Upper Division Seminar
Early Black Print, Writing, and Political Organizing
- Course Number: ENGL 197
- Prerequisites:
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- Advisory Enrollment Information:
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- Quarter: Spring 2026
This course focuses on Black print, writing, and political organizing in nineteenth-century North America. Along with narratives about slavery, we will explore Black print cultures developed for joy, connection, and contending with anti-Black racism. Early Black communities used many print forms (pamphlets, newspapers, and magazines) in fights for their rights (petitions, campaigns, and conventions). We will reflect on those ethics and legacies by paying attention to what has survived—or not—in historical archives. Students will have a chance to conduct original research on buried histories. Course will require regular attendance, participation, and informal and formal writing assignments, including for broader public audiences online.