Welcome to the Spring 2023 Semester!
If you’re registered for Lehman’s AAS 166: Intro to Africana Studies with Prof. Williams in section XT81 meeting Tuesday nights from 6-8:40 PM OR section J301 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 should switch to another section now if you anticipate having problems being present for all class meetings.
- Section J301 from 1:30-2:45 PM Mon/Wed meets in Carman Hall 331
- Section XT81 from 6-8:40 PM Tuesday 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 (Note that the bookstore’s listing for the
- 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.)
Day section week 2 assignments: DO THIS FOR NEXT WEEK
Monday January 30
READ the essay by Dr. Leonard Jeffries Jr. “The Essence of Black Studies” located on the Readings Page. PRINT IT OUT AND BRING A COPY WITH YOU TO CLASS ON MONDAY!
Pay attention to the following: Highlight or underline key points in Dr. J’s essay. What is Black Studies, according to Dr. J? What isn’t Black Studies according to Dr. J? What should it be doing?
WATCH Prof. Jeffrey Kaplan’s video on how to read texts to remember and understand information on YouTube. (23 minutes)
Wednesday February 1
(RE)-READ and Watch Dr. J’s essay and Prof. Kaplan’s video since we didn’t finish. Look for the questions posed above for Dr. J’s essay.
For Prof. Kaplan’s video, list key points he makes about reading. Apply his suggestions to Dr. Jeffries’s essay!
Mood
Be glad it’s (as of now) just rain–not snow–this last week of January, Missy Elliott’s aversion to it notwithstanding. Missy’s debut is a classic part of the hip hop cannon thanks to her buttery-smooth flow and Timbaland’s lean production. Meanwhile, director Hype Williams’s stylized video keeps things simple, with the whimsical costumes and minimal storyline. The simple, infectious repeated lyrics help make this a perennial favorite. Maybe it’ll become a staple of your playlists, too.
Introduction to Africana Studies 