Course on Arts of the African Diaspora will be offered in spring 2008

"Banjo Lesson"
by Henry D. Tanner, 1893

Course on Arts of the African Diaspora will be offered in spring 2008

St. Thomas will offer a course on African-American Art in spring 2008. The course, Arts of the African Diaspora, ARTH 284, taught by Heather Shirey, will be held from 1:30 to 3:10 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

This course examines African-American art in a broad geographical and historical context.

Examining works from the United States and the Caribbean, the course raises these questions:

  • What connections are there between African-American art and sources in Africa?
  • How did enslaved people resist the oppressive system that controlled many aspects of their life by producing uniquely African-American cultural forms?
  • What strategies have African-American artists used to confront negative stereotypes and shape black identity?
  • How do African-American visual arts relate to other art forms such as jazz?

ARTH 284 (Arts of the African Diaspora) meets the fine arts and the human diversity core requirements.

For more information, contact Shirey, (651) 962-5572.