MEETS WITH AFRO 517M

Satisfies the Cultural Requirement

Course Description:

This course examines the historical and contemporary images and representations of Black people in film, in the United States, from an anthropological perspective. We will focus on early images as well as some of the more recent depictions of Blacks in both films and sitcoms. What do these images suggest and convey about African American culture and about Black people in the United States? How have the images changed? How have they remained the same? What are some of the gendered, color, and class dimensions of these representations? This course will consist of lectures, readings, and films. Group discussions, reaction papers, and individual projects will be assigned to explore the images and representation of African American people, culture, and life over time.