HIST 3536 introduces students to the 400-year history of Black people pre- and post-Confederation. It begins with the early decades of European settlement of the seventeenth century when Africans first arrived in New France as labourers on trans-Atlantic ships and were enslaved. The course then explores the experiences of Black Loyalists, Black people enslaved in British North America, and the “passengers” of the Underground Railroad, before assessing the structures of African Canadian communities, institutions and abolition movements.

Through each of these chapters in African Canadian history, students will be asked to address themes such as migration patterns, work experiences, family structures, community organizations, and political activism. The course will also analyze the historical production of racial categories and of racist thought and practice. It will also consider how class, national origin, gender and sexuality intersected with “race” to produce African Canadian identities over time.

HIST 3536 will provide explicit instruction in critical analytical skills including interpreting primary texts and scholarly arguments. Student communication, both oral and written, will be evaluated. The readings offered for this course offer students a solid historical background. Lectures will offer students detailed context to wide-ranging content on significant historical events, individuals, and places related to African Canadian history. The emphasis is on a broad outline and introduction to some of the key topics, themes, concepts, and historiography of Black Canada.

A key learning goal is to ground students in foundational knowledge to better understand the diverse social, political, economic, and cultural experiences of people of African descent in Canada.

*TENTATIVE*

Students will read a range of book chapters and articles and watch assigned short videos.

*TENTATIVE*

Students will be assessed on:
Primary Document Analysis 15%
Oral Presentation 10%
Two short summative and reflective written assignments (~500 words, 5% each) 10%
Essay 20%
Final Exam 30%
Tutorial Participation/Contributions (evaluated weekly) 15%

The course involves weekly meetings. These sessions will combine lectures and discussions of required readings, supplementary texts, and viewing films which serve to introduce, enrich, clarify, and illustrate course topics and themes. There will also be activities to apply skills and concepts taught. Students are expected to read the assigned materials before each class, to attend class regularly and to contribute to the discussions as fully as possible. Students are expected to complete the assignments in the course to fulfill assessment requirements.

To introduce and excite undergraduate students about the study of African Canadian history specifically and Canadian history broadly.

To ground early history learners in some of the essential knowledge, tools, and skills for successful history education and future pursuits in the study of African Canadian history specifically and Canadian history broadly.