By the end of the course, you should be able to a) conduct an academic research on a topic regarding any African-American history and culture of your choosing, b) present your academic research and argument, c) engage in literary, socioeconomic, historical, and cultural discussions on the racial issue, and d) develop your independent and critical thinking on this highly touchy issue.

By the end of the course, you should be able to a) conduct an academic research on a topic regarding any African-American history and culture of your choosing, b) present your academic research and argument, c) engage in literary, socioeconomic, historical, and cultural discussions on the racial issue, and d) develop your independent and critical thinking on this highly touchy issue.

In terms of the television and film representations of African-American culture and history, African-American director Spike Lee states, “I think black people have to be in control of their own image because film is a powerful medium. We can’t just sit back and let other people define our existence.
With a quick glance at the history of the television and file industry in the United States, the portrayal of African Americans has been, if not all, negative as well as typical. Hence, for the purpose of fully apprehending Lee’s core belief of portraying African-American people and culture in media truthfully and authentically, this seminar aims to closely examine the media representations of racial and gender characterization in African-American history and culture. The selective television series and films, such as Underground, The Birth of a Nation, A Raisin in the Sun, The Get Down, How to Get Away with Murder, 13th and so forth are chosen to help students engage themselves in the discussions of how black image should be presented, defined and reconstructed. In addition to the representations of black image, the historical and socioeconomic backgrounds of slavery, racial segregation, and modern day racism will be provided to deepen the comprehension of African Americans’ struggle in the face of dominant social standards and unequal legal systems in their time in the United States.

In terms of the television and film representations of African-American culture and history, African-American director Spike Lee states, “I think black people have to be in control of their own image because film is a powerful medium. We can’t just sit back and let other people define our existence.
With a quick glance at the history of the television and file industry in the United States, the portrayal of African Americans has been, if not all, negative as well as typical. Hence, for the purpose of fully apprehending Lee’s core belief of portraying African-American people and culture in media truthfully and authentically, this seminar aims to closely examine the media representations of racial and gender characterization in African-American history and culture. The selective television series and films, such as Underground, The Birth of a Nation, A Raisin in the Sun, The Get Down, How to Get Away with Murder, 13th and so forth are chosen to help students engage themselves in the discussions of how black image should be presented, defined and reconstructed. In addition to the representations of black image, the historical and Socioeconomic backgrounds of slavery, racial segregation, and modern day racism will be provided to deepen the comprehension of African Americans’ struggle in the face of dominant social standards and unequal legal systems in their time in the United States.

*Primary Reading Material:
1. Klotman, Phyllis Rauch, and Janet K. Cutler, eds. Struggles for Representation: African American Documentary Film and Video. Bloomington: Indiana UP. 2000. Print.
2. Wilson, August. Fences. New York: Plume, 1986. Print.

*Primary Screening Films and Television Series:
1. BlacKkKlansman. Dir. Spike Lee. Focus, 2018. DVD.
2. Central Park Five. Dir. Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon. Sundance Selects, 2012. DVD.
3. The Birth of a Nation. Dir. Nate Parker. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2017. DVD.
4. Dark Girls. Dir. D. Channsin Berry and Bill Duke. 2011. DVD.
5. The Defiant Ones. Dir. Stanley Kramer. United Artists, 1958. DVD.
6. The Get Down. Netflix. Sony, Culver City, 12 Aug. 2016. DVD.
7. Loving. Dir. Jeff Nichols. Focus, 2016. DVD.
8. Fences. Dir. Denzel Washington. Paramount, 2016. DVD.
9. 13th. Dir. Ava DuVernay. Neflix, 2016. DVD.
10. Underground. WGN America. Sony, Culver City, 9 Mar. 2016. DVD.

*Primary Reading Material:
1. Klotman, Phyllis Rauch, and Janet K. Cutler, eds. Struggles for Representation: African American Documentary Film and Video. Bloomington: Indiana UP. 2000. Print.
2. Wilson, August. Fences. New York: Plume, 1986. Print.

*Primary Screening Films and Television Series:
1. BlacKkKlansman. Dir. Spike Lee. Focus, 2018. DVD.
2. Central Park Five. Dir. Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon. Sundance Selects, 2012. DVD.
3. The Birth of a Nation. Dir. Nate Parker. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2017. DVD.
4. Dark Girls. Dir. D. Channsin Berry and Bill Duke. 2011. DVD.
5. The Defiant Ones. Dir. Stanley Kramer. United Artists, 1958. DVD.
6. The Get Down. Netflix. Sony, Culver City, 12 Aug. 2016. DVD.
7. Loving. Dir. Jeff Nichols. Focus, 2016. DVD.
8. Fences. Dir. Denzel Washington. Paramount, 2016. DVD.
9. 13th. Dir. Ava DuVernay. Neflix, 2016. DVD.
10. Underground. WGN America. Sony, Culver City, 9 Mar. 2016. DVD.