This course is an introduction to African American Studies. It is designed to expose students to the contributions of African Americans to the history and culture of the United States.
A prime focus will be continuity and change in African American culture, adaptation, and transformations to social, economic and political conditions and resistance and accommodation to systems of oppression and discrimination.
There will also be an emphasis on the development of the concept of race and its effect on African Americans over time.
This course will examine a broad spectrum of subjects and themes from an interdisciplinary perspective – Africa and African enslavement, resistance to oppression, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, Black Power, Black manhood and womanhood, economic and political topics and expressive culture (especially Rap and Hip Hop). Attention to literature, history, popular culture (music, television, magazines, newspapers, movies, film documentaries), and politics will allow us to identify the key historical and political issues.