Fall 2017: Unit II - The Fire This Time

By now, we have viewed and watched quite a bit of material which highlights both peaceful and more aggressive responses to the brutality inflicted on black and brown communities.  Some vocalized how they would've responded one way or the other.  I challenge you to look beyond yourselves.  Ask someone who lived then through the violence of Jim Crow, and get their opinion on how they responded.  Then, I'd like you to contrast their response with how you would respond to the then violence as well as today's violence.  Do any of them reflect either a reading or a viewing from this unit?  Please share your comments.


Due: Fri., 10/6/17 by the beginning of class.  (Please remember the blog rubric)

Fall 2017 - Unit I: Moral Monsters

During this unit, we've identified the "irony" of white saviors as moral monsters.  The concept of "saving them from themselves" is examined in our readings and viewings. From A Red Record to Tim Wise's "Trayvon Martin, White America and the return of Dred Scott," we're discussing the actions of several who consider their purpose "to serve and protect," as well as to protect the traditional "American values" this country was founded on. So, I ask you, how do you negotiate with a "moral monster?" Are these individuals salvageable, or are they a lost cause?  Where would you begin your dialogue?  Finally, do you believe there will be another LA Riots?

Due: Wed., 9/13/17 by the beginning of class.

Unit IV - You're Blind Baby: Post-Racial It Ain't

This Unit has welcomed even more dialogue and discourse about perceptions of a Post-Racial America.  Many have decided such a concept is false.  From Riots to accusations of rape, our topics remain relevant and perhaps correlate even more with today's social media hashtags like #SayHerName or #BlackLivesMatter.  We'll conclude this unit with a viewing of the controversial filmmaker, Nate Parker, whose biopic, Birth of a Nation, permanently changed Hollywood films because the original can no longer be discussed in isolation despite the allegations Parker vehemently disputes.  And, we must question the timing regarding the publicity of his past, allegations coincidentally affecting the opening weekend of his film.

Then, from Michelle Alexander to Alicia Garza, or Roxanne Gay to Gabrielle Union, the women of this unit have provided deliberate acknowledgement to the roles of women in the BLM Movement and the African American community.  Perhaps they've made us aware of perspectives that we likely hadn't previously considered.  While I'm still interested in what has resonated with you the most, I'd also like to know how has this Unit enlightened you?  Has it changed you?  Please share.  And, thank you for a thought provoking semester.  It has truly been a pleasure!

Due: Fri., 4/28/17 by the beginning of class.

Unit III - Places and Spaces: Platforms as Sites of Resistance

Who would think of "space" as a site of resistance?  And, I don't just mean physical locality, I also mean our bodies, music, cinema, or anything else.  Would you think of words in the same manner?  Maybe so, but for black folks, defying the odds has always represented resistance.  I just heard on the radio about Ray Charles being banned from the State of Georgia for over twenty years because he refused to play in segregated venues.  Yet, he initially thought, "I can't do anything about it. I'm just an entertainer."  Which act of resistance resonated the most with you in this unit, and has it inspired more resistance in your current space or place?  Please explain.

Due: Fri., 3/31/17 by the beginning of class.

Unit II - Get Up Stand Up

We began this "Get Up Stand Up" unit by reading two iconic Black men: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.  We discussed them as political activists as well as humans.  Some of you have watched Selma.  All of you have watched Freedom Riders and Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution.  You have been introduced to tenets of critical race theory as well as Toni Morrison's "the autobiography as the origins of literature for black folks." This week marks the 5th anniversary of Trayvon Martin's death.  So, I believe this unit's theme continues resonating today.  As such, I ask: in what ways were you impressed by how any one of these individuals got up and stood up, and how do you plan to continue getting up and standing up?  (Please remember to follow the blog rubric found on your syllabus.)

Due: Wed., 3/1/17 by the beginning of class.