Monday, September 2, 2024

September 2, 2024: Fall Semester Previews: 20C Af Am Lit

[As my 20th (!) year at Fitchburg State University kicks off, I’ll focus my Fall Semester previews on one thing I’m especially excited about for each of my courses. Leading up to a special post on a new scholarly project I’m very excited about as well!]

Five years after I got to teach it for the first time, I’m very excited for my second opportunity to teach our 20th Century African American Literature survey (a complement to 19th Century African American Lit that I got to teach a couple semesters back). By far the best part of that first section was the student presentation component: I asked each of them to pick one cultural figure/text from a list featuring a variety of examples and categories (music, TV, film, theater, art, and more), or to suggest their own if they preferred, and in the final few weeks of the semester they gave short presentations on a few layers to their chosen subject. I still remember the student presentation on Otis Redding, one of the true stand-out moments in my first 19 years at FSU! So while I’m changing various aspects of the syllabus this time around, you best believe I’m keeping this presentation component, and I can’t wait to see what stands out this time around!

Next preview post tomorrow,

Ben

PS. What are you excited to teach or work on this Fall?

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