MUS3301: The Music of Black Americans

This course examines the variety of ways African and African Americans express social history through music. It will consider the union of African elements and European elements that combined to present a new syncretized African-American product. To do this it is imperative that we explore the diversity of musical "voices" found within the African American culture. This diversity can be seen in the struggles to retain African cultural effects and the desire to be eclectic, creative, and contemporary. Such an approach to the study of the place of Black music in American music corresponds with the criteria of Diversity and Social Justice in the United States Liberal Education. The "multi-layered operation of power, prestige, and privilege" can be understood through an examination of the music of African Americans, which represents both a Free African voice and an enslaved African voice; the western-trained Black performer/composer and the self-taught performer/composer. It also represents the habits of well-to-do African Americans and the poor African Americans. Students will examine the complexities of the history of African Americans and how this is played out in the development of musical styles and genres. From this, students will then begin to understand how this unique diversity within a community affects those outside of those communities. Such an approach to the study of the place of Black music in American music corresponds with the criteria of Diversity and Social Justice in the United States Liberal Education. We will follow elements found in West African culture and music such as "call and response" and the "2nd Line" as they travel to the "New World" and expressed through Spirituals, Symphonies, Gospel Music, Jazz, Rock and Roll, Step Bands and more. Through lectures, readings, discussion, audiovisual examples, and homework assignments student can expect to gain a deeper understanding of the ways music both reflects and influences the social history of all Americans.

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