Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2026 - HIST 440 D100

Selected Topics in US History (4)

Myths and Realities of Martin L.King & MalcolmX

Class Number: 2837

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 7, 2026: Fri, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    45 units, including nine units of lower division history.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An examination of selected topics in United States history. Content may vary from offering to offering. See course outline for further information. HIST 440 may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught.

COURSE DETAILS:

Without a doubt, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. are the most iconic figures of the civil rights era in the United States. Both men have been memorialized in t.v., film, and music; on postage stamps; by street names; and, in King’s case, by a national holiday. Despite this recognition, the facts of their life have been hidden or distorted by mythology, including a predominant one about their binary opposition. These simplistic renderings obscure what are much more complex and interesting life stories than popular and official memory has allowed. This course will examine both men’s lives, exploring the similarities and differences in their ideas and their activism, as well as their rise to fame (or infamy). It offers students a unique lens through which to explore 20th century African-American and American history.

Grading

  • Informed and Enthusiastic in-class Participation 20%
  • In-class Reading Quizzes 10%
  • 2 Short Papers 15%
  • Term Paper Proposal 5%
  • Term Paper Draft Introduction and Annotated Bibliography 15%
  • Final Term Paper 35%

NOTES:

This course counts towards Group 2: The Americas requirement for History majors.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

 

* Both books are readily available in hard copy or as e-books through your favourite bookseller.

Jonathan Eig, King: A Life (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2023).

Manning Marable, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention (New York: Penguin Books, 2011).


Additional course readings will be available through the course Canvas page.  


Department Undergraduate Notes:

Learn more about studing History at SFU:

History areas of study


Why study History?

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.