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CS92PROD
Girlhood in African American Literature
AFAM 115
Spring 2009 not offered
Crosslisting: ENGL 122

This course will explore the visual and literary construction of girlhood in African American newspapers, literature, conduct manuals, and magazines from the early nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. This course is designed to expose students to a broad array of African American texts and visual images that will include Phillis Wheatley's frontispiece, advertisements and articles from the early black press, book covers and images in select nineteenth-century novels, sketches and photographs from early black conduct books and art from Kara Walker's NARRATIVES OF A NEGRESS. The assigned texts span more than two centuries of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that we will examine to consider the important cultural work that representations of girlhood performed in the fight for citizenship and legitimacy throughout African American literary history. The figure of the girl will operate as a lens through which we will investigate and interrogate ideologies of race, gender, sexuality, class, culture, nation and diaspora represented in major literary texts published during these two centuries.

Essential Capabilities: None
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA AFAM
Course Format: SeminarGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: None

Last Updated on MAR-28-2024
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