AFRICAN AMERICANS IN FILMS

Course Code:
HIS 232
Course Group(s):
AMERICAN HISTORY COURSES, CONTEXTS AND SYSTEMS
Active Term:
Spring Term
/ Randomly
Course Description:

The role of African-Americans in cinematic films has varied widely, ranging from "brutal savages" in D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation to dynamic and powerful leaders as seen in Spike Lee's Malcolm X. This course explores the African-American experience through the cultural medium of cinema. Particular emphasis will be placed on examining how Hollywood represented African-Americans and thereby reinforced, shaped and altered public perceptions of race and the role of blacks in society. The course will also investigate how historical developments in turn influenced the depiction of African-Americans in film, examining the modern Civil Rights struggle within the context of the film industry. 3 credits.

Credit:
3
Instruction methods:
Lecture
Total hours: 45
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