Department of English

In this in-depth seminar we will excavate the fascinating history of professional black theatre in this country dating back to the early 1800's. We will read the most groundbreaking plays (i.e. Baraka's /Dutchman/, Shange's /For Colored Girls/..., Ward's /Day of Absence/ and many more) and examine the efforts of African American theatre artists to ferment social change through their art, starting long before The Harlem Renaissance and continuing through to today's emerging hip-hop theatre movement. Through engaging with the past we will deepen our understanding of American history and cultural politics.