Staging Black Feminisms

This course considers the feminist and anti-racist practices of Black female dramatists, placing their plays within their cultural contexts. We will examine the ways in which these works construct Black feminist histories, genealogies, and cultures while challenging racial and sexual hierarchies in both American society and artistic canons. Each week, students will read a landmark dramatic text by a Black female playwright as well as seminal sociological texts and scholarly studies that contextualize the work within broader artistic and social movements. Through discussions, field trips including attendance at theatrical performances and other cultural events, reading responses, and a final presentations based on individual research, students will hone their thinking about the development of Black female voices in American dramatic literature and society.