Assignments

This will be an analysis of one primary source of your choice that you have
independently researched and that pertains to the era and topical focus of this course. This is a written assignment. This primary source analysis will be between 1,000 and 1,250 words in length, give a complete citation of the primary source chosen (Chicago Manual of Style), and show your ability to complete a critical, historical primary source analysis. You are welcome to choose a narrative, visual, audio, etc. primary source. Please follow these guidelines for your primary source analysis.

This will be a written review of an academic monograph that has been published within the last decade. You will research and choose an academic monograph (single-authored book) that addresses African American women’s history. Your book review will be between 1,000 and 1,250 words in length.
Please follow these guidelines for your book review: a) Book Reviews and b) Book Reviews.

You will create a short biography of an African American woman in history, based on your own research. This will take the form of either a Wiki on your homepage or a digital poster that you will upload to your homepage. This is a multimedia assignment. The short biography should not exceed 1,250 words, it should focus on what you deem the key aspects of the person’s life and activities, and must include at least one relevant, visual primary source of or about the person. It can include additional media, including audio, video, timelines, and other visualizations. Please follow these guidelines on how to create an effective digital poster.

This is a written and multimedia assignment that comes in two parts. “Bookends” are two essays that are linked together to assess the learning outcomes of your learning journey in this course. You have an Opening Bookend and a Closing Bookend essay to complete. You will write a 500-word “Opening Bookend” essay at the start of Week 2 (deadline: April 1, 11:59 PM) in which you reflect on your current state of knowledge and your conceptualization of Black Women’s History, central themes you can identify,
and questions you have. At the end of Week 10 (deadline: June 2, 11:59 PM), you will write another 500-word essay, the “Closing Bookend,” to again reflect on these questions and assess your own progress. You are welcome to incorporate further audio and visual material that you can integrate in your essay.

You will create a podcast on “Black Women’s History and Cultural Representations” that reflects on our Penumbra Theatre visit and the play “Flex” in connection to what you have learned about Black Women’s History as well as your critical analysis of more current sociocultural representations, including the play. This is an audio assignment. This podcast can be a joint project with another student (two-people teams) if you wish, or a solo project. If it is a joint project, it will be graded as a joint effort. This podcast should not exceed 10 minutes and should be uploaded to your homepage. There are free podcast apps that you can use, e.g. “Audacity,” on which you can find more information here.