230555 The Black Power Era: African American Movements and Cultures in the 1960s and 1970s (S) (WiSe 2020/2021)

In light of recent debates on white supremacy and ongoing struggles against anti-black racism and police brutality in the US and beyond, a new generation of activists, protesters, musicians, and artists is searching for inspiration in the 1960s and 1970s when the Civil Rights and Black Power movements challenged institutionalized racism and heralded the beginning of a new era for African Americans in the US. In this seminar, we will take a closer look at some of the historical developments, activists, movement icons, organizations, ideas, and cultural manifestations that defined the African American freedom struggle of the 1960s and 1970s as one of the most significant chapters in US history and popular culture. Our sessions will touch the following topics: the contrasting legacies of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X; ideologies of Black Nationalism; the Black Panther Party; the Black Arts Movement; Soul and Funk music and the freedom struggle; Muhammad Ali as a global icon; the impact of Black Power on other minority communities and beyond US borders; Black Power as an inspiration to the Hip Hop and Black Lives Matter generations.

Requirements for participation, required level

Students should be able to discuss and read in English and have a basic knowledge of 1960s and 1970s US history.