This course provides an introduction to the study of the histories of people of African descent in North America. Taking a conceptual approach, we will examine the major historical events and developments that have shaped both lived experiences and the multiple historical meanings of African American identity, from the fifteenth to the twenty-first century. We will also work with the research and analytical tools that historians use to discover new ways of understanding the complex narratives of people of African descent, including the comparative history of slavery, the multiple interpretations of freedom, and the evolving principles and values that have informed today's racial justice movements.
- Teacher: Nancy Gallman