Course Description
Exploration of the rich and varied scholarship constituting the field of African American History. Examination of both the historical content of the assigned books and articles and the historiography. Possible topics include the Civil Rights Movement, United States Slavery, Black Feminism, Historical Memory, and Black Women in Nineteenth-Century America.
Athena Title
COLLOQ IN AFAM HIST
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in HIST(AFAM) 7010
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course requires students 1.to recognize the major themes and historiographical trends constituting the field of African American history. 2.to understand the historically dialectical relationship between black and white people in American society and to recognize the agency of black people in forming their experiences within the United States. 3.to comprehend, analyze, and synthesize a significant amount of reading material from a variety of sources with omplementary, but not duplicate lecture materials. 4.to participate knowledgeably in class discussions, informed by mastery of the course materials. 5.to demonstrate critical and analytical skills in writing papers and to assume responsibility for facilitating discussions of assigned books during seminar meetings.
Topical Outline
The Experience of Slavery in the United States [Sample Topic] Week 1: Introduction. Week 2: The Traditional African Background; The Institution of Slavery. Palmer, Colin. PASSAGEWAYS: AN INTERPRETATIVE HISTORY OF BLACK AMERICA, Vol.I: 1619-1863 Week 3: White Supremacy Library Reserve Materials. Week 4: African Survivals and Consequences Gomez, Michael A. EXCHANGING OUR COUNTRY MARKS: THE TRANSFORMATION OF AFRICAN IDENTITIES IN THE COLONIAL AND ANTEBELLUM SOUTH. Week 5: The Slave Community Blassingame, John W. THE SLAVE COMMUNITY:PLANTATION LIFE IN THE ANTEBELLUM SOUTH. Week 6: Enslaved Women White, Deborah Gray, AR'N'T I A WOMAN? Week 7: Slave Family Life Schwartz, Marie Jenkins. BORN IN BONDAGE: GROWING UP ENSLAVED IN THE ANTEBELLUM SOUTH. Week 8: Slave Religious Experiences Raboteau, Albert. SLAVE RELIGION. Week 9: Healing and Power Fett, Sharla. WORKING CURES: HEALING, HEALTH, AND POWER ON SOUTHERN SLAVE PLANTATIONS. Week 10: Slave Narratives [Student Oral Presentations] Week 11: Slave Resistance Franklin, John Hope and Loren Schweninger. RUNAWAY SLAVES: REBELS ON THE PLANTATION. Week 12: The Antebellum Free Black Experience Morrow, Diane Batts. PERSONS OF COLOR AND RELIGIOUS AT THE SAME TIME: THE OBLATE SISTERS OF PROVIDENCE, 1828-1860. Week 13: Final Paper Preparation: Individual Student Consultations. Week 14: New Historiographical Themes and Trends Camp, Stephanie and Edward E. Baptist, NEW STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN SLAVERY. Week 15: Final Paper Oral Presentations.