English 491U - S-British Black Writing

In this course, you will study the lives and works of black people in Britain over three centuries. We will read modern prize-winning authors such as Sam Selvon, Andrea Levy, Bernardine Evaristo, S.I. Martin, and Zadie Smith, as well works by black eighteenth-century authors such as Ignatius Sancho. We will also view several feature films and documentaries about the black British experience over many years. The course's main topics are immigration and outsiders; the long-established black communities; the concept of "home"; modern, multicultural Britain; and the formation of a Black British identity.