Courses

This course explores how across the African diaspora, Black creative expression has served as an exemplar for timely, relevant, and even futuristic articulations of joy, concern, aspiration, and expectation. Inclusive of African, Caribbean, AfroLatinidad, and African American creative voices, the course will explore excerpts of canonical works through three interpretive lenses: the message, the messenger(s), and the approach used to communicate. Students will be introduced to the discipline of Africana studies in a method that will show the field's rich contributions to the study of arts and cultures. In addition, students will explore the brilliant, resilient and demonstrative hope of Black creative expression with emphasis on music, dance, and theater. 

Please note this course will not run until fall 2025. 

This course explores the evolution of contemporary American music from the perspective of its African musical roots to various incarnations in the United States, evolving primarily from the interaction of African and European cultures. Important trends will be covered, including the incorporation of African aesthetics into a succession of new and evolving styles, the role of African cultural values in the development of American culture and music, the blues, the evolution of African-American ensemble styles, the development of collective improvisation, African contrapuntal, harmonic and polyrhythmic principles, and syncretic processes influencing the development of American music. Music and traditions from pre-15th century Africa through the development of the roots of contemporary music in the 19th and 20th century, to the present day will be explore. This course will explore specific topics relating to the Music of the African Diaspora in the United States in a chronological order.

Africana Studies topics courses enable students to choose from a variety of course themes that change each semester. Courses may explore various topics within the Africana Studies discipline not currently covered in Africana Studies courses. Individual course descriptions are available to registering students through the Africana Studies Department.

This course will provide a deep understanding of hip-hop culture’s origins and development in the United States and Boston. Various artists’ roles within the world of hip-hop (DJs, songwriters, BBoys/BGirls/break dancers, MCs, and producers) will be examined through the lens of Black empowerment and expression. Students will also analyze the social and political events leading up to the birth of hip-hop and its reaction within the national US context. Other aspects of hip-hop culture that developed, such as fashion, art, language and other art forms will also be explored. Students will engage in lyric writing workshops and production techniques to create their own original hip-hop tracks. 

Entrepreneurship in Black Creative Expression equips students with the skills and knowledge essential for success at the intersection of entrepreneurship and creative Black expression, specifically emphasizing music, dance, and theater. This course offers practical insights and hands-on experience in establishing, managing, and expanding ventures within the for-profit or nonprofit Black performing arts industry. Students will be introduced to and explore various aspects, including understanding diverse business structures tailored to commercial and nonprofit endeavors, navigating fundraising avenues, and strategic planning. By exploring the multifaceted landscape of entrepreneurship within Black creative arts, students will be prepared to translate artistic visions into impactful ventures, whether a sustainable business entity or a socially impactful nonprofit initiative.

Spirituals and Black Folk Traditions provides students with the foundational knowledge of the African American musical experience, which has served as the roots of American popular music. In this course, students will study the genres that served as the  precursors of gospel, engaging both in research, discussion and musical performances. 

This research-based capstone course will allow students to synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired through their Africana studies coursework in an applied and artistic final project that relates to a real issue or challenge in the industry (music, theater, dance or film) or in society. Students participate in a weekly capstone seminar led by the faculty member who also serves as their capstone advisor. In sharing their capstone processes, content, and products with each other throughout the semester, students develop and demonstrate knowledge and integration of skills, scholarship, and strategies of Africana studies interdisciplinarity, mixed-method research, and grounded, local/global, reflective practices. At the end of the semester, students present their capstone project and use it for an employment portfolio and/or for graduate school application materials.

This research-based capstone course will allow students to synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired through their Africana studies coursework in an applied and artistic final project that relates to a real issue or challenge in the industry (music, theater, dance or film) or in society. Students participate in a weekly capstone seminar led by the faculty member who also serves as their capstone advisor. In collaboration with their faculty member and critique from guest artists, students will identify and artistically express their Afrodiasporic knowledge through the medium of film. Students will learn film production techniques and create a five-minute short film expressing their artistic perspective. Throughout this process, students will also analyze and critique their work product through workshop sessions with peers and industry leaders. The course will culminate with an offsite student film showcase at the Berklee Africana Studies Film Festival.

This course will examine the early development of gospel in the United States and abroad from 1920s through the 1960s with focus on artistry (ie., creatives and recordings), industry (ie., record labels, major performances, publishing and media) and culture (ie., regional styles, conference and national/ global impact). Evolving in the local churches of Chicago with the rise of industrialization, gospel has served as a soundtrack to Black life in the United States and abroad with alignment to spiritual/faith traditions while also moving outside of the Black church. From Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, quartets and the like to the pivotal release of the “O Happy Day” recording, this course will offer sociological, economical, anthropological and musicological commentary while also providing a historical and culturally competent focus on Black life through the influence and impact of gospel. This course continues the chronological sequence of AFST-320 Spirituals and Black Folk Traditions and serves as a precursor to AFST-422 Gospel Music 2: Artistry, Industry, and Culture.

This course will examine the early development of gospel in the United States and abroad from the 1970’s through the present with focus on artistry (i.e. creatives and recordings), industry (i.e. record labels, major performances, publishing and media) and culture (i.e. regional styles, conference and national/global impact). Continuing the historical and cultural narrative from AFST-421 Gospel Music 1: Artistry, Industry, and Culture, this course traces the continued global influence and impact of gospel through the leadership of Rev. James Cleveland, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, Andrea Crouch and numerous others including Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, and Mary Mary. The course will explore social and cultural contributions such as megachurches, cable television, streaming, and important televised programming such as the Stellar Awards. This course will offer sociological, economical, anthropological, and musicological commentary while also providing a historical and culturally competent focus on Black life through the influence and impact of gospel.

This course offers advanced study of the history, evolution, influence and future of the gospel industry through in-depth analysis of artistry, industry leadership, and cultural innovations that have significantly impacted and shaped it. An examination of internal and external perspectives of gospel's role and position will be explored through a hybrid approach inclusive of in-person interviews with artists/industry executives along with research of related media sources. Students will be able to explore the past contributions of gospel industry leaders and will be required to write a case study on an existing industry leader based on research, a one-on-one interview, and how employing two to three specific digital and artificial intelligence (AI) strategies can update/upgrade that leader’s impact.

This course challenges stereotypical constructions of Africa and African diasporic women (or ADW) in mainstream media. This is done by analyzing internal and external historical relationships that have shaped and redefined the cultures, ideas, institutions, politics, and social relations of several specific groups of African and ADW women. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the course addresses issues and challenges of contemporary Africa, and explores specific themes and concerns that have existed throughout Africa’s colonial, gendered, complex, and changing history. In particular, the course centers on African and African diaspora feminist movements and icons who have applied feminist ethics to social phenomena in their own contexts (e.g. gender based violence, LGBTQIA marginalization, etc.). Popular culture sources, as well as scholarly studies and activist writing, will be employed to help illuminate the lived experiences and perspectives of contemporary women living in various African and African diaspora societies including within the US and worldwide.