Week One:

Introducing Black Cultural Studies

Monday, January 7: Introductions and logistics

Wednesday, January 9: Black British Cultural Studies

Readings:

Eds. Houston A. Baker, Jr., Manthia Diawara, and Ruth H. Lindeborg, Black British Cultural Studies: A Reader, Intro (pp. 1-15)

GoPost: By Tuesday night at midnight please post an important excerpt (between one sentence and a paragraph) from the reading AND a paragraph in which you unpack (i.e., translate, explain, discuss significance of) your quote.

Week Two

Black Cultural Studies Overview

Monday, January 14

Reading:

E. Patrick Johnson, Appropriating Blackness, pp. 1-47

GoPost

Wednesday, January 16

1. Readings:

Jane Rhodes, Framing the Panthers, pp. 1-56

2. History:

Rhodes timeline

3. Cultural work:

Popular representation(s) of the Panthers

Week Three

Blackface Minstrelsy

Monday, January 21: NO CLASS – MLK DAY

Wednesday, January 23

4. Readings:

Excerpts, Eric Lott, Love and Theft

Excerpts, Michael Rogin, Blackface White Noise

5. History:

Jim Crow South

6. Cultural work:

The Jazz Singer, Bamboozled, Black. White

Week Four

Framing the Panthers, part I

Monday, January 28

Readings:

Rhodes, pp. 57-115

GoPost  

Wednesday, January 30

3. Readings:

Rhodes, pp. 116-144

1. History:

Rhodes timeline 2

2. Cultural works:

Popular representations of Huey Newton

Week Five

Framing the Panthers, cont.

Monday, February 4

Readings:

Rhodes, pp. 145-232

GoPost

Wednesday, February 6

6. Readings:

Rhodes, pp. 233-283

4. History:

Rhodes timeline 3

5. Cultural works:

Popular representations of Black power TODAY

NOTE:  Dr. Jane Rhodes will be speaking today, February 6, in CMU 126 from 3:30-5pm.  Your attendance is absolutely necessary.  Please plan on arriving on time and staying for the entire talk.  In addition, Dr. Rhodes will come to a portion of our class period today.  Please be prepared with a minimum of two questions for her.

Week Six

Representing Black Cultural Studies

Monday, February 11

No reading for today.  You will turn in your first essay: a 4-5 page essay in which you do two things: 1., review Framing the Black Panthers and Rhodes's talk, and 2., answer the question, how is Rhodes defining Black Cultural Studies, both in her book and in her talk?  Please be prepared to informally present the major findings of your essay.

Wednesday, February 13

2. Reading:

E. Patrick Johnson, Appropriating Blackness, pp. 48-75

3. History:

Johnson timeline  

1. Cultural works:

Contemporary representations of African American LGBT culture

Week Seven

Appropriating Blackness

Monday, February 18: NO CLASS – President's Day Holiday

Wednesday, February 20

I will be out of town on Wednesday so we do not have class.  HOWEVER, your assignment is to read chapter three of Johnson's book and write a one-page beginning to your essay question: how does Johnson define Black Cultural Studies?  Please email me your assignment by midnight on Tuesday, February 19.

Week Eight

Appropriating Blackness, Cont.

Monday, February 25

Readings:

Johnson, chapters four and five

GoPost

Wednesday, February 27

5. Readings:

Johnson, chapter six

6. History:

Johnson timeline

4. Cultural works:

Your choice

NOTE: On February 27 and 28 the Simpson Center is hosting E. Patrick Johnson.  Please plan on attending his talk on Thursday, February 28 at 3:30 in CMU 226 and his performance on February 26 at 6:30 pm at UW Bothell.  More details to come.

Week Nine

Hybridizing Black Cultural Studies

Monday, March 3

Reading:

No reading

Johnson paper due at the beginning of class today.  Please be prepared to informally present your paper.

Wednesday, March 5

Reading:

Eds. Houston A. Baker, Jr., Manthia Diawara, and Ruth H. Lindeborg, Black British Cultural Studies: A Reader, Ch. 11 (pp. 210-222)

From Black, British Cultural Studies: Paul Gilroy, "British Cultural Studies and the Pitfalls of Identity"

Second half of class: ESSAY and Portfolio WORKSHOP: Bring in both essays and all Go-Post entries thus far

Week Ten

Wrap-Up

Monday, March 10

Eds. Houston A. Baker, Jr., Manthia Diawara, and Ruth H. Lindeborg, Black British Cultural Studies: A Reader, Hall, "Minimal Selves" (ch. 5) and "New Ethnicities" (ch. 7)

Final GoPost

Work on your final essay!

Wednesday, March 12

Please bring two copies of your essay draft to class today.  It will be workshopped.  For this 8-10 page essay you will investigate a central Black Cultural Studies question that arose for you this quarter.  You will use your two essays and GoPost entries as starting points.  More details in class.  Please be sure to use a minimum of four different sources from class readings.  Late papers will not be accepted. 

Monday, March 17   

All final essays due by 1:30 pm today.  Turn in your essay in the front office, CMU 102.  There will be a box for our class.