Announcements:
- The final exam is on December 18 from 6-8 PM in our usual classroom. DO NOT MISS IT. THERE WILL NOT BE A MAKE-UP!
- If anyone’s interested, I also teach a Contemporary Urban Writers course in the English Department, which is English 229. It focuses on Black, Puerto Rican, and Dominican New York City-based writers from the 1960s to the present. It’s Writing Intensive and meets the Creative Expression distribution requirement. There are 2 sections, meeting either on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons or evenings. More details here.
Kwanzaa Events:
- Sister’s Uptown Bookstore (1942 Amsterdam Ave near 156 St in Manhattan) is having several Kwanzaa events. There’s a screening of the documentary film The Black Candle on Friday December 20 and an actual Kwanzaa celebration on Saturday December 28 from 1-5 PM. Details on both events on their Facebook page. The Kwanzaa event on the 28th will have elements specifically geared for children.
- CEMOTAP (Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People) is having a pre-Kwanzaa event in South Ozone Park Queens near JFK Airport on Saturday December 20 starting at 2 PM. Details at the Facebook event page.
- Parkchester’s annual Kwanzaa celebration in The Bronx is on Saturday December 28 from 4-8 PM at St. Helena Church, 1315 Olmstead Ave in The Bronx. There is a small suggested donation. Details here
- the Kwanzaa Celebration in Brooklyn mentioned by Dr. Segun Shabaka in class will be on Sunday December 29 from 4-8 PM at IS 258, 141 Macon St, Brooklyn NY. It is intentionally a family friendly program. You should plan on bringing children and there will be music, an exciting African dance presentation, and vendors selling clothing, books, and other goods in addition to a talk by Dr. Maulana Karenga (the author of our textbook). There’s a small admission fee (that you can negotiate if you’re truly broke). Details (soon) at their website.
Final exam overview
- Format will be two written blue book essays on the themes listed below. You will have a choice of essays
- Written notes and books will not be allowed
Areas to focus on for exam
- Africana Studies approaches to religion, psychology, social sciences, politics
- 3 Major Modal Periods in Africana history
- Harold Cruse’s paradigm for social organization of economics, politics, and culture
- Role of culture and/or religion
- Different approaches to Pan Africanism
- Garvey, DuBois, Washington, Clarke and role of Education
- Cheikh Anta Diop’s importance/contributions to field of Africana Studies (from IBS)
Quick highlights from 12/12 class:
- Reviewed “Can African People Save Themselves?” in Dr. Clarke’s Notes for An African World Revolution (pp. 383-420)
- Exam overview
- Notes for approaching essay exams: mine and others. See my handout on essay exams: coming soon
Introduction to Africana Studies 