Seminar in American Religion: African American Women and 20th Century Christianity
African American women have stood at a unique intersection of race and gender in America. This course examines how African American women in the Christian tradition have negotiated this intersection and dealt with the multiple forms of oppression that grew out of the various socially constructed hierarchies related to race and gender. Through a combination of secondary, primary and biographical sources, the course explores the lives of African American women from the opening of the 20th century through the Civil Rights Movement with the aim of gaining insight into how religious experiences aided them in overcoming oppression and creating new opportunities. Drawing on insights drawn from these sources, the course will also ask how the past informs our understanding of women and race in contemporary American society. 3 hrs. sem.