Focusing on the historical and contemporary experiences of African Americans in U. S. cities, this course is designed for students who wish to develop historical perspectives and analytical frameworks that will help them to understand, study, and work in urban communities. Course material will span most of the twentieth century and the first two decades of the twenty-first, leading us through an interdisciplinary investigation into the processes of community formation and social change impacting contemporary urban life. We will draw from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives, analytical approaches, and reflective lenses. Accordingly, course material includes: historical studies, urban sociological theory, ethnography, case studies of grassroots redevelopment efforts, memoir, local community studies, documentary film, and contemporary social criticism. Throughout the semester we will also use music and other elements of popular culture to animate and explore our subject matter. To frame our work for the semester, we will begin by critically examining the historical and contemporary uses of the words "urban," "inner city," and "ghetto." From there we will explore the history of cities in the United States since 1940 with a focus on the growth and development of black urban communities. This will lead us into studying theoretical perspectives on community-based activism and case studies of local community organizations and movements. Through this, students will learn about, discuss, and develop their own interpretations of a range of topics and issues, both historical and contemporary. These include: urban renewal, the impact of the crack epidemic, mass incarceration and prison abolition, urban rebellions, the birth of Hip Hop, gendered and racialized urban violence, gentrification, community land trusts, and urban agriculture.