Four prominent participants in the Harlem Renaissance (clockwise from top left): Zora Neale Hurston, Alvin Ailey, Jacob Lawrence, Langston Hughes. (Photos by Carl Van Vechten, via Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Carl Van Vechten Collection: LC-USZ62-79898, LC-USZ62-92018, LC-USZ62-42503, LC-USZ62-114410)
Instructor(s)
Prof. Sandy Alexandre
Prof. Christopher Capozzola
Prof. Thomas DeFrantz
MIT Course Number
21M.630J / 21A.114J / 21H.106J / 21L.008J / 21W.741J / 24.912J
As Taught In
Fall 2009
Level
Undergraduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
This class is an interdisciplinary survey that explores the experiences of people of African descent through the overlapping approaches of history, literature, anthropology, legal studies, media studies, performance, linguistics, and creative writing. It connects the experiences of African Americans and of other American minorities, focusing on social, political, and cultural histories, and on linguistic patterns. Activities include lectures, discussions, workshops, and required field trips that involve minimal cost to students.