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Academic Year 2000/2001

Early African American History, 1619-1865
AFAM 203 SP
Crosslistings:
HIST 241
AMST 237

This course begins in the tropical savannahs of West African societies in the 1600s and concludes with the Great American Slave Rebellion in the 1860s. Some of the major issues we will explore include: how to define slave culture? what role did African retentions play? the commonalities and differences among Africans in the Americas? the emergence of freedom out of unfreedom. Our objectives are threefold: to trace change over time, to explore the role of African Americans in making history, and to acknowledge comparative and internationalist dimensions.

MAJOR READINGS

Colin A. Palmer, PASSAGEWAYS (1997)
Steven Mintz, ed., AFRICAN AMERICAN VOICES (1993)
David Northrup, ed., ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE (1994)
Philip D. Morgan, SLAVE COUNTERPOINT (1998)
Gwendolyn Hall, AFRICANS IN COLONIAL LOUISIANA (1992)
J.O. and L.E. Horton, IN HOPE OF LIBERTY (1997)
Sylvia Frey, WATER FROM THE ROCK (1990)
Virginia Ex-Slaves, ed by Charles Perdue, WEEVILS IN WHEAT (1976)
Ira Berlin, et al., eds., FREEDOM'S SOLDIERS (1998)

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

One documentary analysis (33% of your grade); one essay (33%); and a final document/essay mix (34%).

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

You are expected to attend two weekly lectures, to read documents/chapters, and to regularly participate in discussions.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS HIST    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: NONE Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-26-2001

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