Introduction to Anti-Black racism in the United States: The African American Experience

Catalog description

This interdisciplinary course for undergraduate students on anti-racism will examine the historical, sociological, representational, and psychological effects of racism on the experiences of African Americans. In 2020, three significant events: the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others, the COVID-19 pandemic, and benchmark studies on economic inequalities created a national and global demand for anti-Black racism education. An intersectional lens will guide the course to examine the core modules and recent events, providing a holistic racial, gender, and class analysis. Experiential activities and journal reflections will allow students to evaluate their personal beliefs about race, cultural identity, privilege, and social advocacy. The course concludes with students creating and presenting campus or community-based anti-racism projects. Faculty may include field trips to regional and/or national African American historical sites and guest speakers throughout the course in order to provide expert scholarship, insights, and experiences.