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BrionaHill
FRINQ:R&SJ
ProfessorMarieLo
2June2016

CourseDescription:
InthistenweekcoursewewillbeexaminingtherepresentationofAfricanAmericanwomenin
society.ThisclasswillapproachthetopicofAfricanAmericanwomeninaninterdisciplinary
manner,focusingmainlyonthewaywomenarerepresented,viewed,andexperiencelife.This
classisanentrylevelcollegiatecourseoftherepresentationofwomenthroughthefacetsof
literature,film,andfeministactivism.Althoughthemainfocusoftheclasswillbeonthe
representationofwomeninfilmandliterature,wewillbetalkingaboutthestereotypesthat
AfricanAmericanwomenexperienceandhowtheyarecirculatedinmainstreammedia.While
encompassingtheissueofstereotypeswewillbeanalyzingthemechanismsofhow
mainstreammediaprojectsandallowssuchextremismsandinnuendospersist.
LearningObjectives:

Inthiscoursetheexpectationisclearandprecise,Iwouldlikeforstudentstoleavethis
courseinformedandinspired.Theexpectationofthisclassistocomeprepared
everydayandreadytoengageinopendiscussionontherepresentationofwomenin
media,film,andliterature.Theexpectationistobeopenandviabletowardsthe
informationandreadytoengagewiththematerialandamongstpeers.Inthiscoursethe
expectationistouseinquiryandanalyzationskillstoassistintheunderstandingofthis
course.Theclasswhileinformingandchallenging,willalsoupliftblackwomenand
prolificwriterstoshowcaseadifferentviewofAfricanAmericanwomeninsociety.

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ClassBreakdown
Week1:Inweek1ofthiscoursewewillbediscussingwhatthecourseencompasses
andhowthecoursewillflow.Thefirstassignmentwillbeapersonalreflectionabout
yourselfandwhyyoudecidedtotakethiscourse.Iwouldliketwopageessayonwhat
youexpecttolearnfromthisclassandwhatyouwouldliketolearn.Bythetimeofthe
nextclassmeetingIexpectstudentstohavetwoarticlesreadandreadyfordiscussion.
Thetwoarticlesthatwewillbereading,TheStereotypicalRolesofBlackWomenin
HollywoodFilmsbyHaliAlexisNnekaNgobiliandWhatsitsLiketoBeaBlack
WomaninWhiteHollywoodbyMaxwellStrachan.Thesetwoarticlesarethebasisfor
theclassandsetaplatformforwhatwillbebuiltuponthisterm.Thehistoricalcontext
thatTheStereotypicalRolesofBlackWomenInHollywoodFilms,setswillhelp
studentsbegintolookatHollywoodandtheimagethatblackwomenhaveputupon
them.Itsetsthetoneoftypecastingtobearealthingandhowitaffectedwomenofthat
timeandtoday.InWhatitsliketoBeaBlackWomaninWhiteHollywood,theauthor
interviewsandtalkstomanyblackdirectorsinHollywoodtoday.Thisarticlegripsa
betterunderstandingofHollywoodtodayandthehardshipsAfricanAmericanwomenstill
facewithintheirprofessions.
Week2:ThisweekwewillbeginthescreeningofGoneWiththeWind.Thismoviewill
beafollowuptothearticlethatwereadlastweek.HattieMcDanielistalkedaboutwithin
thearticleassheplaystheprolificcharacterofMammyinGonewiththeWInd.Thisis
thestereotypicalcharacterthatmanyblackwomenplayedduringthetimeandthe
viewingofthismoviewillhelpputapicturetothesettingofhowthingswere.Hattie
McDanielwasalsothefirstwomantoeverwinanAcademyAward.

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Week3:ThisweekwewillbefinishingupthescreeningofGoneWiththeWindand
discusstherestofthefilm.ThenwewillmoveontoDorothyDandridge:The1stAfrican
AmericantoGetanOscarNominationforaLeadingRole,byHenryGatesJr.andJulie
Wolf.InthisarticleyoulearnaboutthelifeandtimesofDorothyDandridge,anactress,
singer,anddancerknownforbeingatriplethreatandlegendaryactress.Shewas
nominatedforanOscarforherbiggestachievementinhercareer,theroleofCarmenin
CarmenJones.ThelifeandstoryofDorothyDandridgeisimportanttothelegacyof
blackactorsandactressesofHollywood.Herstorytellsthestoryoftheracismof
HollywoodandintersectionalityissuesthatHollywoodwasplaguedwithduringthe
1950s.WewillbeginwatchingthescreeningofCarmenJonesonthelatterdayofthe
class.CarmenJonesisamoviethatissymbolicandrevolutionaryofthetimeand
openedupmanygatesforfutureAfricanAmericansinfilm.
Week4:ToniMorrisonisafamedAfricanAmericanwriterwhoisknownforintroducing
theworldtosomeofthebestworksinliterature.Shetellsgrippingstoriesofblack
ancestorsandthehardshipsthatareuniquetothembutalsotoeverydisadvantagerace
andtheunjustthatisdonetothem.Identityissuchanimportantpartoflife,andsadlyis
especiallysomethingthatmanyAfricanAmericanwomenstrugglewith.Thereadingthis
weekwillincludeTheBluestEyebyToniMorrison.ThisisthestoryofPecolaagirl
whostruggleswiththeissuesoftheinferioritycomplexandmanyotherhardshipsthat
youngwomenofhertimedealtwith.Thetitleofthisstoryisalargepartofwhythisbook
istheperfectread.Pecolashappyplacewastobealittlegirlwithbrightblueeyesand
lightskin.Shedidnotfeelcomfortablewithinherownskinandthisisavitalconceptthat
isstillrelevanttoday.Otherthanbeingagrapplingreaditisveryvitaltotheideaof
representationofwomen.

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Week5:TheclassisstillreadingTheBluestEye,byToniMorrison.Thisweekwill
includefinishingupthenovelandsocraticseminarsregardingthebookandthestory
thatisbeingtold.Thisnoveldealswiththetopicsofincest,racism,childmolestation,
andpoverty.Therearemanythemeswithinthebookthatareinneedofdeepdiscussion
andIwouldliketotakethetimetoacknowledgeeachoneforitsentirety.
Week6:ToniMorrisons
TheBluestEye
wasmadeintoaBroadwayshowin2005,the
showingofthisgreatplaywillbeontheagendaforthefirsthalfoftheweek.Invisually
showingthispiecethestudentswillgetacloserunderstandingandvisualtellingofsuch
amovingstory.Thebookisbroughttolifebythisadaptationandiscriticallyacclaimed
foritsstorytellinganduniquebrightnessbeingbroughttostage.Thenextclassmeeting
willincludeasocraticseminar.Socraticsareviableandeducationforstudentstointeract
andindulgeintopastandpresentreadingsthroughcommunication.Theopenfloorin
thisclasswillhopefullysparkdebateandintellectualconversationamongstthestudents.
Week7:Thefocusthisweekwillbeonappropriationofblackwomenandhowithas
takenitstollontheAmericanbeing.Thiswillbeanopportunityforstudentstoseea
contemporarymodernapproachtorepresentationanditsadverseeffects.Inthepastwe
lookedatoldermaterialandswitchingthesettingwillbringstudentstheabilitytosee
howitappliestoday.InAmandlaStenbergsDontCrashCropMyCornrowsandFrank
WaltonsWhatifAmericaLovedBlackPeoplethewaytheyLoveAppropriatingBlack
Culturetheopennessforconversationisbroughtforth.Itsanapproachthatis
informing,shocking,andrivetingforthosewhoarenotinformedandwouldliketobe.
Week8:Contemporarythoughtissomethingveryimportanttoremember,sothisweek
inclassthefirstscreeningwillbeofBeyonceKnowles
Lemonade.Beyoncev
isualalbum
releasedinearly2016shockedthemainstreamwaves.Itisvitaltothenewmovement

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forblackempowermentthroughout,especiallyforwomen.Theshowingofthisalbumwill
furtherconnectthediscussionsofearlierclassesandarticlesthatwehavediscussed.
McGlosterHowMainstreamFeminismisFailingMe,ABlackWoman,isfurthersetting
thecontextofBeyoncescompellingstoryandvisualbroadcastoftoday.
Week9:Presentationsonwhatstudentshavelearnedandawomanwhoinspiresthem
todaywillconcludetheclass.
Week10:Presentationsonwhatstudentshavelearnedandawomanwhoinspiresthem
todaywillconcludetheclass.

FinalAssignment:Paper
Iwouldlikeyoutoreflectupontheclassandwhatyouhavelearned,doyouthinkthat
therepresentationofblackwomeninfilmandliteraturehaschangedmuch?Ifsohowso?Ifyou
do,whatareafewexamplesofhowitisstillrelevanttoday?

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WorkCited
https://storify.com/Hali/thestereotypicalrolesofblackwomeninhollywoo
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/femaleblackdirectorshollywood_us_56cfbde9e4b0bf0dab
31a4b9
http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2015/02/dorothy_dandridge_the_1st_african_american_t
o_get_an_oscar_nomination_for/
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/17/1378478/WhatifAmericaLovedBlackPeoplethey
waytheLoveAppropriatingBlackCulture
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wujS7LkQ0x3QKFugHcTRS5HCASjKCe4jAqawtA7za
Y/edit#slide=id.p
http://elitedaily.com/women/feminismfailingblackwomen/1416024/