Black New Orleans Archival Research Seminar

[Black NOLA]

 

Black New Orleans Research Seminar [Black NOLA] examines the development of a unique African/American cultural and political identity in New Orleans, beginning with the founding of the city in 1718.

 

Seminar members conduct individual guided research projects and make use of archival materials and library special collections. Roundtable discussions provide a forum for seminar  members to explore alternative interpretations and applications of received history/narratives, and to present specific research questions for consideration by the group as a whole

The seminar begins with the development of Faubourg Tremé, the oldest free Black community in the United States. Topics covered include:

​

_slavery, rebellion and resistance;

​

_relations between enslaved and free Black people;

​

_early social and political activism, and the resulting early development of the nation's Civil Rights Movement and legislation;

 

_formation and continued tradition of artists' and artisans' guilds;

 

_Creole language (e.g., Creole slave songs, proverbs);

​

_arts and art forms, including literature, performance and the development of Jazz;

​

_economic, cultural and political significance of Congo Square;

​

_the relationship of the city to the Caribbean and Latin America; 

​

_early development of the city as a center for commerce and legislation;

​

_natural and built environments, with special attention to the impact of hurricanes, and the trauma of Hurricanes Katrina- and Rita-related floods and devastation.

The course website includes:

_Archival/Special Collections Resources

_Faubourg Tremé Chronology

 

_"Faubourg Tremé: Community in Transition"

    by Brenda Marie Osbey parts 1--7

_Additional resources.

Texts are presented/studied in the original languages and in translation.

​

A full list of works and movements is available during the regular term.

​

The seminar developed from and is part of the larger *MAPA in Translation project.

​

Modernist Africana Poetry of the Americas

[MAPA]

​

​

 

 

 

 

​

 

​

 

 

.

 

 

Modernist Africana Poetry of the Americas [MAPA] examines the origins of Modernism among Africana authors of the Americas (New World), and treats poetry, poetics and poetry movements of Brazil and Latin America, the Caribbean and United States from the 18th through the first half of the 20th century.

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

  

​

​

 

​

Included at the course website are:

 

_Course outline & requirements

​

_assigned texts

​

_paper topics and guidelines

​

_chronology/s of poets, works and

    movements

​

_translations

​

_literary reference and resource

materials, including links to poetry

dictionaries and encyclopedias, resources

for further reading

 

& more.

​

Martin Carter

1927–1997

Guyana, S.A.

*MAPA in Translation is a long-term study, bringing together works of Africana poets from across the Americas writing in Portuguese, French, Spanish and English.

 

The project provides new, original and annotated cross-translations. The result is a multi-volume text, in which, for the first time, these works will be available for reading and study simultaneously in the four major languages of the Americas. 

​

Translated and edited

by Brenda Marie Osbey.

 

Inquire.