Examines works created by African-American artists from the Antebellum era to the present, and situates those works in the contexts of American history, African tradition, and cultural politics. Explores the evolution of artistic responses to such issues as identity, race, class, ethnicity, and representation. Topics of study include folk art, decorative art, and fine art produced by African-Americans from the early slave communities to the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement to the emergence of a modern Black aesthetic. The seminar format will emphasize class presentations and discussions. Students will also examine artwork in local collections, including the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African-American History and Culture, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and/or the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. Fulfills the general education requirements in Fine Arts, Cross-Cultural Studies, and Impact of Diversity. [ 3 credits ]