African American Children's Literature

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The title of Duane and Capshaw Smith's book, Who Writes for Black Children? African American Children's Literature Before 1900 captures the essence of this course and serves as our foundation. We will explore the long rich history of literature for African American children by African American authors and challenge deficit, dominant narratives about literacy practices of African American communities before 1900 up to the present day. The majority of the course will focus on literature for children from the 20th century up to recent publications, trends in children's literature that have provided a platform or silenced authors, and how social, cultural, and political factors have controlled whose work is published, which texts are published and distributed, and the impact this has on how individuals and communities view themselves and others. We will draw on a range of literary theories to analyze literature and each student will develop an in-depth author study of an artist of their choice with a strong focus on historical, cultural, and social influences and contexts. Throughout the semester, we will explore the power of literature for disrupting, transforming, and challenging negative and racist ideologies that perpetuate inequality and injustice in American society.