Course Description:
Through a survey and analysis of African American literature of the 19th and 20th centuries this course will prepare you for academic writing in your other college courses. In this course we will put an emphasis on the relationship between reading, writing, and critical thinking while concentrating on how the issues of race, gender, and power are at play in American society. We will rely on previously written texts to learn to collect, interpret, and disseminate information through newly produced texts.

Texts (required, available at Marwils Bookstore):
Chapman, Abraham ed. Black Voices
-----. New Black Voices
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845)
Lorde, Audre. Zami: A New Spelling of My Name
Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers
Thurman, Wallace. The Blacker the Berry
Course pack- On reserve at Undergraduate Library
In Addition:
* 3 Blue Books
* Journal-- the style of your journal is largely up to you, but must be able to hold looseleaf pages. You will bring this to each class session.
* Portfolio-- a folder with pockets to keep your written work in.
* Two Computer Disks-- one to serve as a back-up for your work, the other to be submitted to me with your typed assignments.

Course Policies

Thurs., 5/14- Syllabus Quiz- Intro. to the Course/ McKivigan essay
“Our Greatest Gift to America” In-class diagnostic writing

Week Two: In the Beginning Frederick Created Himself
Tues., 5/19- Douglass, Narrative Chapters 1-6, Van Leer and Franchot essays/ Grammar and Mechanics Review

Thurs., 5/21- Douglass, Narrative Chapters 7-11 & Appendix One Page Response to Reading Due

Fri., 5/22- Last Day to Add Courses

Week Three: Frederick Douglass, Then and Now
Tues., 5/26- Frederick Douglass, “The Heroic Slave” & Yarborough essay
Thurs., 5/28- Film Screening Birth of a Nation/ Martin Essay/ MLA
format review/handout/ In-Class Writing Exam

Week Four: Reconstructing the Race
Tues., 6/02- Film Screening Birth of a Nation/ Discussion of Final Project Topics (bring topics to class)

Thurs., 6/04- 3 (three) Wintz essays on the background of the Harlem Renaissance
Langston Hughes “Writers: Black and White” BV pg. 618/ Paper #1 Draft/ Peer Editing/ One Page Response to Film Due

Week Five: The Harlem Renaissance:When Black Was Beautiful, But Not Too Black
Tues., 6/09- Thurman, The Blacker the Berry Parts 1&2 Paper #1 Due

Thurs., 6/11- Thurman, The Blacker the Berry Parts 3&4/ One Page Response to Reading Due

Week Six: ...Research, Research, Research
Tues., 6/16- Independent Research for Final Projects
Thurs., 6/18- More Research and Writing

Week Seven: Fighting for Their Country????
Tues., 6/23- Research Project Peer Editing
Thurs., 6/25- Research Project Peer Editing

Week Eight: How’s It Going??
Tues., 6/30- Thurman, The Blacker the Berry Part 5
Thurs., 7/02- Audre Lorde poetry NBV pgs. 288-292, Mari Evans, “Vive Noir” NBV pg.
245, Nayo (Barbara Malcolm) NBV pgs. 382-386/ One Page Response to
Reading Due

Week Nine: Issues of Power; or, What’s In A Name?
Tues., 7/07- Lorde & Keating essays
Thurs., 7/09-Lorde, Zami Chapters 1-11 One Page Response to Reading Due

Week Ten: A Rose By Any Other Name
Tues., 7/14- Lorde, Zami Chapters 12-22/ Research Papers Due

Thurs., 7/16- Lorde, Zami Chapters 23-Epilogue & Boykin essay One Page Response
to Reading Due

Week Eleven: Lights, Camera, Action !!!
Tues., 7/21- Odds and Ends
Thurs., 7/23- Final Paper Presentations/ In-Class Writing Exam
Week Twelve: That’s All Folk!!!
Tues.,. 7/28- Final Paper Presentations
Thurs., 7/30- Evaluations for you and me :-)
Fri., 7/31- Last Day to Drop Courses; Study Day

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