HISU-260 : Islam & African American Experience

The course will examine the history of Islam in America with the focus on African American experience. An interdisciplinary introduction to the basic concepts and literature in the disciplines covered by African- American studies. The course will provide critical analysis of historical, religious, political, social, and economic forces in shaping cultural expression. Attention will be given to the interaction between the shared Islamic identity and the distinctive local expressions of Muslim faith and life. Assessment of contemporary African American Muslim community in terms of its institutions, style of life, patterns of work and intergroup relations will be explored. The course provides the students with an opportunity to understand the main challenges Black community faced since slavery times to present. Students also examine how the overlap of race-class-gender identities create diverse notions of American Muslim experience. Upon the end of the course work, students will design an event that illustrate the contribution of African American communities to humanity.