SPRING 2016 SYLLABUS
AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE AFTER 1950 (21 352 396 Q1)
TOPICS IN BLACK STUDIES (21 014 302 Q1)
Conklin Room 348 Saturday 9 a.m. – 12:15 a.m.
Prof. Karen Oliver [email protected], 973 802-8533 (days) 908 884-9023(cell)
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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This is a writing intensive literature course focusing on fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama
written by selected authors of African descent in the mid-20th century through today.
We will examine cultural values, historical events and literary and intellectual trends that
influenced the writers we will study.
The goals of the course are:
§ Knowledge of authors and literature of the period
§ Improved critical reading, thinking and writing
§ Enhanced ability to clearly present ideas orally and in written form
§ Proficiency in leading discussions
§ Effectiveness in working in small groups
REQUIRED TEXTS
All the texts are available at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore on campus. If you order your
books online, make sure they will arrive in time for you to finish reading them when they are
scheduled for class discussion. Not receiving books on time is not an acceptable excuse for
being unprepared.
The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, 3nd ed., Vol. 2, Henry Louis Gates,
ed.
• Go Tell It on The Mountain by James Baldwin
• A Short Guide to Writing about Literature, 11th ed., by Sylvan Barnet and William Cain
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• Fences by August Wilson
• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, latest edition
v Recommend but not required: Rowman & Littlefield Guide to Writing with Sources
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HOME WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
You will write several two-page essays at home related to the reading assignment or the class
discussions. The question to be addressed in each essay will be posted on BlackBoard at least
one week before the due date. The assignments must be printed (do not print on both sides
of the paper) and handed in AND posted on BlackBoard by 9 a.m. on the due date. Late
submissions will be penalized by grade reductions. Writing assignments submitted later than
two weeks after the due date will not be accepted. The required format is Times New Roman, 12
point, no extra space between paragraphs, double-spaced. Do not print on both sides of the
paper.
African American Literature / Topics in Black Studies Spring 2016
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BIOGRAPHY PAPER AND CLASS PRESENTATION
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To expand your exposure to additional African American writers of the mid-20th century
through present day, each student will write a 1,500-word research paper on an assigned
author and a poem, play, short story, or excerpt of a novel she or he has written.
The research paper will focus on important details of the author’s writing life, beliefs,
significant events, literary contributions, and the trends that influenced him or her.
The paper must include a deep, researched analysis of a sample of his or her work.
You must read Chapter 13 (“Writing About An Author in Depth”) in A Short Guide to
Writing About Literature by Sylvan Barnet and William Cain.
Your research paper must conform to the format detailed in the MLA Handbook for Writers
of Research Papers.
The required format is Times New Roman, 12 point, without extra space between
paragraphs, double-spaced. Do not print on both sides of the paper.
The paper must cite at least two scholarly research sources.
Wikipedia, Biography.com and similar online sites are unacceptable as research sources.
The paper must be printed and handed in AND posted on BlackBoard by 9 a.m. on the
due date.
Late submissions will be penalized by grade reductions.
Each student will also make a 10-minute presentation to the class about the author and the
analysis of his or her work.
The presentation must give a brief overview of important aspects of the writer’s life but it
should focus more heavily on the analysis of the author’s work.
The presentation must be made without reading your report to the class, although you can
refer to notes.
Authors and Their Works (all works are in the Norton Anthology)
Due Date
January 30
January 30
February 6
February 6
February 6
February 13
February 13
February 20
February 20
February 20
February 27
February 27
March 5
March 5
March 26
March 26
April 2
Writer
Melvin B. Tolson
Dorothy West
Ann Petry
Robert Hayden
James Alan McPherson
Ishmael Reed
Paule Marshall
Ernest J. Gaines
Richard Wright
Sherley Anne Williams
Octavia Butler
Yousef Komunyakaa
Ntozake Shange
Gayl Jones
Jamaica Kincaid
Gloria Naylor
Rita Dove
April 2
April 9
April 9
Essex Hemphill
Suzan-Lori Parks
Natasha Trethewey
Work to Analyze (all in Norton)
Dark Symphony
The Living is Easy
The Street
“A Ballad of Remembrance”
“Problems of Art”
Mumbo Jumbo
“To Da-Duh, in Memoriam”
“The Sky is Gray”
excerpt from Black Boy
“Tell Martha Not to Moan”
“Bloodchild”
“February in Sydney” “Facing It” and “Birds on A Powerline”
“Nappy Edges”
Corregidora
Annie John
“The Two”
“David Walker” “Thomas and Beulah” “Pastoral” “American
Smooth”
Conditions
Topdog/Underdog
“Liturgy”
African American Literature / Topics in Black Studies Spring 2016
Due Date
April 16
April 16
April 16
April 23
April 23
April 23
Writer
Ishmael Reed
Ralph Ellison
Kevin Young
Edwidge Danticat
Colson Whitehead
Tracy K. Smith
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Work to Analyze (all in Norton)
“The Ghost in Birmingham”
“Prologue” from Invisible Man
“Langston Hughes” “Exodus”
Breath, Eyes, Memory
John Henry Days
“My God, It’s Full of Stars”
TEAM PRESENTATION
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Each student will be assigned to a team that will explore a specific topic in African American
literature.
The goal of the team presentations is to provide insight into the ideas, texts, history, politics,
philosophies, theologies, etc. that influenced writers in the period studied in this course.
The team must present its information in a creative manner and ask questions or present
debatable theories for the class.
The general format is a 90-minute presentation in which each member plays an individual
role.
Each team will choose a captain who will schedule group meetings to discuss and rehearse
the presentation; and who will be the timekeeper during the presentation and will make sure
it stays on topic.
Each member must know the information well enough to present it using notes only. Team
members are not permitted to read their presentations. Reading a presentation is grounds
for individual failure which will hurt the team grade.
PowerPoint slides should be used only to illustrate and clarify your points and must not
mirror word-for-word what you are saying.
Short videos and other audio and audiovisual information are encouraged.
Each team must distribute a handout that highlights the main points of the presentation and
can be used as a study guide.
Creativity in making your presentation will be highly rewarded.
Interaction between team members and the class is required.
Do not spend time giving biographical information.
TEAM RESEARCH PAPER
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Each team must submit an original 3,000-word (not counting the works cited information)
research paper on a specific question related to the team topic.
Each team member must contribute to the paper.
Each team member must read Chapter 15 (“Writing A Research Paper”) in A Short Guide to
Writing About Literature by Sylvan Barnet and William E. Cain; and the MLA Handbook for
Writers of Research Papers.
The paper must follow the guidelines outlined in the MLA Handbook.
The required format is Times New Roman, 12 point, without extra space between
paragraphs, double-spaced. Do not print on both sides of the paper.
The paper must relate to the team’s assigned topic and must also relate to significant issue in
the themes, meaning, symbolism, narration, philosophy or some other element of one or
more of the texts studied this semester as exemplified by the assigned topic.
The paper must make a statement, defend it and draw a conclusion.
The team must do further research beyond that done for the class presentation.
African American Literature / Topics in Black Studies Spring 2016
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The paper must cite at least four research sources other than the class readings and the
assigned readings for the team presentation.
Wikipedia is not an acceptable research source.
The question you choose to concentrate on should be challenging, present new information
and analyze a text or subject from an innovative point of view.
Make sure you do not waste words summarizing the plot of a literary work.
Each team must submit a one-page statement after the team performs some of its additional
research. The statement must identify the topic, the question(s) the paper will address and
project the expected conclusion.
The research paper is due by 9 a.m. on April 30. A paper copy must be submitted AND
it must be submitted on BlackBoard. It will not be accepted after the due date.
If you the team does not submit a research paper, no one on the team will pass the course.
Team Topics
1. The Black Writer and the Politics of Art (February 27): Does literature have a social
purpose? Must art have a political message? What is the black voice? What is the
responsibility of the Black writer? Is African American literature a thing of the past? Can art
and politics coexist?
2. Race, Gender and Sexuality in African American Literature (March 26): How do race,
gender and sexuality interact in African American literature? How is Black identity
depicted? What are the issues of black sexuality in literature? How is homosexuality
imagined? How are conflicts between black men and women represented and how are they
reconciled? What is the voice of the black female writer? How is the African American
struggle against white supremacy represented?
3. Rap and The African American Oral Tradition of Literature (April 2): Is Rap literature?
Is it a natural continuation of the oral origins of African American literature? Does Rap have
a political voice? How does Rap compare with other forms of non-written literature?
EXAMS
There will be frequent short essay quizzes on the assigned readings and class discussions. There
will be a final exam covering all readings, class discussions and presentations. There will be no
exceptions, extensions or make-ups for these exams.
GENERAL GRADING GUIDELINES
Outstanding work beyond expectations; extremely accomplished, creative, visionary,
representing all that was required of the assignment and more.
B Very good work that meets major expectations but would have been improved with
relatively minor tweaking.
C Satisfactory, average achievement that is acceptable but does not stand out in any way. It
misses some of the requirements but shows a broad understanding of the requirements of the
assignment.
D Poor, substandard work that is below expectations. Key points were missed and requires
substantial work to meet basic expectations.
F Assignment not done, or, if submitted, fails to meet the requirements of the assignment.
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African American Literature / Topics in Black Studies Spring 2016
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GRADING
…For class participation:
A: You are a class leader who almost always contributes to discussions and encourages others to
respond. You ask questions or build on the comments of others and support your position
with evidence from the text.
B: You frequently contribute to class discussion and sometimes are a class leader.
C : You share useful and relevant ideas and opinions but not frequently and you don’t support
your ideas with examples from the text. You rarely engage others. You come to class
prepared but you are not a leader.
D: You never or rarely participate in class discussions, or, if you do, your ideas are vague or not
clearly articulated.
F: You are often absent or late. You come to class unprepared. You make insulting comments;
interrupt when others are speaking; hold side conversations; dominate discussions with
off-topic points; sleep in class; engage in disruptive, obnoxious or disrespectful behavior.
…For writing: Depends on your ideas as well as the basic mechanics of writing. Your essays
and research papers will be graded on content – more challenging topics will earn higher grades
– and on their organization, accuracy, clarity of writing and adherence to MLA format. Grades
will be reduced for assignments that are not carefully proofread for typos, spelling and
grammatical errors, contain incomplete sentences, incorrect word usage and the like. A perfectly
written paper with little critical analysis or original thinking may get a lower grade than a less
well-written but deeply analytical paper that looks at the literature in a creative and original way.
An excellent writing assignment is one that has fresh ideas and shows new ways to think of the
material and conform to writing standards. Fair or poor writing contains simplistic descriptions,
excessive plot summaries or are based on trite topics and is poorly proofread.
…For the biographical oral presentation: Based on your ability to effectively convey the
philosophy and point of view of your assigned author and present a useful analysis of a sample
of the author’s work.
…For the team presentation: According to the content, preparation, handouts and props,
creativity, teamwork and collaboration. Each captain will receive an extra credit grade for
leadership, based on the assessment of the team members. The class will grade the team as a
whole; the captain and I will grade each individual member. The composite grade assessed by
the class and the captain is combined with the individual grade given by me.
…For quizzes: Determined by your ability to correctly answer the question asked and
demonstrate that you read and thought about the reading assignment and clearly write your ideas
in essay form.
…For the final exam: Determined by your ability to correctly answer the questions asked and
demonstrate that you read and thought about the reading assignments, paid attention to class
discussions and individual and team presentations and clearly write your ideas in essay form.
… For the final grade: Reflects the entire body of work during the semester, including grades on
all quizzes, home writing assignments, class participation, team presentation, biographical oral
presentation and essay, research paper and oral presentation, final exam and my assessment of
your overall effort.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN THIS COURSE
1. Attend all classes.
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Attendance is mandatory and will be recorded at each class.
If you miss three classes, even if the absences are excused, your overall final grade
will be reduced.
Missing more than three classes is grounds for failure in the course.
African American Literature / Topics in Black Studies Spring 2016
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If you leave before the end of class without permission, you will be marked absent for
the entire class.
§ If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get notes, homework assignments, etc.
from classmates and to submit assigned work on the due date.
Arrive on time. It is better to come to class late than not to come at all, but frequent lateness
will affect your grade.
Complete all reading assignments by the due date.
Complete all writing assignments by the due date.
Come to class prepared to discuss the text.
§ The class is conducted as a group discussion of the literature we study not as a
lecture; therefore you will be expected to talk about some aspect of the text being
studied: concepts, characters, theme, symbols, style, form, meaning, and historical
context, something interesting, something hard to understand, etc.
§ Active participation is expected and will be reflected in your final grade.
Do not be rude.
§ Ours is a learning environment where we all can feel comfortable asking questions,
making statements and suggesting answers without fear of being interrupted,
ridiculed or threatened.
§ Disagreeing and challenging each other is encouraged, but must be done in a
respectful and thoughtful way.
§ Disrespectful language is not tolerated.
Do not cheat or commit plagiarism.
§ Cheating and plagiarism are not tolerated and will result in failure in this course and
subject you to other consequences as outlined in the University’s policy on academic
dishonesty (http://satest2.rutgers.edu/files/documents/AI_Policy_9_01_2011.pdf).
§ Plagiarism includes:
v Copying someone else’s work without citing or referencing the work and author
v Copying a large portion of someone else’s work and claiming it as your own or
making it a major portion of your own writing piece, even if you do give the other
party credit
v Copying or borrowing heavily from your own previously written work and
turning it in as an original assignment for this class
v Getting others to write your assignment for you in whole or in part; or letting
others copy from your work.
§ If the writing styles of your assignments written in class and at home deviate
markedly from each other, suspicions of plagiarism will be raised.
§ The University requires that you submit and sign this honor pledge on all work
submitted for a grade: “On my honor, I have neither received nor given any
unauthorized assistance on this assignment.”
Bring The Norton Anthology of African American Literature to every class along with the
current text being studied.
Turn your cell phone OFF.
Keep up with all revisions to the syllabus.
African American Literature / Topics in Black Studies Spring 2016
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SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS
Assigned readings must be completed by the indicated date. Additional readings may be assigned
during the semester. The syllabus is tentative and may change – you are required to keep up
with all revisions.
Date
Class Assignment
January 23
Introduction to the course
January 30
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February 6
• Biography of James Baldwin (Norton 390-394)
• Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin, Part One and Part Two
February 13
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February 20
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Biography of Gwendolyn Brooks (Norton 324-325)
“The Mother” (328)
“We Real Cool” (337)
“Maud Martha” (343-389)
Go Tell It On The Mountain, Part Three
“The Black Arts Era 1960-1975” (Norton 533-561)
Bio of Larry Neal (Norton 773)
“The Black Arts Movement” by Neal (Norton 784)
Bio of Amiri Baraka (Norton 660)
Dutchman (Norton 674) by Baraka
• Black Arts Era poetry
o “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note”
o “Black Art”
o “homecoming”
o “Summer Words of a Sistuh Addict”
o “Poem About My Rights”
o “Nikki Rosa”
o “For Sistuhs Wearin’ Straight Hair”
February 27
“The Contemporary Period” (Norton 913-929)
• Biography of Toni Morrison (Norton 985-989)
• Sula by Toni Morrison (Part One - Norton 989-1027)
Team Presentation One: The Black Writer and the Politics of Art
March 5
March 12
March 19
• Sula by Toni Morrison (Part Two - Norton 1027-1067)
SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS
African American Literature / Topics in Black Studies Spring 2016
Date
March 26
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Class Assignment
• Biography of Alice Walker (Norton 1176)
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker (entire book)
Team Presentation Two: Race, Gender and Sexuality in African American
Literature
April 2
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Biography of August Wilson (Norton 1205)
Fences by August Wilson
Team Presentation Three: Rap and The African American Oral Tradition of
Literature
April 9
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Biography of Walter Mosley (Norton 1369)
“Equal Opportunity” by Walter Mosley (Norton 1369-1381)
Bio of Edward P. Jones (Norton 1341-1342)
“The Girl Who Raised Pigeons” by Edward P. Jones (Norton 1342-1356)
April 16
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Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
April 23
TBD
April 30
Research Presentations
Research Papers Due
May 7
Final Exam