HIST 121 PZ -African American Music/Protest

Institution: Pitzer

Description: African American Music as Protest: This seminar will focus on the lyrics and songs used by abolitionists and activists fighting to eradicate slavery and promote equal opportunities for people of color in America. The course will span from the early-19th century and continue to the mid-1970s. By comparing Northern anti-slavery songs composed by abolitionists of color to the “Sorrow Songs” composed by those enslaved in the South, we will look and listen to the origins of these musical forms as vehicles for agency and protest. These musical roots will be followed throughout the semester with the introduction of Ragtime, Blues, Jazz, Rock ‘n Roll, R&B, and Funk.

Prerequisite(s): See the current course schedule for registration restrictions.

For up-to-date information on current course offerings and details, please refer to the Pitzer class schedule on MyCampus2 Portal .