ENGL 352:396: African American Literature since 1900

ENGL352:396:AfricanAmericanLiteraturesince1900

TuesdaysandThursdays:10:00AM-11:20AM

Room:VirtualZoomviaCanvas

Professor:Dr.MelanieR.HillOfficeHours:Tuesdaysfrom1:00PM-3:00PM(VirtualZoomCoffeeOfficeHourswithDr.Hill)Location:HillHall530Phone:(973)353-5182 Email:mrh197@english.rutgers.edu CourseOverview:

Fromthespiritualsandnineteenthcenturyautobiographiesoftheenslavedtobluesmusic,twentiethcenturyfictionandpoetry,AfricanAmericanLiteraturesince1900providesabroadsurveyofliterarytheoryandblackliteraturethatencompassesthemesofrace,gender,music,andspirituality.Inthiscourse,wewillexploreparticularpiecesofliteraturefromW.E.B.DuBois,

1

NtozakeShange,JamesBaldwinandAugustWilsontoZoraNealeHurston,ToniMorrison,AliceWalkerandTayariJones,thateffectivelymarkthepresenceofblackwritersandpoetsfromthe1900stopresenttimes.Juxtaposingspirituals,blues,andjazzwiththeseworks,wewillalsoexaminetheintersectionsofliteratureandmusicinLangstonHughes’sandJamesBaldwin’sworksassoundandtextprovideacriticalframeworkthroughwhichweexaminethebreadthoftheAfricanAmericanliterarycanon.Asbothtextandperformance,proseandpoetry,andliteratureandmusic,theworksoftheseauthorsofferanexcellentresourceforourinvestigationofblackliterarystudies. Thissurveycourseisdesignedtoinvolvestudentsinthekindsofresearchthatthedisciplineofliterarystudiescurrentlydemands,including:workingwithprimarysourcesandarchivalmaterials;reviewingthecriticalliterature;usingonlinedatabasesofhistoricalnewspapers,periodicals,andotherculturalmaterials;exploringrelevantcontextsinliterary,linguistic,andculturalhistory;studyingtheetymologicalhistoryandchangingmeaningsofwords;experimentingwithnewmethodsofcomputationalanalysisoftexts;andothermethodologies.Thiscoursetypicallyinvolvesseveralmaintextsthatarestudiedintensivelyfromavarietyofapproaches.Researchexercisesthroughoutthesemesterwillenableandculminateinafinalpaperproject:ascholarlyessayof10-11pages.Thefinalprojectmustemergeoutofeachstudent'sintensive,independentresearchagenda.In-classassignmentsandreadingresponseexercises(“ThinkPieces”)throughoutthesemesterwillenableandculminateinafinalpaperproject:ascholarlyessayof10-11pagesthatwillbeturnedinonlineviaCanvasduringfinalexamweekattheendofthesemester.Attheendofthesemester,studentswillpresenttheirfinalpaperprojectideainacreativeform(i.e.PowerPointpresentationetal.).Makethispresentationcreative!Thefinalprojectmustemergeoutofeachstudent'sintensive,independentresearchagenda. CourseGoals:

ComprehendhowcanonicalworksinAfricanAmericanLiteraturesince1900reflecttheculturesofwhichAfricanAmericanauthorswrite.

Classdiscussions,readingresponses(thinkpieces),formalessays,andin-classassignmentswillhelpcarrystudentstoahigherlevelofliteraryanalysesofassignedtexts.

Studentswilltrace,throughassignedliteraryandhistoricaltexts,thedevelopmentofAfricanAmericanconsciousness,attitudes,andideals.

RecognizeinliteraryandhistoricaltextsthemesthatcontinuetochallengeAmerica(i.e.class,genderandraceconsciousness,violence,religiousvalues).

Developandexpress,formallyandinformally,perspectivesonsaidAfricanAmericanthemestoincreasecriticalthinking.

Useresearchtoaugmentunderstandingandtodevelopanalyticalpapersthatdemonstratestudents’deepinvestmentinassignedtextsandwritingresponsesoverthecourseofthesemester.

2

YoucanpurchasethefollowingrequiredtextsattheRutgersUniversity—NewarkBarnesandNoblesBookstorelocatedattheHahne’sBuilding42HalseyStreet;Newark,NJ07102.BookstorePhoneNumber:(973)353-2200 RequiredTexts: W.E.B.DuBois,TheSoulsofBlackFolk(1903)ZoraNealeHurston,TheirEyesWereWatchingGod(1937)LangstonHughes,ShortStories(1919-1963)JamesBaldwin,TheAmenCorner(1954)JamesBaldwin(TheFireNextTime)(1963)ToniMorrison,TheBluestEye(1970)GloriaNaylor,TheWomenofBrewsterPlace(1982) AliceWalker,InLoveandTrouble(1982)AliceWalker,InSearchofOurMothers’Gardens(1983)NtozakeShange,BetseyBrown(1985)SoniaSanchez,ShakeLooseMySkin(1999)NtozakeShange,LostinLanguageandSound(2011)TayariJones,AnAmericanMarriage(2018)ImaniPerry,Breathe(2019)(*anyshortstoriesthatareassignedwillbedistributedin.pdffilesviaemailtoallstudents*)

RecommendedTexts:CherylA.Wall,Ph.D.,OnFreedomandtheWilltoAdorn:TheArtoftheAfricanAmericanEssay ZoraN.Hurston,TheSanctifiedChurch:TheFolkloreWritingsofZoraNealeHurston GeraldL.Thomas,African-AmericanPreaching:TheContributionofDr.GardnerC.Taylor

3

DolanHubbard,TheSermonandtheAfrican-AmericanLiteraryImagination RichardJ.Douglass-Chin,PreacherWomanSingstheBluesKellyBrownDouglass,StandYourGround:BlackBodiesandtheJusticeofGodAliceWalker,InSearchofOurMothers’GardensHenryLouisGates,Jr.,TheSignifyingMonkey:ATheoryofAfrican-AmericanLiteraryTheoryAngelaDavis,BluesLegaciesandBlackFeminisms:Gertrude“Ma”Rainey,BessieSmith,andBillieHolidayToniCadeBambara,TheBlackWoman:AnAnthologyImaniPerry,MayWeForeverStand:AHistoryoftheBlackNationalAnthemHoustonA.Baker,Blues,Ideology,andAfro-AmericanLiteratureBeverlyGuy-Sheftall,Editor—WordsofFire:AnAnthologyofAfrican-AmericanFeministThoughtToniCadeBambara,TheBlackWomanHayesandWilliams,BlackWomenandMusicTrudierHarris—Saints,Sinners,Saviors:StrongBlackWomeninAfrican-AmericanLiteratureThomasF.DeFrantzandAnitaGonzalez,Editors—BlackPerformanceTheoryAishaDurham,HomewithHipHopFeminism:PerformancesinCommunicationandCultureBrittanyCooper,SusannaM.Morris,RobinM.Boylorn,TheCrunkFeministCollection

RutgersUniversity–Newark,FacultyofArts&Sciences,Fall2020

AcademicHonesty:Anystudentwhoviolatesbasiccodesofacademicconduct—throughplagiarism,cheatingonexamsorassignments,doublesubmissionofpapers,oranyothermeans,canexpecttofailthecourseandfacedisciplinaryactionfromRutgersUniversity.

AcademicIntegrity:Asanacademiccommunitydedicatedtothecreation,dissemination,andapplicationofknowledge,RutgersUniversityiscommittedtofosteringanintellectualandethicalenvironmentbasedontheprinciplesofacademicintegrity.AcademicintegrityisessentialtothesuccessoftheUniversity’seducationalandresearchmissions,andviolationsofacademicintegrityconstituteseriousoffensesagainsttheentireacademiccommunity.

AcademicIntegrityPolicy: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/academic-

integrity-policy/

Email:Pleasecheckyouremailregularly.Feelfreetodiscussanyquestionsyouhaveregardingthematerialwefleshoutduringclasswithmeafterclassorofficehours.

4

VirtualClassAttendancePolicy:Iexpectallstudentstoattendeachvirtualclassmeetingontimewithcamerason.Pleasebeawareofyourattire(casual/businessattire)andbackgroundforeachvirtualclasssession. Assignments:Youareexpectedtoreadallofthetextsandattendclassprepared.Classattendanceandparticipationareessentialtoeachstudent’sfulldevelopmentinthiscourse.Pleasecometoclassontime!Iexpecteachstudenttoattendclassreadytodelveintoeachtextanddiscussthematerialsinanengagingmanner.Attendanceismandatory.Any unexcused absences will result in a lowering of your final grade by ⅓ of a grade for each unexcused absence (e.g. from A- to B+).Ifyoucannotattendclassduetoanillnessorextremeemergency,itisimportantthatyouemailmeinadvance. ClassPercentages:ReadingResponsePaper/ThinkPiece(5-6pagesdouble-spaced):30%Attendance/ClassParticipation:15%In-ClassPresentations/Assignments:15% FinalPaper/ProjectPresentation:40% In-classpresentations/assignmentswillinvolvetwostudentsperweeksubmitting4-5discussionquestionsandseveralsentencesaboutwhatwasmostengagingaboutthereadingsforthatweek.ThisworkwillbesubmittedonlineviaCanvas.Thelengthofthisdiscussionassignmentistypicallytwopages.StudentshavealsosubmittedPowerPoint/Prezipresentationsorcreativevisualstogoalongwiththeirin-classpresentations.Allin-classassignmentsmustbesubmittedtoCanvasthedayBEFOREourscheduledclass(Monday)by5:00PM.AllReadingResponse/ThinkPiecePapersmustbesubmittedtoCanvasnolaterthanthedesignateddayandtimenotedonthecoursecalendar. In-ClassWork:Youshouldcometoclasspreparedtoparticipateinsmallandlargegroupdiscussions.Ifyouhaveanyconcernsaboutparticipating,pleaseseemeimmediately.Pleaseberespectfulofeveryone’sopinions,presence,andpersoninthiscourse.Aprimarypurposeofourdiscussionsistogiveyoutheopportunitytopracticedevelopinginterpretationsofthetexts.Whileyouareencouragedtoofferdifferinginterpretations,youshoulddosoinarespectfulandthoughtfulmanner. FinalPaperProjectOptions:

1. Attheendofthesemester,eachstudentwillgiveabriefpresentationaboutyourfinalpapertopic(youcanpresentthisinPowerPoint,etal;youcanbecreativewiththispresentation!).Youhavetheoptionofturninginaformalproposalstatingtheproject,itsgoals,andtheresearchthatwillunderlieitbyNovember17th.Yourproposalshouldbeasclearandspecificaspossible,asthiswillformpartofthebasisonwhichIevaluateyourfinalproject/paper.Intheproposal,youmustpayequalattentiontothepaperprojectandtotheresearchthatscaffoldsit.Ifyouwanttosubmitafinalpaperprojectforextracredit,youmaydosobyNovember17th.Therewillnotbeafinalpaperprojectproposalrequired.

5

• Forthecriticalessay,hereareacoupleofideastouseasyou’replanningyourfinalpapertopic:

2.Aliteraturereviewanalyzingandsynthesizingthecurrentscholarlyconversationaboutyourtopic.Yourliteraturereviewshouldnotsimplybeasummaryofothers’arguments.Rather,youmustmakecleartheinterventionthatyouressaywillmakeinthefieldandthethesisofyourownargument. 3.Aclosereadingofthreenon-consecutivepassagesfromthemajortextyouwillbeanalyzinginthefinalproject.Thesepassagesshouldbecentraltotheargumentyouwanttomakeaboutthattext;thatis,ratherthanselectingrandomquotations,makesuretochoosepassagesthatcanhelpyoudevelopastrongargumentaboutthetext.Aswithoptiontwo,yourfinalpapershouldmakethethesisandstructureofyouressayclear.

RutgersUniversity-NewarkPoliciesRutgersUniversity–Newark,FacultyofArts&Sciences,Fall2020•AcademicIntegrity:Asanacademiccommunitydedicatedtothecreation,dissemination,andapplicationofknowledge,RutgersUniversityiscommittedtofosteringanintellectualandethicalenvironmentbasedontheprinciplesofacademicintegrity.AcademicintegrityisessentialtothesuccessoftheUniversity’seducationalandresearchmissions,andviolationsofacademicintegrityconstituteseriousoffensesagainsttheentireacademiccommunity.•AcademicIntegrityPolicy:http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/academic-integrity-policy/•DisabilityServices:RutgersUniversitywelcomesstudentswithdisabilitiesintoalloftheUniversity’seducationalprograms.Inordertoreceiveconsiderationforreasonableaccommodations,youmustcompleteandsubmittheRegistrationForm,scheduleandcompleteanintakemeeting,andsubmitappropriatedocumentation.Ifyourrequestforreasonableaccommodationsisapproved,youwillreceiveaLetterofAccommodations(LOA),whichyoushouldpresentprivatelytotheinstructorasearlyinthesemesteraspossible.AccommodationsarenotretroactiveandareeffectiveonlyuponsubmissionoftheLOAtotheinstructor.PleasebegintheprocessbycompletingandsubmittingtheRegistrationForm,ApplyingforServices,availableatthewebsitebelow.•ApplyingforServices:https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/applying-for-services•DocumentationGuidelines:https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/documentation-guidelines

6

•LetterofAccommodations(LOA):https://ods.rutgers.edu/my-accommodations/letter-of-accommodations•OfficeofDisabilityServices(ODS)Suite219,PaulRobesonCampusCenter(973)353-5315odsnewark@rutgers.edu•ReligiousHolidayPolicy:Studentsareadvisedtoprovidetimelynotificationtoinstructorsaboutnecessaryabsencesforreligiousobservancesandareresponsibleformakinguptheworkorexamsaccordingtoanagreed-uponschedule.LearningResources:•RutgersLearningCenter(tutoringservices)Room140,BradleyHall(973)353-5608http://www.ncas.rutgers.edu/rlc•WritingCenter(tutoringandwritingworkshops)Room126,ConklinHall(973)353-5847nwc@rutgers.eduRutgersUniversity–Newark,FacultyofArts&Sciences,Fall2020https://www.ncas.rutgers.edu/writingcenter

7

CourseCalendar(*theprofessorreservestherighttochangethecoursecalendaratherdiscretion*):

WeekOneTues.September1stFirstDayofClass

Introductions IceBreaker OverviewofSyllabus NotificationofThursday’sReadingAssignment

Thurs.September3rd:FindingOurselvesthroughAf.Am.LiteratureAliceWalker,InSearchofOurMothers’Gardens(foundonCanvas)CherylWall,Ph.D.,ChapterOne:“OnFreedomandtheWilltoAdorn:TheArtoftheAfricanAmericanEssay.”(foundonCanvas)Cometoclasswithtwodiscussionquestionsorpointsofengagementwiththetext.Bepreparedtodiscuss.

WeekTwoTues.September8th:ShortEssayAssignment:CherylWall,Ph.D.ChapterSix:“OnWomen,Rights,andWriting:JuneJordanandAliceWalker.”(OnFreedomandtheWilltoAdorn)(canbefoundonCanvas)

Thurs.September10th:

Muse&Music

ShortEssayAssignment:“StrangeFruit:MusicandSocialConsciousness”(essaybyAngelaY.DavisfoundonCanvas).

ShortEssayAssignment:NtozakeShange,MyPenisaMachete(LostinLanguageandSound)(foundonCanvas)

ShortEssayAssignment:InHerOwnWrite(foundonCanvas)

WeekThree

Tues.September15th:

Sound,Sorrow,andDuBois

8

TheSacredWritingsofW.E.B.DuBois

W.E.B.DuBois,TheSoulsofBlackFolk(1903)

Thurs.September17th:

W.E.B.DuBois,TheSoulsofBlackFolk(1903)

WeekFourTues.September22nd:PoeticPossibilitiesSoniaSanchez,ShakeLooseMySkinThurs.September24th:SoniaSanchez,ShakeLooseMySkinWeekFive:Tues.September29th:LookingforZoraZoraNealeHurston,TheirEyesWereWatchingGod Thurs.October1st:ZoraNealeHurston,TheirEyesWereWatchingGod WeekSix:LearningLangstonTues.October6th:LangstonHughes,ShortStories Thurs. October8th:LangstonHughes,ShortStories WeekSeven:Baldwin’sLiterature&LettersTues.October13th:JamesBaldwin,TheAmenCornerThurs.October15th:JamesBaldwin,TheAmenCorner WeekEight:Baldwin’sLiterature&LettersTues.October22th:JamesBaldwin,TheFireNextTimeThurs.October22nd:JamesBaldwin,TheFireNextTime

9

WeekNine:Morrison&MusicTues.October27th:ToniMorrison,TheBluestEyeThurs.October29th:ToniMorrison,TheBluestEye(SubmitThinkPiecePaperonCanvasFriday,October30,2020by5:00PMSHARP!)WeekTen:ShortStoriesofLove&TroubleTues.November3rd:AliceWalker,InLoveandTroubleThurs.November5th:AliceWalker,InLoveandTroubleWeekEleven:LostinLanguageandSoundTues.November10th:NtozakeShange,BetseyBrownThurs.November12th:NtozakeShange,BetseyBrownWeekTwelve:Tues.November17th:TayariJones,AnAmericanMarriageThurs.November19th:TayariJones,AnAmericanMarriage WeekThirteen:Tues.November24th:TayariJones,AnAmericanMarriageTHANKSGIVINGRECESS:NOCLASSTHURSDAYThursday,November26th-Sunday,November29th

WeekFourteen:Tues.December1stImaniPerry,Breathe

10

Thurs.December3rd:ImaniPerry,BreatheTues.December8th:AfricanAmericanLiteratureSummitPresentationsPartI2020(CreativePresentations)Thurs.December10th:LASTDAYOFCLASSLastDayofAfricanAmericanLiteratureSummitPresentationsPartII2020(CreativePresentations)

FINAL EXAM: FINAL PAPERS ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 by 8:00 PM SHARP via CANVAS (NO LATE PAPERS ACCEPTED)

11