Humanities and Fine Arts 191HFA1 - FYS - Race in America

Over a century ago, WEB Du Bois wrote two of the most important books on race in American history (The Souls of Black Folk and The Gift of Black Folk). These works pursued a mission to educate Americans on the reality of race in our country and to demonstrate the oft-forgotten humanity of Black life. 120 years later this work is still woefully unfinished. This course will endeavor to help students understand why this is the case. We will look at the economic underpinnings of race and the profound social, cultural, political, and economic outcomes on all Americans as a result of this pernicious construct. It is crucial that this course not simply be a discussion of theory, but a way to discuss race in such a way that it grounds theoretical academic language in the lived experiences of people in America.

Open to first-year Humanities and Fine Arts Exploratory Track students and first-year HFA Majors.