New Orleans is a location on a map, a collective memory, and a metaphor. But most of all, New Orleans is and has been a site of Black cultural production for centuries. While the name often conjures images of Mardi Gras beads and Bourbon Street revelers, this intermediate level seminar unpacks the complex histories of Black communities beyond stereotypes popularized by mass media and tourism marketing. We will discuss topics such as airboat tours, so-called post-Katrina "resilience," voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, and more. Drawing inspiration from Dr. Jessica Marie Johnson's statement that "Black New Orleans Is The Center of The World," we will come to understand the Crescent City as a crucible and incubator of Black culture. The materials used in this course are as multifaceted as the city itself and include scholarly texts, primary sources, fiction, spoken word, music, and documentary film.
Course Attributes: AS HUM; AS SC; EN H
