APA Committees

AFRO-AMERICAN STUDIES 128: BLACK NATIONALISM

AFRO-AMERICAN STUDIES 128: BLACK NATIONALISM Spring 2004

Mondays 2:00-4:00, Barker Center, Room 230 (Alain Locke Room)
Professor Tommie Shelby
Office Hours: Mondays 4:00-6:00; Barker Center, Room 242, 496-8546, tshelby@fas.harvard.edu
TF: Michael Fortner, fortner@fas.harvard.edu

Course Description: This is an intensive introduction to that diverse yet thematically connected set of African American social and political philosophies generally classified under the broad rubric "black nationalism." We will critically examine the ideas of a few key theorists and iconic spokespersons and take up several of the core themes of the tradition. Topics to be explored include the varieties of black nationalism; black collective self-determination; black capitalism; the ideas of "race" and "nation"; racial solidarity and group self-reliance; the construction of gender roles and configurations of class within black nationalist discourses; the relationship between black identity and black liberation goals; the role of black artistic and cultural expression in black freedom struggles; the significance of "Africa" for black nationalist ideals; and the relevance of black nationalism for contemporary African American politics. We will also discuss a few contemporary critical assessments of the tradition and its legacy.

Requirements:

· Class participation (15%). This involves making regular and well-informed contributions to class discussion and section meetings, which of course requires that you do the reading and regularly attend both class and section.
· A 6-8 page critical discussion of some of the ideas and arguments articulated during the "classical" period of black nationalism (e.g., those presented by such figures as Martin Delany, W.E.B. Du Bois, or Marcus Garvey), to be delivered to the receptionist in the African and African American Studies Department (2nd Floor Barker Center) by March 19 at 5:00 (35%).
· An 8-10 page critical discussion of some of the black nationalist ideas and arguments articulated during the modern or contemporary period (e.g., those defended by such figures as Malcolm X, Huey Newton, or Molefi Asante), to be delivered to the receptionist in the African and African American Studies Department (2nd Floor Barker Center) by May 17 at 5:00 (50%).

Required Texts (all of which are on reserve at Hilles and Lamont):

· Wilson J. Moses (ed.), Classical Black Nationalism: From the American Revolution to Marcus Garvey (New York: NYU Press, 1996). (Available at the COOP.)
· William L. Van Deburg (ed.), Modern Black Nationalism: From Marcus Garvey to Louis Farrakhan (New York: NYU Press, 1997). (Available at the COOP.)
· George Breitman (ed.), Malcolm X Speaks (New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1990). (Available at the COOP.)
· Philip S. Foner (ed.), The Black Panthers Speak (New York: Da Capo Press, 1995). (Available at the COOP.)
· Molefi Kete Asante, The Afrocentric Idea, rev. ed. (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998). (Available at the COOP.)
· Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (ed.), Is It Nation Time? Contemporary Essays on Black Power and Black Nationalism (Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2002).
· Various readings compiled in a course packet. (Available at Gnomon Copy, 1304 Mass. Ave.)

Schedule:

February 9 (Week 1): Introduction
February 16 (Week 2): President's Day: No Classes
February 23 (Week 3): From Proto-Nationalism to Classical Nationalism
· Robert Alexander Young, "The Ethiopian Manifesto," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· David Walker, "An Appeal in Four Articles (excerpts)," in Classical Black Nationalism. View the Appeal in its entirety: http://www.iath.virginia.edu/utc/abolitn/walkerhp.html
· Maria Stewart, "Address at the African Masonic Hall," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· Martin Delany, The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States (excerpts), in Classical Black Nationalism. Also available, in full, on the Web: www.libraries.wvu.edu/delany/home.htm.
· Wilson J. Moses, "Introduction," in Classical Black Nationalism.
March 1 (Week 4): Emigration and the Discourse of "Civilization"
· Roger Taney, "Obiter Dictum on the Dred Scott Case," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· Martin Delany, Official Report of the Niger Valley Exploring Party (excerpts), in Classical Black Nationalism.
· James T. Holly, "A Vindication of the Capacity of the Negro Race for Self-Government and Civilized Progress," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· Alexander Crummell, "The Progress of Civilization along the West Coast of Africa," in Classical Black Nationalism
· Edward W. Blyden, "The Call of Providence to the Descendants of Africa," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· Frederick Douglass, "African Civilization Society," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· Henry Highland Garnet, "Address at Cooper's Institute," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· Abraham Lincoln, "Address on Colonization to a Deputation of Colored Men," in Classical Black Nationalism.
March 8 (Week 5): Post-Reconstruction Black Nationalist Revival and Pan-Africanism
· Henry McNeal Turner, "The American Negro and His Fatherland," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· W.E.B. Du Bois, "The Conservation of Races," in Classical Black Nationalism
· W.E.B. Du Bois, "To the World (Manifesto of the Second Pan-African Congress)," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· W.E.B. Du Bois, "The Pan-African Congresses: The Story of a Growing Movement," in Course Packet.
· W.E.B. Du Bois, "On Being Ashamed of Oneself: An Essay on Race Pride," in Course Packet.
· W.E.B. Du Bois, "Separation and Self-Respect," in Course Packet.
· W.E.B. Du Bois, "A Negro Nation Within the Nation," in Course Packet.
· Cyril V. Briggs, "The African Blood Brotherhood" and "Race Catechism," in Modern Black Nationalism.
March 15 (Week 6): Garveyism and the Universal Negro Improvement Association
· Marcus Garvey, "Address at Newport News," in Classical Black Nationalism.
· Selections from The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, ed. Amy Jacques Garvey in Course Packet.
· "Universal Negro Improvement Association, Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Amy Jacques Garvey, "I Am a Negro-and Beautiful," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Carlos Cooks, "Hair Conking; Buy Black," in Modern Black Nationalism.
March 22 (Week 7): The Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, and Louis Farrakhan
· Elijah Muhammad, "Know Thyself," "The Making of Devil," and "A Program for Self-Development," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Malcolm X, "Message to the Grass Roots," "A Declaration of Independence," "The Ballot or the Bullet" and "The Black Revolution," in Malcolm X Speaks. Hear Malcolm speak for himself: www.brothermalcolm.net
· Malcolm X, "Basic Unity Program," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Malcolm X, "Appeal to African Heads of State," in Malcolm X Speaks.
· Louis Farrakhan, "P.O.W.E.R. at Last and Forever," in Modern Black Nationalism.
March 29 (Week 8): Spring Recess
April 5 (Week 9): Philosophy of Black Power
· SNCC, "Position Paper on Black Power," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· "The Gary Declaration," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), "Speech to the Congress of African Peoples," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Roy Innis, "Separatist Economics," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), "Pan-Africanism-Land and Power," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Albert B. Cleage, Jr., "The Black Messiah and the Black Revolution," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Martin Luther King, Jr., "Black Power," from Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? in Course Packet.
April 12 (Week 10): The Black Panther Party and Revolutionary Ideals
· Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Eldridge Cleaver, Kathleen Cleaver, and others, The Black Panthers Speak, pp. 1-6, and 39-165.
· "Panther Sisters on Women's Liberation," in Modern Black Nationalism.
April 19 (Week 11): Cultural Nationalism and Afrocentricity
· Maulana Karenga, "The Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles): Their Meaning and Message," in Modern Black Nationalism.
· Molefi Kete Asante, The Afrocentric Idea, entire.
April 26 (Week12): Critical Reflections on the Tradition of Black Nationalism
· Cornel West, "The Paradox of the African American Rebellion," in Is It Nation Time?
· Adolph L. Reed Jr., "Black Particularity Reconsidered," in Is It Nation Time?
May 3 (Week 13): More Critical Reflections on the Tradition of Black Nationalism
· E. Frances White, "Africa on My Mind," in Is It Nation Time?
· S. Craig Watkins, "'Black Is Back, and It's Bound to Sell!' Nationalist Desire and the Production of Black Popular Culture," in Is It Nation Time?
· Wahneema Lubiano, "Standing In for the State: Black Nationalism and 'Writing' the Black Subject," in Is It Nation Time?