BLST 116 African American Music: From Slavery to the Present
This course surveys music of African Americans, with an emphasis on 20th century classical and vernacular genres. We will examine this musical web in six units: classical, spirituals, gospel, blues, music of the civil rights movement, and rock & other contemporary vernacular musics. Among the featured artists and record labels covered are William Grant Still, Marian Anderson, Margaret Bonds, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Big Mama Thornton, Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix, The Staples Singers, Mos Def, Motown, Stax, and Atlantic Records. Through extensive listening and reading, this class will explore how the paradigms of African American cultural experience are deeply interwoven within the musical narratives of the U.S. and its cultural satellites. No prior musical training is necessary.
Cross Listed Courses
MUSC 116
Core Requirements Met
- United States Diversity
- Fine Arts