African American Literature

Catalog description

This course is designed to acquaint students with diverse literature written by African Americans, from enslavement until present day. The course material will be presented chronologically, focusing on specific literary movements, as well as the social, cultural, and racial themes prevalent in the literature. The course will help students become familiar with various genres (slave narratives, essays, fiction, poetry, drama, and music) presented and build skills in literary analysis. Students will be able to discuss the goals of the writers, the influences on their work, and the ways in which this literature helps us explore systemic power structures of race in the United States.