Important AAS 166 Spring ’22 Semester Start Info

Hank Williams

Welcome to the Fall 2022 Semester!

If you’re registered for Lehman’s AAS 166: Intro to Africana Studies with Prof. Williams in section XM81 meeting Monday nights from 6-8:40 PM OR section 1F meeting Monday/Wednesday from 1:30-2:45, then you’re in the right place!

Note that both class sections meet in person on campus! You must be able to attend all scheduled classes on campus. You are encouraged to change to another section now if you anticipate having problems being present.

  • Section 1F from 1:30-2:45 PM Mon/Wed meets in Carman Hall 332
  • Section XM81 from 6-8:45 PM Monday meets in Carman Hall 331

This post will be mostly informational: the specific info for next week’s assignment will be in a separate follow-up post, which you’ll see above this post when it’s published. Every week will have a new post for each class section with specific instructions for your class.

Immediate tasks:

  • Buy or rent the textbook. Details on the books page
  • Sign up for the text announcement list for your section (scroll down to find it)
  • Attend the first classes–double check the time and Carman Hall room #. Remember that all classes meet in person on campus this semester!

Note that this website is the official home for the course this semester! Info and updates will be here, not on Blackboard!

Course book

Please see the course books page, which has info on our required textbook: Dr. Maulana Karenga’s  Introduction to Black Studies, 4th edition. It’s often listed online at inflated prices. Try the college bookstore first or go directly to the publisher for it.

You should buy or order the book immediately because books often take a long time to ship! We will use it every week and you cannot successfully pass the course without it or without doing the reading!

Syllabus

Will be distributed in class and posted on the syllabus page after the first class meeting. There is a different syllabus for each class section

Class text message service

I’ve also set up a text message service for the semester hosted by Remind. Please sign up right now: it lets me to quickly send important notes to everyone. (You can get the messages by email if you don’t have a cell phone that allows text messages.)

  • Sign up for day section (1F) here
  • Sign up for night section (XM81) here

First class agenda

The agenda for our first week of class starting Monday August 29, 2022 will be course logistics (including a tour of the website), a course overview, a short reading assignment, a short icebreaker or two, and an intro to next week’s assignment.

See you then!

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Day section (Section 1F) for Wednesday 8/31 class meeting (Ignore this if you’re in the night section)

READ Dr. Leonard Jeffries’s essay “The Essence of Black Studies” (PDF download from the Readings page).  PLEASE PRINT OUT A COPY AND BRING IT WITH YOU TO CLASS. Focus your reading on the following questions:

  • According to Dr. J, what is Black Studies

  • What isn’t Black Studies?

  • What should it be doing?

  • Select 3 important quotes. Write them out and why you think they’re important or why they made sense to you
  • Questions? (What don’t you understand here?) Write out questions to ask the instructor and class to help you understand

Mood

Until then, enjoy the last (unofficial) week of summer, courtesy of Roy Ayers. His trippy, synth-heavy ode to the season of sun and warmth perfectly captures the spirit of summer. The simple, infectious repeated lyrics help make this a perennial favorite. Maybe it’ll become a staple of your playlists, too. And if you’re a parent, it’s something you can feel good about sharing and enjoying with the little ones.

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