ENGL 322 - African-American Literature Before 1945

Units: 4 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; Social Justice
A survey of writings by people of African descent living in North America from the Colonial era through the 19th century. Covers early poetry, autobiographies, fiction, drama, and essays that form the basis of an African-American literary tradition.

Breadth Area(s) Satisfied: GE-UD-3 - Upper-Division Arts or Humanities (Humanities); Social Justice
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Areas 1A, 1B, 1C and GE-2 with grade C- (CR) or better (GE Areas A1, A2, A3 and B4 for students on the 2024-25 or earlier catalogs).
Strongly Recommended Preparation: Upper division status (greater than 60 earned semester units) and completion of lower division Area 3 requirements (lower division Area C requirements for students on the 2024-25 or earlier catalogs).
Possible Instructional Methods: On-ground, or Hybrid, or Online-Asynchronous.
Grading: A-F or CR/NC (student choice).
Course Typically Offered: Fall ONLY

Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

demonstrate familiarity with themes and structures of important works in African American literature from before 1945;
identify and describe the characteristics of major 19th century African-American literary forms and periods;
locate and summarize secondary texts related to important works of African American literature before 1945; 4. articulate in writing meaningful connections between specific African American literary texts, their themes, their historical contexts, and contemporary readers.
articulate in writing meaningful connections between specific African American literary texts, their themes, their historical contexts, and contemporary readers.

GE-UD-3. Upper-division Arts or Humanities Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of and ability to apply principles, methodologies, values systems, and thought processes employed in the arts and humanities.
Analyze cultural production as an expression of, or reflection upon, what it means to be human.
Demonstrate how the perspectives of the arts or humanities are used by informed, engaged, and reflective citizens to benefit local and global communities.

Social Justice Overlay Learning Outcomes

use a disciplinary perspective to analyze issues of social justice and equity;
describe the challenges to achieving social justice; and
identify ways in which individuals and/or groups can contribute to social justice within local communities, nations, or the world.