A History of Black People as Readers: A Genealogy of Critical Literacy

Annotated Bibliography

For Instructors

Black Like You:Blackface, Whiteface, Insult, & Imitation in American Popular Culture: A historical study by John Strausbaugh, this book is a valuable reference for anyone who wants  to learn more about the depictions of black Americans in American theater.  It takes into account all of United States history, including the heyday of blackface minstrel shows, all the way into modern movies, and uses this pop cultural lens to help readers look further into how the various heritages of the United States’ population both view and portray one another.

American Humor: A Study of the National Character by Constance Rourke:  An older text, first printed in the early 20^th Century, Rourke analyzes American literature and theater insofar as it had developed up to that point.  In doing so, she draws out several character archetypes which she describes as uniquely American, part of the young nation’s literary character.  Of note for this course unit, Chapter 3 is primarily concerned with the archetype of the black character, further reinforcing the idea that African American characters and people have been part of the fabric of American culture from the very beginning.

For Students and Instructors

West Side Story by Jerome Robbins: A counterpart text to Romeo and Juliet, which takes the well known plot of Shakespeare’s show and transplants it into a 20^th century New York urban setting. This show re-envisions the feuding families of Verona into ethnic gangs as an excellent example of reframing and modernizing a classic story to be more accessible to modern audiences. 

Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansbury: The first Broadway play written by a black woman, as well as the first by a black director, Raisin represents a seminal moment in American theatrical history, as well as dealing with several issues that students will likely still resonate with today. 

In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda:  An earlier effort by a currently world-famous playwright, In the Heights is jam packed with relevant stories and themes to many children of immigrant families today.  Of all the scripts it is suggested that students read excerpts from in this unit, this is probably the one I would cut last, if cuts are deemed necessary.

How the ‘New World’ Symphony Introduced American Music to Itself. By Tom Huizenga: An interesting article about the impact of Dvorak and African American music on American music in general.

From Bawdyhouse to Cabaret: The Evolution of the Tango as an Expression of Argentine Popular Culture by Deborah Jakubs: An academic article that was a valuable resource in studying the spread of the Argentinian tango.