Black Leadership in the Post-Civil Rights Era: Good Trouble?

This course will introduce students to the history and scope of black leadership in America. Students will critically analyze the import of ideologies, particularly when regarding the historical and political context of African American leadership. A nuanced understanding of Leadership styles will be emphasized as well as styles dictated by class and gender. Throughout the semester, an emphasis is placed on the problems confronting African American Leadership and their particular solutions. Leadership can take many forms. Whether one is “leading” a protest organization, helps shape opinion as a public speaker or writer, or uses their talents for a particular movement. Historically, when people think of African American leaders we think of the big six of Douglass, Washington, Garvey, Dubois, X, and King. While we will interrogate their certain brand of leadership, we will delve into the context of how movements have developed and waned. Furthermore, we will examine a variety of leaders that are outside the orbit of the big six. Finally, our challenge is to probe the contemporary challenge of Black leadership in Americaand wrestle with the complex reality of leadership in a materialist, racist, sexist, and classist society.