DAY February 21: Black Studies areas and Diop’s legacy

 

Cheikh Anta Diop

 

NOTE THAT THIS IS THE UPDATE FOR THE DAY SECTION: IF YOU’RE IN THE NIGHT SECTION, SEE THE POST FOR YOUR CLASS

First, a few housekeeping details:

• Remember that this class doesn’t use Blackboard. Check the course website every week for updates and detailed reading instructions which will appear on this page

General Announcements:

• TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21 IS A MONDAY SCHEDULE IN CUNY: CLASS MEETS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NEXT WEEK!
• TIckets for Nikki Giovanni event here

Quick highlights from class on 2/15 (no class 2/13 for Lincoln’s Birthday)

• Reviewed section of chapter 1 on Black/Puerto Rican Studies founding and last section on scope of the discipline (pages 17-27)
• Began discussion of Marimba Ani’s essay
  
  • Covered beginning of essay and definition of Ethos

Readings for next week

DO THIS for Tuesday February 21:

RE-READ Marimba Ani’s essay (on the Readings page as a PDF)

READ sections of chapter 2 in Maulana Karenga’s Introduction to Black Studies (pages 39-60).

• Read only pp 39-60 (“Developmental Initiatives”) in chapter 2 (PDF on the Readings page)
• This book is on reserve at Lehman’s library if yours doesn’t arrive in time.
• Pay special attention to section 2.6 (“Classical African Studies”). Focus on pp. 54-57, particularly the section on Cheikh Anta Diop.
  • Know why Diop is a significant figure and his intellectual contributions.
  • Also be able to explain Karenga’s reasons for the importance of Egypt and Nile Valley civilization on pp. 56-57

DO THIS for Wednesday February 22:

READ Dr. Asa Hilliard’s essay “The Meaning of KMT (Ancient Egyptian) History for Contemporary African American Experience” from The Maroon Within Us (PDF on the Readings page-Now posted!)

• • Points to focus on coming later

READ TO UNDERSTAND the questions at the bottom of this post to DISCUSS them with classmates and myself.

General reading strategies:

• Underline/highlight key points in the text
• Use the reading questions at the back of chapters to focus you: read those first
• Try to understand the definitions of the key concepts listed at the back of the chapter
• Make a note to ask the instructor to clarify anything you don’t understand
• Note key issues, approaches, and dilemmas/challenges Dr. Karenga outlines
• Read the chapter outline in the table of contents first, then the key words at the back of the chapter to guide your reading

Goals: understand the following key points from the chapters

• What is worldview?
• What’s the importance of worldview to the discipline of Africana Studies?
• How does the origin of the discipline shape the approach?
• How does the issue of relevance shape the discipline?
• Why is Cheikh Anta Diop important to Africana Studies?
• What is the relevance of Nile Valley Civilization to the present day?

What’s Next?

Chapter 3 in Introduction to Black Studies: “Black History: African Background”

 

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