press, McCurdy, Howard E. Space and the American Imagination. 2 nd ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, Paul, Richard, and Steven Moss. We Could Not Fail: The First African Americans in the Space Program, Additional readings are available on Canvas. -- Recommended Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 8 th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2013.

2 Format and Expectations This course will be held seminar-style, so there will be no formal lectures. It is therefore vital that you come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings in depth. For that purpose, you will create a journal entry for every assigned reading, which I will collect twice during the semester for feedback. Beginning in Week 2, one of you will lead our discussions of the readings for the week. We will have a take-home exam mid semester, in which you will be asked to reflect on the readings and discussions up to that point. Over the course of the semester, you will work on your own research, which you will present to the class in a formal presentation and submit as a formal paper at the end of the semester. Grading (undergraduate & graduate students) 20 % = Journal 10 % = lead discussion (2x) 20 % = take-home exam 50 % = Research Paper (multiple parts & deadlines) Journal For each assigned reading, provide a word summary with the author's thesis up front and a consideration of how this reading might inform your research paper for this class. Lead discussion When it is your turn to lead discussion, start by providing a summary of the author's main thesis & findings. Other items we should discuss include: What evidence does the author provide? Who is the author in conversation with? (Who or what is the author responding to?) What may be "missing" from this history? How persuasive is the author's argument? What might be up for debate? How does this text help us understand the topic of our course? What questions does it help us pose about our topic? Research Paper based on primary & secondary sources related to course topic and approved by instructor ~ 3,500 words in length (~5,000 for graduate students) double-spaced, 1" margins There are multiple deadlines associated with this paper: February 12, 5 pm : 1-2 page proposal, including questions you want to answer, primary sources you plan to use, and a list of 6 relevant secondary sources (scholarly books & articles) March 25, 5 pm : Tentative thesis & annotated bibliography (historiography for graduate students) April 8, 5 pm : Draft paper due April : In-class presentation of research May 3, 5 pm : Completed paper due Syllabus is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and on Canvas! 2

3 Absences and Makeups Your course grade will be negatively affected if you miss more than 5 meetings. The assignment deadlines are firm, unless you make different arrangements with me at least 48 hours prior to the due date. Academic Integrity In accordance with Auburn University policies, no form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated in this class. This includes: plagiarism, inappropriate collaboration, work done for one course and submitted for another, deliberate falsification of data, interference with other students work, and copyright violations. For a full explanation of the rules and procedures related to academic integrity violations, review Auburn University's Student Academic Honesty Code at: Sources for Support Auburn University is committed to providing educational opportunities to a broad range of students, including those with special educational needs. If you require accommodations, arrange to meet with me during the first week of class. Bring an Accommodation Memo and Instructor Verification Form, which you can obtain from the Office of Accessibility. I will comply with arrangements you may need, but it will be your responsibility to remind me of any special requirements and/or arrangements for any session, especially when there is a test. For additional support, the following institutions on campus might be helpful: Office of Accessibility, , 1228 Haley Center Academic Support, , 0176B RBD Library The Miller Writing Center, , for locations, see: Student Counseling Services, , 400 Lem Morrison Dr., Suite 2086 SCHEDULE Week 1 January 13 & 15 - Introduction & Overview Launius, Roger. Technology in Space. In A Companion to American Technology, edited by Carroll W. Pursell, Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, Week 2 January 20 & 22 (Jan. 18 M.L. King, Jr. Day) Space and the American Imagination McCurdy, Howard. Imagination, The Vision, and Making Space Flight Seem Real, In Space and the American Imagination, pp Week 3 January 25, 27, 29 Southern Economies Schulman, Bruce. Preface to Duke Edition, Preface, Introduction: Becoming Economic Problem No. 1. and chapter 4: "Bulldozers on the Old Plantation," In From Cotton Belt to Sunbelt, pp. vii-38 & Syllabus is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and on Canvas! 3

4 Week 4 February 1, 3, 5 Military & NASA in the South Feb 3: last day to drop from course with no grade assignment and for potential tuition refund Hutchinson, Daniel. Sites of Contention: Military Bases and the Transformation of the American South During World War II, Dissertation, Florida State University, 2011, excerpts. Schulman, Bruce. Missiles and Magnolias, and Shadows on the Sunbelt In From Cotton Belt to Sunbelt, pp Week 5 February 8, 10, 12 - NASA & the Cold War (research proposal due Feb. 12, 5 pm) McCurdy, Howard. The Cold War, and Apollo: The Aura of Competence. In Space and the American Imagination, pp Week 6 February 15, 17, 19 NASA, Diversity, and the South (No class on Wednesday. Instead, attend Mae Jemison lecture at 4 pm, AU Hotel and Conference Center) Foster, Amy. "The Gendered Anniversary: The Story of America's Women Astronauts." The Florida Historical Quarterly 87, no. 2 (2008): McQuaid, Kim. Racism, Sexism, and Space Ventures : Civil Rights at NASA in the Nixon Era and Beyond. In Societal Impact of Spaceflight, edited by Steven J. Dick and Roger D. Launius. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of External Relations, History Division, 2007, Week 7 February 22, 24, 26 NASA, Diversity, and the South Feb 25: Early Alert grades posted by midnight Hall, Jacquelyn Dowd. "The Long Civil Rights Movement and the Political Uses of the Past." The Journal of American History 91, no. 4 (2005). Paul, Richard, and Steven Moss. Introduction, A Man of Firsts: Julius Montgomery, and There Was a Lot of History There: Theodis Ray. In We Could Not Fail: The First African Americans in the Space Program, Week 8 February 29, March 2, 4 Writing (NASA) History (no class on Friday, March 4) Mar 3: Last day to withdraw from course with no grade penalty. "W" assigned and deadline for request to move finals. Launius, Roger D. "What Are Turning Points in History, and What Were They for the Space Age?" In Societal Impact of Spaceflight, edited by Steven J. Dick and Roger D. Launius. Washington, D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2007, Devorkin, David. Space Artifacts: Are They Historical Evidence? In Critical Issues in the History of Spaceflight, edited by Steven J. Dick and Roger D. Launius. Washington, D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2006, pp Week 9 March 7, 9, 11 Writing (NASA) History Launius, Roger D. American Spaceflight History s Master Narrative and the Meaning of Memory, In Remembering the Space Age, pp Weitekamp, Margaret. Critical Theory as a Toolbox: Suggestions for Space History s Relationship to the History Subdisciplines, In Critical Issues in the History of Spaceflight, pp SPRING BREAK: March 14-18! Syllabus is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and on Canvas! 4

5 Week 10 March 21, 23, 25 - The Fertile Crescent (Tentative thesis & annotated bibliography/historiography due March 25, 5 pm) Loyd, S. Swenson, Jr. "The Fertile Crescent: The South's Role in the National Space Program." The Southwestern Historical Quarterly 71, no. 3 (1968): Cochran, John E., Jr. Aerospace Education and Research at Auburn University From the Wright Brothers Flight School to the Space Station, Aerospace Engineering website, Auburn University, last accessed Week 11 March 28, 30, April 1 - KSC, Florida Duggins, Pat. A Journalist s View, The Florida Historical Quarterly 87, no. 2 (2008): Middleton, Sallie. "Space Rush: Local Impact of Federal Aerospace Programs on Brevard and Surrounding Counties." The Florida Historical Quarterly 87, no. 2 (2008): [online pdf] Walters, Lori. Beyond the Cape: An Examination of Cape Canaveral s Influence on the City of Cocoa Beach, , Florida Historical Quarterly, 87 (Fall: 2008), Week 12 April 4, 6, 8 - MSFC, Alabama (draft research paper due April 8, 5 pm, no class on April 8) Downs, Matthew. Huntsville has what it takes, In Transforming the South: Federal Development in the Tennessee Valley, Baton Rouge, LA: LSU Press, 2014 Paul, Richard, and Steven Moss. Huntsville, It Has Always Been Unique: Delano Hyder and Richard Hall and The Country Spartacus: Clyde Foster. In We Could Not Fail: The First African Americans in the Space Program, Week 13 April 11, 13, 15 - MSFC, Alabama Saurma, Ruth Gräfin von. "Personal Recollections of Huntsville's Rocket and Space Highlights, " The Huntsville Historical Review 27, no. 1 (2000): Laney, Monique. Operation Paperclip in Huntsville, Alabama, In Remembering the Space Age, edited by Steven J. Dick, Washington, D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2008, pp Week 14 April 18, 20, 22 - JSC, Texas + Research Presentations Dethloff, Henry C. Houston Texas U.S.A. In Suddenly, Tomorrow Came-- : A History of the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas: Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, 1993, pp Space Business and JSC, pp Week 15 April 25, 27, 29 - Research Presentations Final Paper due: May 3, 5 p.m. Syllabus is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and on Canvas! 5