What is Black Feminism? In this course, we will explore the history of Black women’s gendered and racial politics in the United States and, in particular, how their beliefs and experiences have differed from other groups. How have Black women pushed back against and attempted to reshape traditional, Eurocentric, “white feminist” politics? How have Black Feminist responses to racism diverged from and challenged mainstream and Black masculinist political scripts? We will explore these questions as well as representations of Black women’s sexuality and political activism. Course readings are drawn from a variety of disciplines and time periods with the goal of exposing students to the history of Black Feminist thought and the breadth of Black Feminist scholarship, activism, and methodologies. By the end of the semester, students will be conversant in the major concepts of Black Feminism and Black Women’s Studies and have developed the analytical tools to understand how race, gender, and class interact to produce the unique experiences of Black women in the United States.

Course Requirements:

Regular attendance and participation in class discussions is expected. There will a handful of discussion posts, three short papers (<5pg), and a final project. The three papers are worth 30% of the final grade and the final project is worth 25%.

Class Format:

Online class will meet synchronously at its currently scheduled time.