Black Feminist/Womanist Poetry

Catalog description

Alice Walker (1985) coined the term womanist in her essay, In Search of My Mother’s Gardens. A womanist is one who boldly searches for deeper meaning and greater truths counter to what is considered good for one. She loves, appreciates, honors, and celebrates the beauty, strength, and vulnerability of women. She connects with spirit, mind, and body and is committed to the survival and wholeness of humanity. (Devoe, 2020) Womanists are those who subscribe to the social theory/movement of Womanism. Black Feminists emphasize the importance of understanding the interlocking oppressions and naming of Black women’s experiences. This course will explore and critique a diverse collection of poetry that highlights Black women’s lived experiences. This course will explore the implications of gender, mothering/other mothering, race, class, sexuality, black love and other social differentiators on the lives of Black women. This course will attempt to answer questions pertaining to how Black women theorize their lived experiences in the genre of poetry.