AFAM 1310 Intro to African American Studies

An exploration of key issues in African American studies from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Topics may include black literature, Afrocentrism, race and social justice, rap and “world” music, blacks in prison, African American film and visual art, black families, the black middle class, black internationalism, and gender, among others. 

ENGL 2373 African American Literature

Survey of African American literature from the early slave narrative to the present. Examines the history, culture, and intellectual traditions informing this literature, as well as the political and aesthetic debates that shaped the tradition

HIST 1370 The African American Experience through Reconstruction

This course focuses on the social, cultural, and political history of African Americans from approximately 1619 to 1877. Topics may include the genesis and evolution of Black slavery and freedom, the Revolutionary War, Nat Turner’s Rebellion, and the Civil War and Reconstruction. Particular emphasis is placed on changing ideals of freedom and how African Americans struggled both to achieve and then redefine ever-evolving conceptions of freedom, whether understood politically, socially, or economically.

HIST 1371 The African American Experience since Reconstruction

This course focuses on the social, cultural, and political history of African Americans from approximately 1877 to the present. Topics may include the genesis and evolution of Jim Crow, Black urban migration, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Black Power Movements. Particular emphasis is placed on changing ideals of freedom and how African Americans struggled both to achieve and then redefine ever-evolving conceptions of freedom, whether understood politically, socially, or economically

MUSC 1349 African-American Music (Offered in Spring 2008)

A survey of African American influences on the musical heritage of the United States. Emphasis will be given to the relation of musical style and performance to changing cultural, philosophical, and technological conditions. Popular music styles as well as art music by African American composers will be discussed. Previous musical experience is not necessary, but students will be expected to develop discriminating listening skills to enhance their understanding and appreciation of the material.

SOCI 3327 Contemporary Minorities

A study of minority-dominant intergroup relations with an emphasis on historical, cultural, and power differentials. Emphasis will be on inequality and inter-group conflict with particular attention given the recent political activism of some minorities and the implications for social change. (Also listed as ANTH 3327.)