{"id":65034,"date":"2023-03-31T11:18:16","date_gmt":"2023-03-31T11:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africagiant.org\/?p=65034"},"modified":"2023-03-31T11:18:16","modified_gmt":"2023-03-31T11:18:16","slug":"harvard-university-created-a-course-on-black-is-king-to-emphasize-the-power-of-ancient-african-queens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/?p=65034","title":{"rendered":"Harvard University created a course on \u201cBlack Is King\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

First in 2015, the University of Waterloo made headlines when it announced that it would be offering a college course that focused on Beyonce’s impact on feminism, music, videos, and public persona through a feminist and critical race lens. This course, Gender and Performance (DRAMA 282), quickly became one of the most popular and talked-about classes at the university. Most recently, in 2021, the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture virtually presented Dr. Solange Ashby who shared her findings of the divine feminine in African antiquity and their impact on society using Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s \u201cBlack Is King\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gender and Performance “Beyonce” course Beyonce is one of the most influential performers of this era, and her music and imagery have become synonymous with the modern feminist movement. Through her music and videos, the most awarded female<\/a> in Grammy’s history has created an empowering and unapologetic image of womanhood that has resonated with people all over the world. Her lyrics speak to the struggles of women of color, while her performances embrace femininity in all its forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Gender and Performance course, students are asked to critically analyze the singer’s music videos from her critically acclaimed “Beyonce” album. Using feminist and critical race theories, they are challenged to reflect on the artist’s work and create their own artistic responses. Through this process, students gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues surrounding gender and race in modern society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The course also touches on the importance of performance in shaping cultural attitudes towards gender and race. Beyonce’s carefully curated image, from her clothes to her hair, plays a crucial role in how her music is received by the public. Through her performances, she is able to convey a powerful message about the importance of self-expression and individuality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most successful female artist <\/a>of this era is also known for her activism and philanthropy, which are examined in depth in the course. From supporting the Black Lives Matter movement to advocating for gender equality, she has used her platform to create positive change in the world. Students in the course will analyze the impact of the singer’s activism on contemporary social issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Naila Keleta-Mae<\/a> had stated that \u201cwhether or not feminist scholars, activists or artists agree with Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s discourse, her influence on popular culture is undeniable. I would argue that it would be negligent for those of us interested in gender studies to dismiss the album \u2018Beyonc\u00e9\u2019 or its principal artist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvard University \u201cBlack Is King\u201d Course: Role of African Queens in Kush \u201cBlack Is King\u201d is a modern classic visual album by Beyonc\u00e9 inspired by \u201cThe Lion King\u201d and African culture. The film showcases several strong female characters that emphasize the power and nobility of African women. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It features both Motherland and Continental African celebrities from Naomi Campbell, Adut Akech, Aweng Chuol, Kelly Rowland to Lupita Nyong’o, Tiwa Savage and Yemi Alade among others. One of the most significant portrayals is the role of the Queen mother in ancient Kushite society. The Queen mother was considered the most important matriarch in the royal family and had great influence in the kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s depiction of the Queen mother in \u201cBlack Is King\u201d is significant as it highlights the importance of women in leadership roles in ancient African societies. Her use of African traditions and mythology stresses the vital position held by women in Governance, Economy, and Society as a whole. The presence of these powerful women shows that Ancient Africa was a highly advanced civilization that respected women’s rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See also: Tems in high demand since \u201cEssence\u201d with Wizkid. Co-Signed by Drake and Beyonc\u00e9<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The song \u201cBrown Skin Girl\u201d in the visual album is also an excellent example of showcasing the beauty and strength of women and Black women. In this song, Beyonc\u00e9 highlights the importance of self-love and acceptance, no matter what the society’s standards of beauty may be. The lyrics encourage Black women to embrace their skin tone and celebrate who they are, just like the ancient Queens and matriarchs of Africa did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film tells an engaging story of a young African prince, Folajomi Akinmurele, during his journey of self-identity in order to reclaim his throne. Through the guidance of his ancestor Beyonc\u00e9 bearing witness over this journey, childhood love in Nandi Madida and his own subconscious played out by Stephen Ojo, the Prince’s story acts as an allegory for the African diaspora\u2019s purpose to discover, reclaim and celebrate their heritage. To emphasize the importance of the struggle of Black identity, spoken-word poetry is woven throughout giving voice to experiences often tragically overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gender and Performance course at the University of Waterloo is a groundbreaking example of how pop culture can be used to spark critical discourse on important social issues. \u201cBlack Is King\u201d uses Africa’s cultural heritage and the transformative narrative of Queen mother and women warriors to showcase the strength and power of women. Beyonce’s impact on feminism and the political discourse of this era cannot be overstated, and this course offers a unique opportunity to explore her music and imagery through a feminist and critical race lens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The extensive portrayal of African women in leadership roles, economic activity, and society at large, directly challenges the stereotype of subservient women in Africa. As Dr. Solange Ashby has noted, Beyonc\u00e9’s \u201cBlack Is Queen: The Divine Feminine in Kush\u201d uses a modern medium to showcase ancient history and illustrate the powerful role women held in antiquity to inspire and uplift women from Africa and beyond. Such innovative courses can challenge students to think more deeply about the world around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is an African Giant<\/a>?                                                                                           <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Africa Giant media, where Africans share information on talent, achievements, culture, economy and more and together we can tell the original Africa story<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

First in 2015, the University of Waterloo made headlines when it announced that it would be offering a college course […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":65163,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-65034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=65034"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65034\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=65034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=65034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paulyne.wp-warriors.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=65034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}