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This course recounts the story of Blacks in America from their beginnings in Africa, through centuries of enslavement in the United States, and during the Civil War years’ promise of freedom. We will span centuries filled with momentous events, heroic voices, and social movements as well as cultural beliefs and creative forms expressive of everyday life—all of which contributed to and transformed along the way the larger American nation.

The course will reveal no monolithic Black community, but instead myriad ways Blacks themselves perceived and even debated the Black “experience” and path to racial equality. In identifying complexities as well as commonalities, the course will provide an opportunity to reflect on the ways historical scholarship has changed over the years, to ponder the multiple meanings of a period of time called an “era,” and to become acquainted with a variety of written, digital, visual, and sonic primary sources representative of the Black past.

COURSE CONTENT

• Twelve lectures
• Primary source readings to complement the lectures
• A certificate of completion for 15 hours of professional development credit

Readings: The suggested readings for each session will be listed in the “Resources” link on the course site. You are not required to read or purchase any print materials. The quizzes are based on the lectures.

Course Access: After your purchase, you may access your course by signing into the Gilder Lehrman website and clicking on the My Courses link, which can be found under My Account in the navigation menu.

Questions? Please view our FAQs page or email selfpacedcourses@gilderlehrman.org.

LEAD SCHOLAR: Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham

Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, where she has been a tenured faculty member since 1993. She is the founder and coordinator of the African and African American Studies Department’s Social Engagement Initiative, an innovative pedagogy that combines rigorous academic work with on-the-ground experience. Higginbotham began her teaching career as a public school teacher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Washington, DC, before moving to the university setting, teaching on the faculties of Dartmouth College, the University of Maryland, and the University of Pennsylvania.