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ENGL352:385TopicsinModernAmericanLiteratureBlackWomen’sAutobiographies
TuesdaysandThursdays:11:30AM-12:50PM
Room:VirtualZoomviaCanvas
Professor:Dr.MelanieR.HillOfficeHours:Tuesdaysfrom1:00PM-3:00PM(VirtualZoomCoffeeOfficeHourswithDr.Hill)Location:HillHall530Phone:(973)353-5182 Email:[email protected] CourseOverview:
Inliterarystudies,bothscholarsandstudentsexaminevariousgenresofliteraturefromdrama,fiction,non-fiction,andpoetry.AswetakeourinvestigationfurtherintoAmericanliteratureingeneralandAfricanAmericanwomen’sliteratureinparticular,howdowedistinguishmemoirfromautobiography?FromZoraNealeHurston’s,DustTracksonaRoad(1942),PauliMurray’sProudShoes(1956),andDr.AngelaY.Davis’s,AngelaDavis:AnAutobiography(1974)toNinaSimone’s,IPutaSpellonYou(1991),JanetMock’s,RedefiningRealness(2014)andPatrisseKhan-Cullors's"WhenTheyCallYouaTerrorist-ABlackLivesMatterMemoir,"(2018),thiscourseisdesignedtoexamineblackwomenwriters,activists,politicians,andpreacherswhosepensand
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livesassertsocialandpoliticalfreedomforthemselves,theircommunities,thenation,andtheworld.Thiscoursewillalsodelvefurtherinblackwomen’sautobiographiesthroughthelensesoffilmandmusicwithblackwomenwritersandmusiciansToniMorrison,NinaSimone,andArethaFranklin,respectively.Asbothtextandperformance,memoirandautobiography,proseandpoetry,theworksoftheseauthorsofferanexcellentresourceforourinvestigationofblackliterarystudies.
Thisseminarisdesignedtogivestudentsaprofoundexaminationofwritingthroughthe
voicesofblackwomenthemselves,andinvolvestudentsinthekindsofresearchthatthedisciplineofliterarystudiescurrentlydemands,including:workingwithprimarysourcesandarchivalmaterials;reviewingthecriticalliterature;usingonlinedatabasesofhistoricalnewspapers,periodicals,andotherculturalmaterials;exploringrelevantcontextsinliterary,linguistic,andculturalhistory;studyingtheetymologicalhistoryandchangingmeaningsofwords;experimentingwithnewmethodsofcomputationalanalysisoftexts;andothermethodologies.Thiscoursetypicallyinvolvesseveralmaintextsthatarestudiedintensivelyfromavarietyofapproaches.Researchexercisesthroughoutthesemesterwillenableandculminateinafinalpaperproject:ascholarlyessayof11-12pages.Thefinalprojectmustemergeoutofeachstudent'sintensive,independentresearchagenda.
In-classassignmentsandreadingresponseexercises(“ThinkPieces”)throughoutthesemesterwillenableandculminateinafinalpaperproject:ascholarlyessayof11-12pagesthatwillbeturnedinonlineviaCanvasduringfinalexamweekattheendofthesemester.Attheendofthesemester,studentswillalsopresenttheirfinalpaperprojectideainacreativeform(i.e.PowerPoint/Prezipresentation,etal.).Makethispresentationcreative! CourseGoals:
ComprehendhowthecanonicalworksofblackwomenwritersreflectthecurrentculturesofAfricanAmericanliterarystudies.
Classdiscussions,readingresponses(thinkpieces),formalessays,andin-classassignmentswillhelpcarrystudentstoahigherlevelofliteraryanalysesofassignedtexts.
Studentswilltrace,throughassignedliteraryandhistoricaltexts,thedevelopmentofAfricanAmericanconsciousness,attitudes,andideals.
RecognizeinliteraryandhistoricaltextsthemesthatcontinuetochallengeAmerica(i.e.class,genderandraceconsciousness,violence,religiousvalues).
Developandexpress,formallyandinformally,perspectivesonsaidAfricanAmericanthemestoincreasecriticalthinking.
Useresearchtoaugmentunderstandingandtodevelopanalyticalpapersthatdemonstratestudents’deepinvestmentinassignedtextsandwritingresponsesoverthecourseofthesemester.
YoucanpurchasethefollowingrequiredtextsattheRutgersUniversity—NewarkBarnesandNoblesBookstorelocatedattheHahne’sBuilding42HalseyStreet;Newark,NJ07102.BookstorePhoneNumber:(973)353-2200
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RequiredTexts: *ZoraNealeHurston,DustTracksonaRoad(1942)*PauliMurray,ProudShoes:TheStoryofanAmericanFamily(1956)AngelaDavis,AngelaDavis:AnAutobiography(1974)AudreLorde,Zami-ANewSpellingofMyName(1982)AssataShakur,AnAutobiography(1987)NinaSimone,IPutaSpellOnYou:TheAutobiographyofNinaSimone(1991)bellhooks,BoneBlack:MemoriesofGirlhood(1996)ArethaFranklin,FromTheseRoots(1999)*MeriNana-AmaDanquah,ShakingtheTree:ACollectionofNewFictionandMemoirbyBlackWomen(2003)*IssaRae,TheMisadventuresofAwkwardBlackGirl(2011)JanetMock,RedefiningRealness:MyPathtoWomanhood,Identity,Love,andSoMuchMore(2014)*GloryEdim,Well-ReadBlackGirl(2018)*PatrisseKhan-CullorsandAshaBandele,WhenTheyCallYouaTerrorist:ABlackLivesMatterMemoir(2018)KamalaHarris,TheTruthsWeHold:AnAmericanJourney(2019)MicheleHarper,TheBeautyinBreaking:AMemoir(2020)(*anyshortstoriesthatareassignedwillbedistributedin.pdffilesviaemailtoallstudents*)(*sometextsarerecommendedreadingthatwillhelpyouthroughoutthesemester;recommendedtextsarenotrequiredtexts*)(fortextsthathaveanasterisk(*),studentswillreadexcerptsDr.Hillwillassign,notthewholebook)SomeofourFeaturedMusicfortheMusic-MakingMemoirSectionofourseminar:JillScott,Woman(2015)JillScott,TheLightoftheSun(2011)Beyoncé,Lemonade(2016)SolangeKnowles,ASeatattheTable(2016)Ms.LaurynHill,MTVUnplugged(2001)Ms.LaurynHill,TheMis-educationofLaurynHill(1998)
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IndiaArie,AcousticSoul(2001)IndiaArie,Songversation(2013)IndiaArie,TestimonyVol.1,LifeandRelationship(2006)IndiaArie,TestimonyVol.2,LoveandPolitics(2009)Albumsby:SadeAbbeyLincolnNinaSimoneArethaFranklinIsaacHayesCurtisMayfieldSomeofourFeaturedFilmsandDocumentaries:NinaSimone(ADocumentary)(1998)(Duration:2hoursand52minutes)(onNetflix)ToniMorrison:ThePiecesIAm(2019)(Duration:2hours)(linkwillbeprovided) RecommendedTexts:CherylA.Wall,Ph.D.,OnFreedomandtheWilltoAdorn:TheArtoftheAfricanAmericanEssayWilliamL.Andrews:SistersoftheSpirit:ThreeBlackWomen’sAutobiographiesoftheNineteenthCentury ZoraN.Hurston,TheSanctifiedChurch:TheFolkloreWritingsofZoraNealeHurston GeraldL.Thomas,African-AmericanPreaching:TheContributionofDr.GardnerC.Taylor 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,BlackWomenandMusicNtozakeShange,LostinLanguageandSoundTrudierHarris—Saints,Sinners,Saviors:StrongBlackWomeninAfrican-AmericanLiteratureThomasF.DeFrantzandAnitaGonzalez,Editors—BlackPerformanceTheoryAishaDurham,HomewithHipHopFeminism:PerformancesinCommunicationandCultureBrittanyCooper,SusannaM.Morris,RobinM.Boylorn,TheCrunkFeministCollectionEdwidgeDanticat,Brother,I’mDying
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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.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%
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In-classpresentations/assignmentswillinvolvetwostudentsperweeksubmitting4-5discussionquestionsandseveralsentencesaboutwhatwasmostengagingaboutthereadingsforthatweek.ThisworkwillbesubmittedonlineviaCanvas.Thelengthofthisdiscussionquestionassignmentistypicallytwopages.StudentshavealsosubmittedPowerPoint/Prezipresentationsorcreativevisualstogoalongwiththeirin-classpresentations.Allin-classassignmentsmustbesubmittedtoCanvasthedayBEFOREourscheduledclass(Monday)by5:00PM.AllReadingResponse/ThinkPiecePapersmustbesubmittedtoCanvasnolaterthanthedesignateddayandtimenotedonthecoursecalendar. In-ClassWork:Youshouldcometoclasspreparedtoparticipateinsmallandlargegroupdiscussions.Pleaseberespectfulofeveryone’sopinions,presence,andpersoninthiscourse.Aprimarypurposeofourdiscussionsistogiveyoutheopportunitytopracticedevelopinginterpretationsofthetexts.Whileyouareencouragedtoofferdifferinginterpretations,youshoulddosoinarespectfulandthoughtfulmanner. FinalPaperProjectOptions:
1. Attheendofthesemester,eachstudentwillgiveapresentationaboutyourfinalpapertopic(youcanpresentthisinPowerPoint,Prezi,etal;youcanbecreativewiththispresentation!).Youhavetheoptionofturninginaformalproposalstatingtheproject,itsgoals,andtheresearchthatwillunderlieitbyNovember17th.Yourproposalshouldbeasclearandspecificaspossible,asthiswillformpartofthebasisonwhichIevaluateyourfinalproject/paper.Intheproposal,youmustpayequalattentiontothepaperprojectandtotheresearchthatscaffoldsit.Ifyouwanttosubmitafinalpaperprojectforextracredit,youmaydosobyNovember17th.Therewillnotbeafinalpaperprojectproposalrequired.
• Forthecriticalessay,hereareacoupleofideastouseasyou’replanningyourfinalpapertopic:
2.Aliteraturereviewanalyzingandsynthesizingthecurrentscholarlyconversationaboutyourtopic.Yourliteraturereviewshouldnotsimplybeasummaryofothers’arguments.Rather,youmustmakecleartheinterventionthatyouressaywillmakeinthefieldandthethesisofyourownargument. 3.Aclosereadingofthreenon-consecutivepassagesfromthemajortextyouwillbeanalyzinginthefinalproject.Thesepassagesshouldbecentraltotheargumentyouwanttomakeaboutthattext;thatis,ratherthanselectingrandomquotations,makesuretochoosepassagesthatcanhelpyoudevelopastrongargumentaboutthetext.Aswithoptiontwo,yourfinalpapershouldmakethethesisandstructureofyouressayclear.
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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•LetterofAccommodations(LOA):https://ods.rutgers.edu/my-accommodations/letter-of-accommodations•OfficeofDisabilityServices(ODS)Suite219,PaulRobesonCampusCenter(973)[email protected]•ReligiousHolidayPolicy:Studentsareadvisedtoprovidetimelynotificationtoinstructorsaboutnecessaryabsencesforreligiousobservancesandareresponsibleformakinguptheworkorexamsaccordingtoanagreed-uponschedule.LearningResources:•RutgersLearningCenter(tutoringservices)Room140,BradleyHall
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(973)353-5608http://www.ncas.rutgers.edu/rlc•WritingCenter(tutoringandwritingworkshops)Room126,ConklinHall(973)[email protected]–Newark,FacultyofArts&Sciences,Fall2020https://www.ncas.rutgers.edu/writingcenter
CourseCalendar(*theProfessorreservestherighttochangethecoursecalendaratherdiscretion*):
WeekOneTues.Sept.1st:FirstDayofClass
Introductions/IceBreaker OverviewofSyllabus NotificationofThursday’sMorrisonAssignment
ReadElectricLiteratureLinkonBlackWomen’sMemoir:https://electricliterature.com/the-delicate-balancing-act-of-black-womens-memoir/(*preparetodiscussfullarticleThursday*)
Thurs.September3rd: ToniMorrison:ThePiecesIAm(film) ChapterOne:“OnFreedomandtheWilltoAdorn:TheAfricanAmericanEssay”(fromDr.Wall’sbook)
Cometoclasswithtwopointsofengagementand2discussionquestionsfromthefilm,Dr.Wall’sessay,andtheblackwomen’smemoirarticle
Readlink:https://electricliterature.com/the-delicate-balancing-act-of-black-womens-memoir/WeekTwo:September8th:BlackGirlhoodReflectionsGloryEdim,Well-ReadBlackGirlShakingtheTreeSeptember10th:ChapterSix:“OnWomen,Rights,andWriting”:JuneJordanandAliceWalker”(fromOnFreedomandtheWilltoAdorn)
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GloryEdim,Well-ReadBlackGirlShakingtheTreeWeekThree:September15th:ComedicMemoirIssaRae,MisadventuresofAwkwardBlackGirlSeptember17th:ComedicMemoirIssaRae,MisadventuresofAwkwardBlackGirlWeekFour:September22/24:HurstonZoraNealeHurston,DustTracksonaRoad(excerpts)WeekFive:September29th:MemoriesofGirlhoodAudreLorde,Zami:ANewSpellingofMyNameOctober1st:AudreLorde,Zami:ANewSpellingofmyNameWeekSix:October6/8:PatrisseKhanCullors,WhenTheyCallYouaTerrorist:ABlackLivesMatterMemoirWeekSeven:October13/15:AngelaDavis:AnAutobiographyWeekEight:October20/22:AngelaDavis:AnAutobiographyWeekNine:October27/29:AssataShakur:AnAutobiographyThinkPiecePaperDueFriday,October30thby5:00PM
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WeekTen:November3/5AssataShakur:AnAutobiographyThursday:StartreadingPauliMurray’s“ProudShoes”forTuesday,November10thWeekEleven:November10/12PauliMurray,ProudShoes:TheStoryofanAmericanFamily(exceprts)WeekTwelve:November17/19JanetMock:RedefiningRealnessWeekThirteen:November24th:Music-MakingMemoirArethaFranklin,FromTheseRoots/NinaSimoneIPutaSpellonYouMusicSelections:ArethaFranklinTHANKSGIVINGBREAK:NOVEMBER26th-29th,2020(NOCLASSTHURSDAY)WeekFourteen:December1/3bellhooks,BoneBlack:MemoriesofGirlhoodMicheleHarper,TheBeautyinBreakingWeekFifteen:December8/10LastDayofClass(Thursday)FinalProjects/Presentations:BLACKWOMEN’SAUTOBIOGRAPHIESSUMMIT2020(Tuesday/Thursday-CreativePresentations)LastDayofClasses:December10thReadingsDays:December11th-14thFinalPapersDue:Thursday,December17that8:00pmSHARP!FINALEXAM:FINALPAPERSAREDUEONORBEFORETHURSDAY,DECEMBER17,2020by8:00PMSHARPviaCANVAS(NOLATEPAPERSACCEPTED)
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