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Course description

Whereas history has attributed the success of the Civil Rights Movement to heterosexual Black men grounded in the Black Church, the Movement for Black Lives is led by "unchurched" queer and trans Black women who reject the claim that tackling sexism should be a secondary issue for activists. Radically inclusive, these activists trace their lineage back to Assata Shakur, Ella Baker, and Ida B. Wells rather than Martin Luther King and even Malcolm X. Black women in the Movement for Black Lives are focused on recovering the forgotten history of earlier Black women activists and centering women, girls, and femmes in conversations on state violence.

This push has shifted conversations about the role religion will play in this new movement. Focusing on Christians, Muslims, and "religious nones" (atheists, agnostics, and unaffiliated people), this course will explore how people in the Movement for Black Lives have used religion in their activism, and how the movement has, in turn, also shaped religion.

Instructor Contact Info

Kayla Wheeler

Rothschild Place, RM 140

Black Lives Matter: Religion and Justice (RLST 27501-01)

M/W, 4PM-5:15PM

Course Objectives

*Enhance critical thinking, analytical writing, and research skills.

* Gain basic knowledge of Black feminist/womanist theories and concepts. * Gain greater understanding of state sanctioned anti-Black violence

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Submission Guidelines

All assignments are due by the beginning of the class. Papers should be submitted both electronically via Sakai and in hard-copy form (double spaced, 12 pt. font, stapled). A one-week assignment extension will be given to students who are otherwise up to date on their assignments and actively participate in class. Students must contact me at least 48 hours before the due date to request an extension. Students will only be given one extension per assignment. Because I provide students with assignment extensions, I do not accept late work. Any assignment turned in late, without my permission, will be given a 0.

Assignments (See page 9 for rubrics)

Write four journal entries (150-250 words each). The reflections are an opportunity to extend conversations outside of the classroom. At least two of the posts must explore a topic related to identity formation or performance. Write two, 3-4 page reading responses. Students will choose one reading discussed prior to the due date to analyze. The papers should provide a clear and concise summary of the main arguments presented in the article, as well as a brief and original analysis of those points. Write one, 3-4 page comparative analysis paper. Students will explore how two readings covered in class conceptualize power and liberation through a religious lens. Build a 12-15 page Black Lives Matter Toolkit. Students will create a toolkit on state-sanctioned violence against people of African descent living outside of the United States.

Evaluation

Active Participation: 60 points

Power Paper: 60 points

Journal Entries: 80 points (20 pts. each)

Critical Analysis Papers: 100 points (50 pts. each)

BLM Toolkit: 200 points

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Course schedule *****All Required readings and videos are posted on Sakai*****

Week 1

8/24: Class overview Brittney Cooper, “11 Major Misconceptions about the Black Lives Matter Movement”, Cosmopolitan, http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a45930/misconceptions-black- lives-matter-movement/ Judith Butler, “What’s Wrong With ‘All Lives Matter’?” New York Times http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/12/whats-wrong-with-all-lives- matter/?_r=0 Week 2 8/29: Angela Davis, Freedom is a Constant Struggle, pp. 111-128 The Combahee River Collective Statement: http://circuitous.org/scraps/combahee.html 8/31: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation, pp. 21-50, 107- 135

Week 3

9/5: LABOR DAY 9/7: Rosetta E. Ross, Witnessing and Testifying: Black Women, Religion, and Civil Rights, pp. 141-162

Week 4

9/12: Barbara Ransby, Ella Baker & the Black Freedom Movement, pp. 1-12, 170-208, 357-374

9/14: Assata Shakur, Assata: An Autobiography, pp. 160-172, 173-194

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

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Week 5 9/19: Josie Pickens, “What’s Respectability Got to Do with It?” Ebony

http://www.ebony.com/news-views/ferguson-whats-respectability-got-to-do-with-it-987#axzz44oPlI3GO

“Wrestling with Respectability in the Age of #BlackLivesMatter: A Dialogue”, For

Harriet, http://www.forharriet.com/2015/10/wrestling-with-respectability-in-age- of.html#.VwGL-LurtIx.twitter

Shannon M. Houston, “Respectability will not Save Us”, Salon, http://www.salon.com/2015/08/25/respectability_will_not_save_us_black_lives_matter_is_right_to_reject_the_dignity_and_decorum_mandate_handed_down_to_us_from_slavery/

9/21: Kimberlé Crenshaw, “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color”, Stanford Law Review 43/6 (1991), pp. 1241- 1299.

Moya Bailey, “More on the Origin of Misogynoir”, http://moyazb.tumblr.com/post/84048113369/more-on-the-origin-of-misogynoir

READING RESPONSE 1 DUE

Week 6

9/26: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation, pp.153-190

Alicia Garza, “A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by Alicia Garza”, The Feminist Wire, http://www.thefeministwire.com/2014/10/blacklivesmatter-2/

“The Way Forward in the Fight for Racial Justice”, http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-perry/watch/the-way-forward-in-the-fight-for-racial-justice-603364931756

9/28: “Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV3nnFheQRo

Hannah Giorgis, “From Ferguson to New York, Women are Leading Protests because all #BlackLivesMatter”, The Guardian, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/15/ferguson-new-york-women-protests-all-black-lives-matter

CENTERING BLACK WOMEN, GIRLS, AND FEMMES

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Week 7 10/3: Beth E. Richie, Arrested Justice: Black Women, Violence, and America’s Prison Nation, pp. 125-156

Kimberly Foster, “Why I will Not March For Eric Garner”, For Harriet, http://www.forharriet.com/2014/07/why-i-will-not-march-for-eric-garner.html#axzz44PnG0Avn

10/5: Andrea J. Ritchie, “Law Enforcement Violence Against Women of Color” in Color of Violence, (ed.) INCITE! pp. 138-156

Week 8 10/10: Kimberlé Crenshaw; Andrea Ritchie; Rachel Anspach; Rachel Gilmer; and Luke Harris, Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women

Jamilah Lemieux, “Sandra Bland: A Black Woman’s Life Finally Matters”, http://gawker.com/sandra-bland-and-why-we-can-no-longer-look-away-1720634864 10/12: Joey L. Mogul; Andrea Ritchie; and Kay Whitlock, Queer (In)Justice, pp. 69-91

“The Loud Silence When Trans Women of Color are Killed” http://blacklivesmatter.com/the-loud-silence-when-trans-women-of-color-are-killed/

Sabrina Rubin Erdely, “The Transgender Crucible”, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-transgender-crucible-20140730

Week 9 10/17: Rahiel Tesfamariam, “Why the Modern Civil Rights Movement Keeps Religious

Leaders at Arm’s Length”, Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-black-activism-lost-its-religion/2015/09/18/2f56fc00-5d6b-11e5-8e9edce8a2a2a679_story.html

Emma Green, “Black Activism Unchurched”, The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/03/black-activism-baltimore-black-church/474822/

RELIGIOUS RESPONSES TO BLM

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Hebah H. Farrag, “The Role of Spirit in the #BlackLivesMatter Movement: A Conversation with Activist and Artist Patrisse Cullors”, Religion Dispatches http://religiondispatches.org/the-role-of-spirit-in-the-blacklivesmatter-movement-a-conversation-with-activist-and-artist-patrisse-cullors/

READING RESPONSE 2 DUE 10/19: Stephen C. Finley and Biko Mandela Gray, “God IS a White Racist: Immanent Atheism as a Religious Response to Black Lives Matter and State-Sanctioned Anti-Black Violence”, Journal of African Religions, 3/4 (2015), pp. 443-453

Sikivu Hutchinson, “Do All Black Lives Matter? Feminism, Humanism, & State Violence”, The Humanist, http://thehumanist.com/magazine/july-august-2015/features/do-all-black-lives-matter-feminism-humanism-and-state-violence

Week 10

10/24: Marquis Bey, “She Had a Name that God Didn’t Give Her: Thinking the Body through Aesthetic Black Radical Feminism”, Journal of Feminist Scholarship 9 (2015), pp. 1-17 10/26: Pamela R. Lightsey, Our Lives Matter: A Womanist Queer Theology, pp. 1-67

Week 11 10/31: Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou, Gods, Gays, and Guns, pp. 76-93

Sarah van Gelder, “Rev. Sekou on Today’s Civil Rights Leaders: ‘I Take My orders from 23-Year Old Queer Women’”, Yes! Magazine, http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/black-lives-matter-s-favorite-minister-reverend-sekou-young-queer

11/2: Shannen Dee Williams, “The Global Catholic Church and the Radical Possibilities of #BlackLivesMatters”, Journal of Africana Religions, 3/4 (2015), pp. 503-515

Week 12 11/7: Hussein Rashid and Precious Rasheeda Muhammad, “American Muslim (Un)Exceptionalism: #BlackLivesMatter and #BringBackOurGirls”, Journal of Africana Religions 3/4 (2014), pp. 478-495

Linda Sarsour, “I Am Muslim and I Am Black Lives Matter”, Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-sarsour/i-am-muslim-and-i-am-blac_b_7802988.html

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11/9: Jaimee Swift, “#OurThreeBrothers: Why Is America Ignoring the Murder of Three Young Sudanese-Americans?” OkayAfrica,

http://www.okayafrica.com/news/our-threebrothers/ Khaled A. Beydoun and Margari Hill, “The Colour of Muslim Mourning”, Al Jazeera

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/02/colour-muslim-mourning- 150215065825362.html

Week 13 11/14: Explore website: http://www.justiceorelse.com/

Aaliyah Bilal, “The Million-Man March: A Black Muslim Feminist Response”, Medium https://medium.com/ummah-wide/the-million-man-march-a-black-muslim- feministresponse-5a77793684b9#.2jvanucbg COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS DUE 11/16: Muna Mire, “Towards a Black Muslim Ontology of Resistance”, The New Inquiry http://thenewinquiry.com/essays/towards-a-black-muslim-ontology-of-resistance/

Donna Auston, “Mapping the Intersections of Islamophobia & #BlackLivesMatter: Unearthing Black Muslim Life & Activism in the Policing Crisis”, Sapelo Square http://sapelosquare.com/2015/05/19/mapping-the-intersections-of-islamophobia-blacklivesmatter-unearthing-black-muslim-life-activism-in-the-policing-crisis/

Week 14 THANKSGIVING BREAK Week 15 11/28: Salamishah Tillet, “The Return of the Protest Song”, The Atlantic http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/01/the-return-of-the-protest- song/384631/

Jasiri X, “Black Liberation Theology”, https://jasirix.bandcamp.com/album/black- liberation-theology

Beyoncé, “Formation”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrCHz1gwzTo

Vita Elizabeth Cleveland, “Hell You Ain’t Talkin About”, https://soundcloud.com/vita- elizabeth-cleveland/hell-yall-aint-talmbout

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Rhiannon Giddens, “Cry No More”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU3cGLtULeI

Tef Poe ft. Dharma Jean, “Say Her Name”, https://soundcloud.com/tef-poe

11/30: Akilah Hughes, “Racial Discussion Fatigue Syndrome”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Kcsm5wp-4

Su’ad Abdul Khabeer, “Is it Time to Party? Some thoughts on Resistance as Holistic”, https://drsuad.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/is-it-time-to-party-some-thoughts-on- resistance-as-holisitc/

Week 16 12/5: Presentations 12/7: Class Wrap-Up 12/14: FINAL PAPER DUE

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Journal Entries

Central to the Movement for Black Lives is an emphasis on critical self-reflection and collaboration. In order to reflect these commitments, over the course of the semester each student will be responsible for writing four, 150-250 word journal entries that will be posted to Sakai. The goal of this assignment is to foster creative thinking and student interaction beyond the classroom, as well as to provide a safe space for students There are a number of ways to approach the open-ended posts: consider the readings in relation to its historical or theoretical context; write about an aspect of the reading that you don’t understand or something that you found to be interesting; craft an insightful question and attempt to answer it; or respond to another student’s journal entry, building upon it, disagreeing with it, or rethinking it. At least two of your journal entries must explore identity formation or performance. Writing can be informal and in first person. You will be graded based on your thoughtfulness and creativity blog. An ideal journal entry will engage with the readings and be self-reflective and reflexive. Students may submit these to Sakai anytime throughout the semester, although they are limited to submitting one reflection per week.

Rubric Ideal Good Decent The student has thoughtful, original, and creative ideas that are clearly expressed. The student actively engages with the assigned material or discussions from class. There are little to no spelling or grammatical errors.

The student has some original and creative ideas, but could have expanded upon their thoughts. The student makes an adequate attempt at engaging with the readings or class discussions, but there are some holes in their logic. There are a few grammatical and spelling, the posts are still readable.

The student does not express any thoughtful, original, or creative ideas. The entries are adequate, but are based on shall observations of the readings or class discussions. There are multiple grammatical or spelling errors.

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Reading Responses Over the course of the semester, students will write two, 3-4 page reading response papers. Students will pick one assigned reading to write on. The goal of this assignment is for students to hone their critical thinking skills by providing a brief and clear summary (approx. 1.5 pages) of what the author is saying and then providing a succinct and clear analysis (approx.. 1.5 pages) of the reading. The papers can be written in first person. All sources should be properly cited using MLA. An ideal paper is clear and concise, has a smooth flow, and strong introduction and conclusion. The reader does not have to guess what the student is trying to say. An ideal reading response is able to actively engage with the reading throughout the entire paper. The student addresses all of the author’s main points, without any unnecessary “fluff” (block quotes or redundant sentences). In the analysis part, the student is able to go beyond shallow observations, such as “the paper is well written and easy to follow”. In ideal papers, the student is in conversation with the author, whether that means agreeing with their main points and pushing a bit further or challenging all of the author’s arguments. The paper’s writing style enhances the reading experience and the reader’s understanding of the material. The best papers are often the most creative papers. An ideal paper has little to no grammatical or spelling errors.

Rubric Content

x Clear and concise summary of the article 15 points x Analysis of the information 20 points

o Argumentation and supporting evidence Content Total: 35 points

Basic Requirements x Correct citations 2 points x Proper format 1 point

o Hard copy, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font, regular margins, stapled

x Clear organization 5 points x Proper spelling and grammar 5 points x Creativity 2 points

Basic Requirements Total: 15 points

Total: 50 points

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Comparative Analysis One of the main goals of this course is to explore how theological formations have been shaped by the Movement for Black Lives. Over the course of the semester, we have learned about how Christians, Muslims, and religious “nones” have conceptualized oppression and liberation. For this assignment, students will write a 3-4 page comparative analysis paper. Students will pick two readings covered in class related to religion to compare and contrast the authors’ definitions of oppression and liberation, and how religion is related to both. All sources should be properly cited using MLA. An ideal paper will put the two readings in conversation with each other. It will have a strong and logical thesis that is threaded throughout the entire paper. The reader will be able to quickly determine the key points of analysis because the paper is devoid of any “fluff”. An ideal paper is coherent, with clear transitions and minimal grammatical or spelling errors. The best papers are creative and able to keep the reader actively engaged.

Rubric Content

x Thesis 15 points x Analysis 20 points x Structure 10 points

o Well-organized o Clear transitions

Content Total: 45 points Basic requirements

x Grammar and spelling 5 points x MLA citations 3 points x Proper format 2 points

o Hard copy, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font, regular margins, stapled

x Creativity 5 points Basic Requirement Total: 15 points

Total: 60 points

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Final Project: Black Lives Matter Toolkit

Overview As we have seen over the course of the semester, the Movement for Black Lives is an international, Pan-African movement. The leaders of the movement argue that systems of anti-Blackness are interconnected and cannot be dismantled by addressing one country or one issue. Since this course has primarily focused on how Black people in the United States have responded to state-sanctioned anti-Black violence, students will chose a contemporary movement focused on dismantling anti-Blackness outside of the United States to exam in depth. Students will pick a country and specific issue, in consultation with the instructor, to explore in detail. Potential topics include the natural hair movement in Brazil, #RhodesMustFall in South Africa, or #BLMTOTentCity in Toronto, Canada. The goal of the toolkit is to expose students to different ways that race, specifically Blackness, is conceptualized across the world and to expose them to various understandings of justice from a global perspective. At the end of the semester, students will present their findings to the class. This project is worth 200 points, or 40% of your final grade. To ensure that students have adequate time to complete this project, there will be three assignment deadlines throughout the course of the semester.

Elements of the Toolkit The toolkit will be 12-15 pages long and consist of the following elements in this order:

1. 250 word executive summary explaining the contents of your toolkit.

2. 4-5 page bibliographic essay that provides an overview of the bibliography. The essay will be broken up into three parts: major themes within the bibliography; how these themes are connected to the whole course; self-reflection on how learning about these themes have shifted your understandings of power, oppression, and justice.

3. One page history of the movement you are highlighting.

4. One page list of recommendations for how individuals and a particular religious

institution/group can participate in the movement.

5. Annotated bibliography with at least twelve sources, which can include blogposts, mainstream journal articles, books, book chapters, peer reviewed articles, podcasts, Twitter threads, and videos. All sources must be in English, to ensure that the instructor can accurately assess the project.

6. 5-7 minute in-class presentation An example of an excellent Black Lives Matter Toolkit can be found on the Muslim Arc website: http://www.muslimarc.org/blacklivesmatter/

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Rubric

x Executive Summary (15 points) o The summary will be your reader’s introduction to your toolkit. An ideal

executive summary will provide a clear and concise overview of the contents of your toolkit and any key findings. It should be engaging and informative with little to no spelling or grammatical errors.

x Bibliographic Essay (50 points) o An ideal bibliographic essay will provide an overview of the main themes related

to issues of power and justice that you encountered while creating your annotated building and connect them back to the course. Ideal essays will also include a thoughtful and reflective reflection on how their understandings of power and justice have shifted over the course of the semester. The essay should reference at least two readings covered in the semester and two readings from your annotated bibliography. An ideal essay will be clear and concise, with a smooth flow and little to no spelling or grammatical errors.

x History of the movement (15 points) o An ideal history will include the list of founders, important actions, and their list

of demands. It should be clear and concise with little to no spelling or grammatical errors.

x List of recommendations (30 points) o An ideal list of recommendations will include actionable steps that both

individuals and institutions can take to begin to dismantle a specific issue related to anti-Blackness. The recommendations should be realistic and take into account issues of accessibility.

x Annotated Bibliography (75 points)

o An ideal annotated bibliography will provide twelve sources, at least six of which will be peer-reviewed (academic journals, book chapters, books). The annotations should address the main points and themes in the piece in a clear and concise manner with little to no spelling or grammatical errors. Each annotation should be 100-150 words long. Students are required to use the MLA citation format.

x Presentation (15 points) o An ideal presentation will be able to answer the following questions: Why did

you choose this topic? What are some of the course themes? How do these themes relate to the course? What are some of your recommendations for combatting anti-Blackness? What did you learn from producing this toolkit?

o An ideal presentation will be well-organized and keep the audience engaged. The presenter will communicate the information clearly and confidently, in a clear and concise manner. An ideal presenter will be able to answer the audience’s questions with authority.