Faculty Syllabus

Post-Civil War African-American Writers examines African-American literary works from the early twentieth-century (Realism, Naturalism, and the Harlem Renaissance) to the literature of the Contemporary Period (1975 and beyond). Furthermore, students will explore the literature of the Black Arts movement and understand the overall Africanist presence in American letters. This course will emphasize civic leadership, critical thinking skills, and discipline-appropriate research skills culminating in a research paper.

Required Texts

• The Norton Anthology of African-American Literature, Volumes 1 & 2, 3rd Edition – Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 9th Edition
• Access to an online dictionary and thesaurus

1. Regular and prompt attendance. Three tardies = one absence. More than three absences affect participation. Five absences may result in being dropped from the instructor’s roll.
2. Assignments and exams must reflect readings from the syllabus. Notes from missed classes are the student’s responsibility.

Weeks 1–2 (Due Jan 30, 2026): What is African American Literature?

Readings:

• Lecture #1 Notes on What is African American Literature?
• Introduction pp. xxxv-xlvii
• The Vernacular Tradition Part I pp. 3-10
• Spirituals pp. 10-12
• Secular Rhymes and Songs, Ballads, and Work Songs pp. 20-21
• The Blues pp. 38-39
• Folktales pp. 54-56

Videos:

• History of African Americans – History on Maps (YouTube)
• Gospel: Bridge Over Troubled Water – TheAllGlee Music (YouTube)
• Spirituals: Wade in the Water – Sweet Honey in the Rock (YouTube)

To Do:

• Complete Discussion Boards
• Complete MLA Homework Assignment

Weeks 3–4 (Due Feb 13, 2026): African American Literature and Its Segments/Divisions

Readings:

• Lecture #2 Notes on African American Literature and Its Segments/Divisions
• City Called Heaven p. 12
• Go Down, Moses pp. 14-15
• Excerpt: No More Auction Block p. 23
• Trouble in Mind pp. 43-45
• All God’s Chillen Had Wings pp. 57-58

Videos:

• Folktales: Br’er Rabbit and the Tarbaby – Riddle Films (YouTube)
• Jazz/Blues: A Love Supreme – John Coltrane (YouTube)
• Rhythm & Blues: Love and Happiness – Al Green (YouTube)
• Hip Hop/Rap: Dear Mama – 2Pac (YouTube)

To Do:

• Complete Discussion Boards

Weeks 5–6 (Due Feb 27, 2026): The Literature of Slavery and Freedom

Readings:

• Lecture #3 Notes: The Literature of Slavery and Freedom
• The Literature of Slavery and Freedom: 1746–1865 pp. 75-87
• Bars Fight – Lucy Terry pp. 111-112
• On Being Brought from Africa to America – Phillis Wheatley pp. 143-144
• Excerpt: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl – Harriet Jacobs pp. 224-251
• Ain’t I A Woman – Sojourner Truth

Videos:

• Enslavement to Emancipation – OCTDC (YouTube)

To Do:

• Complete Discussion Boards

Weeks 7–8 (Due Mar 13, 2026): Reconstruction to the New Negro Renaissance

Readings:

• Lecture Notes on Paper #1
• Literature of the Reconstruction to the New Negro Renaissance pp. 505-520
• Womanhood: A Vital Element pp. 619-633
• A Red Record – Ida B. Wells-Barnett pp. 670-679
• Excerpt: The Souls of Black Folk – W.E.B. Du Bois pp. 687-702
• We Wear the Mask – Paul Laurence Dunbar p. 906
• Sympathy – Paul Laurence Dunbar p. 910

Videos:

• Reconstruction in America After the Civil War – YouTube

To Do:

• Complete Paper #1 (1000 words)
• Select story(s) from Blackboard
• Follow MLA Handout

Weeks 9–10 (Due Mar 27, 2026): Harlem Renaissance

Readings:

• Lecture #5 Notes
• Harlem Renaissance: 1919–1940 pp. 929-944
• The Black Finger – Angelina Weld Grimke p. 951
• If We Must Die – Claude McKay p. 1005
• How It Feels to Be Colored Me – Zora Neale Hurston pp. 1040-1042
• Fern – Jean Toomer pp. 1150-1153
• Heritage – Gwendolyn Bennett p. 1292
• The Negro Speaks of Rivers – Langston Hughes pp. 1304-1305
• Mother to Son – Langston Hughes p. 1305
• I, Too – Langston Hughes p. 1308
• Harlem – Langston Hughes p. 1319
• Yet Do I Marvel – Countee Cullen pp. 1347-1348

Videos:

• The Harlem Renaissance – Vision Chasers (YouTube)

To Do:

• Complete Discussion Boards

Weeks 11–12 (Due Apr 10, 2026): Realism, Naturalism, Modernism, Imagism

Readings:

• Lecture #6 Notes
• The Vernacular Tradition Part 2 pp. 3-11
• Gospel pp. 11-12
• Songs of Social Change p. 17
• Jazz pp. 22-24
• Rhythm and Blues pp. 27-29
• Hip-Hop pp. 35-38
• Sermons and Prayers pp. 56-58
• Realism, Naturalism, Modernism pp. 93-107
• Excerpt: The Street – Ann Petry pp. 168-179
• Those Winter Sundays – Robert Hayden p. 234
• Runagate Runagate – Robert Hayden pp. 235-237
• Soledad – Robert Hayden pp. 239-240
• the mother – Gwendolyn Brooks pp. 326-327
• We Real Cool – Gwendolyn Brooks p. 337

Videos:

• Realism, Regionalism, Naturalism, Modernism – Sam Chiang (YouTube)
• Imagism Poetry – English Still Matters to Classy People (YouTube)
• Regionalism – Amanda Benson (YouTube)

To Do:

• Complete Discussion Boards

Weeks 13–15 (Due May 1, 2026): Black Arts Era / Contemporary / Paper #2

Readings:

• Lecture Notes #7
• Introduction to The Black Arts Era pp. 533-561
• The Contemporary Period pp. 913-929
• Lecture Notes on Paper #2
• A Letter from Birmingham Jail pp. 594-607
• Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note p. 665
• Ego Tripping (there may be a reason why) pp. 885-886
• Daystar – Rita Dove p. 1364

To Do:

• Paper #2 (1500 words with at least 3 scholarly sources) due May 1
• Select poem(s) from Blackboard
• Follow MLA Handout

Week 16 (Due May 8, 2026): Final Exam

Readings:

• Review all Lecture Notes, poems, and stories from syllabus

To Do:

• Complete Final Exam by May 8

This is a discussion-oriented survey course. The pace is rapid, and participation is required. Lectures cover history, biography, genre, and literary terms. Students must read assignments before class and be prepared to discuss them critically.

Objective: Analyze post-Civil War literature from a variety of critical perspectives.

Upon completion of ENGL 2328, students should be able to:

1. Analyze and discuss parts of a short story, poem or drama and explain how they relate to the text as a whole.
2. Write objectively, concisely, and analytically about various literary texts.
3. Relate elements of fiction to the overall meaning of the text.

Course Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

1. Think, read, and write critically.
2. Use referential (interpretive/analytical) writing effectively.
3. Critically analyze fiction.
4. Understand how elements of fiction function together to create meaning.