SUMMER ON-LINE SYLLABUS
English 4420/7420--Africana Womanism
On-Line Summer 2010
Instructor: Dr. Clenora Hudson-Weems, Professor of English
Phone: (573) 882-2783 (o), (573) 449-5198 (h); 917-715-2965
Websites:
hppt//web.missouri.edu~engchw/
www.africanawomanism.com
Course Description and Rationale:
Africana Womanism, is an undergraduate and graduate course specifically designed
to broaden one's scope from a family-centered perspective in the area of issues,
recurring themes and/or trends in modern Africana women fiction, highlighting its
applicability to our everyday lives worldwide. An in depth study of the lives and
selected works by two (2) leading global Africana women writers—Senegalese
novelist, Mariama Bâ (So Long a Letter) and Nobel Prize Winning author, Toni
Morrison (Beloved) --will be enhanced by critical readings of two (2) books from the
Africana Womanism Trilogy and scholarly articles by and about the various
authors, highlighting the prioritization of Race, Class & Gender for this powerful
paradigm, committed to the empowerment and equality of all, rather than a gender
exclusive agenda (female-centered, female-empowerment) so characteristic of other
female based constructs. Students will be introduced to an authentic Africana
theoretical concept and methodology, Africana Womanism, and will be applying
Afeicana Womanist theory to the two (2) Africana womanist novels, which clearly
reflect our daily lives throughout the world.
Course Goals and Objectives:
Meshed together, the primary and secondary reading materials, as well as other
media materials, will aid students in refining their own individual concepts about
not only the writings of the individual authors, but about critical current issues,
particularly as they relate to Africana women and their families and communities.
The ultimate goal and objective of this course is to enhance one's knowledge via
appreciation of Africana women and their interconnection with their families (men
and children) in particular and Africana life and culture (historically and currently)
in general. This course could also serve faculty members who may be interested in
offering this course at their institutions.
Textbooks and Course Materials:
Primary Sources (Required)
2
Bâ, Mariama--So Long a Letter (Heinemann)--(85 page Senegalese Epistolary Novel)
Hudson-Weems, Clenora--Africana Womanism: Reclaiming Ourselves (Bedford,
1994/2004)
Hudson-Weems, Clenora--Africana Womanist Literary Theory (Africa World Press,
2004)
Morrison, Toni --Beloved (Alfred A. Knopf)
Secondary Sources (Specified selections from this list are required)
Bonetti, Kay--The American Audio Prose Library,--Interviews with Toni Morrison, and
Clenora Hudson-Weems
Hill, Patricia Liggins--General editor, Call & Response: The Riverside Anthology of the
African American literary Tradition (Houghton Mifflin, 1998)
Samuels, Wilfred D. and Clenora Hudson-Weems--Toni Morrison (Prentice-Hall, 1990)
Web Page Materials/Articles on Africana Womanism (for week 1)
Media Coverage (Newspaper, TV, etc.) on Africana Womanism (Compilation for wk 2)
Video presentations on Africana Womanism (5 for the remaining weeks)
Grade Determination
--Discussion on BlackBoard (Participation)-- 25%
--2 Quizzes on the 2 Novels--20%
--Mid-Term Exam on Theory only--25%
--Final Research Paper or Annotated Bibliography
(Undergrad—6 to 8 pages); (Graduate –10 to 12 pages)-- 30%
Expectations
 What to Expect from a Technology-Enhanced Course - This course is designed
to meet virtually. It is essential that you access the course site Monday through
Friday for course announcements, interact with your small discussion group,
submit assignments, take online quizzes, etc.
 What the Instructors and Your Peers Expect from You - By enrolling in this
course, you have agreed to contribute to weekly discussions by accessing the
discussion board regularly (2-3 times per week, Monday through Friday). This
will require a team effort, with respect and help for each other, as we build a
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community of learners. We also expect that you will have a foundational
understanding of Internet terms and functions.
 What You May Expect from the Instructor - Monitor e-mail no less than once a
day and respond to questions within 24 to 48 hours, facilitate online discussions,
and help build a learning community.
Weekly Schedule and Assignments
Your weekly routine: Every week, you should expect to login to the course site no fewer
than 2-3 times. Each week of the course will have a corresponding instructional unit
which includes your assigned reading, instructor commentary, and weekly discussion
questions. You should complete your readings and review of the course commentary
before posting answers/reflections to the discussion questions. In addition to posting your
own original posting addressing the discussion question by Wednesdays at noon, you
must comment/reflect upon the postings of your peers by noon each Friday.
Assignments and Grading Criteria
Each written assignment must be submitted through the Blackboard Assignment Manager
(accessible via the Assignments button on the Course Navigation Menu) by the date/time
specified and using the naming convention provided (e.g., assignment1_smith.rtf). All
course assignments must be submitted as Rich Text Format, or RTF (one of the Save As
options in your word processing program). Assignments will not be accepted via E-Mail.
Assignment
Week/Date Due
Points
Description
One Quiz for both novels, So Long a Letter and Beloved will be given before the
discussion of each novel. They will be available in Quizzes area of Blackboard every
Monday at 8 am until Tuesday at 5pm and will be timed; you will have 30 minutes
to complete the questions. The timer, a yellow box, will be located in the upper
right of your screen. You may take the quiz only once.
The following are key considerations to successfully completing the quizzes:



Complete reading the novel prior to accessing the online quiz.
Force completion is turned ON: you must complete the quiz once you start it –
you may NOT come back to the quiz later. If you are disconnected, send email to
your instructor immediately. After contacting your instructor, please send an
email to blackboard@missouri.edu, with your name, username, course name, the
title of the quiz or assignment, and a description of the problem.
To ensure Blackboard logs every answer, click the “Save” at the bottom of the
page every two or three questions. You must click “Submit” in order to have your
quiz graded.
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
DO NOT use Internet Explorer 8. A list of supported browsers are available
online.
Grading Criteria for Weekly Discussion Question Postings
Your weekly postings will be assessed using the following guidelines. Of course, your
postings are expected for each unit of the course and the final evaluation will take place
the final week of class. Your original postings addressing the weekly discussion
questions should be made no later than noon each Wednesday. Final postings
commenting and reflecting upon the comments of your peers should be made no later
than noon each Friday -- late postings will not be given credit. If you post weekly and
interact with your peers, you may expect full credit unless otherwise notified.
As you can see, the following rubrics assess the quality of your postings and not the
quantity (we're not looking for "good idea" or "neat").
Weekly Discussion Posting Grading Criteria
Meaningful and New Ideas: Ideas examine topic from new perspective
that contributes to group understanding of topic
Message Coherence: Messages explain issues, provide new
perspectives, effectively question, or meaningfully elaborate on topic
Relevance of Replies to Other Messages: Responses elaborate,
contradict, modify, or explain the original message
Grading Scale
97-100%
= A+
73-76%
= C
93-96%
= A
70-72%
= C-
90-92%
= A-
67-69%
= D+
87-89%
= B+
63-66%
= D
83-86%
= B
60-62%
= D-
80-82%
= B-
0-59%
= F
77-79%
= C+
Schedule
Weeks I-VIII:
I.
Course Overview
Weekly Point
Value (10)
5
2
3
5
1. Course Requirements and Research Paper/Annotated Bibliography
Instructions on Proper Documentation, etc. (Start Reading Materials on
Africana Womanism from webpage)
2. Library—Audio Section for The American Audio Prose Library--Africana
Womanism (AW) Interview:
Subsequent Blackboard Discussion on Spoken Words--Bonetti, Kay--The
American Audio Prose Library—1 hour Interview with Hudson-Weems on
Africana Womanism and Emmett Till (Flip Side of A W Coin)
3. Videos (also accessed via YouTube) on Media Coverage (Newspaper, TV,
etc.) on “Africana Womanism”—Our Days Today—Kentucky, Feb. 1994, etc.
Blackboard Discussion on Africana Womanism Society (See webpage on
AW Summits Message from the Conceptualizer, Dr. Clenora HudsonWeems) and materials on The Africana Womanism Journal (forthcoming) and
sample article—“Africana Womanism and African Proverbs: Theoretical
Grounding of Mothering/ Motherhood in African Culture,” by Drs. Itai
Muwat, Zimbabwe, Zifikile Mguni-Gambahaya and Tavengwa Gwekwerer
4. Blackboard Discussions on Web Page Article—“Africana Womanism & the
Critical Need for Africana Theory and Thought” (A reprint of the 1996 article
in The Western Journal of Black Studies; Contemporary Africana Theory,
Thought & Action: A Guide for Africana Studies, edited by Clenora HudsonWeems (2007)
(Assignment—Africana Womanism: Reclaiming Ourselves
II.
Africana Womanism: Reclaiming Ourselves
1. Blackboard Discussions and Questions & Responses
Preliminary Material in textbook
Chapter I--“Africana Womanism”
2. Chapter II--“Culture and Agenda Conflicts: Critical Issues for Africana
Women’s Studies”
Chapter III—“Africana Womanism: A Theoretical Need & Practical
Usefulness”
3. Chapter IV—“The Agenda of the Africana Womanist”
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Conclusion; Afterthought
4. Video Presentation (also accessed via YouTube)—“Africana Womanism,”
Black History Month, February, 1993, UMC
(Assignment—Chapters from Africana Womanist Literary Theory)
III. Africana Womanist Literary Theory
1. Blackboard Discussions and Questions & Responses
Preliminaries
Chapter I--“Nommo—Self-Naming, Self-Definition & the History of Africana
Womansim”
2. Chapter III--“Africana Womanism: the Authentic Agenda for Women of
African Descent”
Chapter IV--“Proud Africana Woman Activist: A Legacy of Strong FamilyCentered Culture Bearers”
3. Video Presentation (also accessed via YouTube) on Africana Womanism—
The Issue Is---One Hour TV Interview with Clenora Hudson-Weems, St.
Thomas, US Virgin Islands, 1994
4. Blackboard Discussion on the Applicability of Africana Womansim to our
everyday lives globally-- Questions for Responses
III. Africana Womanist Literary Theory Cont.
1. Blackboard Discussions and Questions & Responses
Chapter V--“Genuine Sisterhood or Lack Thereof”
2. Video (also accessed via YouTube)—“Africana Womanism,” Keynote
Address at National African American Student Leadership Conference, 2003
3. Blackboard Discussions and Questions & Responses
Chapter VI—“Africana Male-Female Relationships & Sexism in the
Community”
4. Conclusion; Afterthought (Africana Womanist Literary Theory)
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5. Blackboard Discussion on the Applicability of Africana Womansim to our
everyday lives globally-- Questions for Responses
(Assignment—Selections from Call & Response: The Riverside Anthology of the
Africana American Literary Tradition)
IV. Black Feminism—Contrast to Africana Womanism--Call & Response: The
Riverside Anthology of the Africana American Literary Tradition
1. Blackboard Discussions & Questions & Responses
“Women's Voices of Self-Definitions,” pp. 1376-1381
Clenora Hudson-Weems--"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global
Perspective for Women of African Descent," p. 1812
2. Barbara Smith--"Toward a Black Feminist Criticism," p. 1816
bell hooks--"Black Women: Shaping Feminist Theory," p. 1844
3. Video Plenary Presentation (also accessed via YouTube) on “Africana
Womanism”—African Heritage Studies Association Conference/ National
Council of Black Studies, March 1996
4. Review for Mid-Term Exam on Africana Womanist Theory
Mid-Term Exam on Africana Womanist Theory
(Assignment—So Long a Letter)
V.
Blackboard Discussion on Application of Africana Womanist Theory to
Africana Texts/Novels
1. Africana Womanism: Reclaiming Ourselves, Part II, Introduction to Novels,
pp. 77-80-- Questions for Responses
Blackboard Discussion on Lead Article in the Special Issue on “Africana
Womanism,” The Western Journal of Black Studies, Fall 2001—“Africana
Womanism: The Flip Side of a Coin”—Clenora Hudson-Weems (Guest
Editor) — Questions for Responses
2. Blackboard Discussions on other selections from Special AW Issue (each
student is responsible for one of these articles) — Questions for Responses
3. Mariama Bâ--So Long a Letter (85 page Senegalese Epistolary Novel)--Quiz
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4. Blackboard Discussion of novel-- Questions for Responses
SLAL Chapter Africana Womanism Reclaiming Ourselves-- pp. 93-104-Questions for Responses
(Assignment—Beloved)
VI.
Toni Morrison—Beloved
1. Morrison Biographical Overview in Call and Response, pp. 1694-1699) &
Chapter 1 (“As Big as Life: The World of Toni Morrison”) & Chapter VI
(“Ripping the Veil:’” Meaning through Rememory in Beloved) from Toni
Morrison
Blackboard Discussion of readings-- Questions for Responses
2. Video Presentation (also accessed via YouTube)--“Africana Womanism &
Emmett Till”—Convocation Keynote Address, Southern Utah U, Feb 2002
3. Library Assignments:
Blackboard Discussion on Spoken Words
Collection--Bonetti, Kay--The American Audio Prose Library—1 hour
Interview with Toni Morrison
4. Toni Morrison’s Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Prize for Literature
VII.
Morrison’s Beloved cont.
1. Beloved Quiz
2. Blackboard Discussions and Questions & Responses
Beloved
3. Blackboard Discussions and Questions & Responses
Beloved Chapter in Africana Womanism: Reclaiming Ourselves, pp. 119-132-4. Blackboard Discussions and Questions & Responses
Movie Review, Africana Womanist LiteraryTheory, Chapter IX, pp. 127-130-Questions for Responses
VIII. Blackboard Wrap up Discussion
1. Beloved-- Questions for Responses
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2. Keynote Address—“Naming/Defining Ourselves outside of DeWomanization, De-Feminization & De-Humanization,” 2009/10 AWS
Summits (Lead article for The Africana Womanism Journal, forthcoming)
3. Video Clip (also accessed via YouTube) as Guest Panelist (with Dr. Molefi
Kete Asante, Temple U, conceptualizer of Afrocentricity; Dr. Cornell West,
Princeton U; and Dr. Tukufu Zuburi, U of Penn) for The Franklin Science
Institute, September 17, 2008
Select Chapters from newest book from the Africana Womanism Trilogy—Afeicana
Womanism & Race & Gender in the Presidential Candidacy of Barack Obama-Questions for Responses
4. Research Paper/Annotated Bibliography on Africana Womanism Due
Postings:
1. Africana Womanism Syllabus
2. Videos on global AW Presentations; Media Clippings, Press Releases, etc.
3. Suggested Topics for Research Papers/Annotated Bibliographies on AW
4. The Africana Woman 18 Characteristics
5. The Africana Man 18 Characteristics
6. 15 Positive/Negative Elements of Male-Female Relationships
7. Africana Womanism Journal Information
8. Select Africana Womanism Book Blurbs, Endorsements
9. Africana Womanism Society Summit Proceedings
10. Africana Womanism Society Information
11. List of Key Africana Womanism Presentations of the 90s to the Present
12. Photos surrounding Africana Womanism Activities
Help Available
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A.
B.
C.
D.
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