AFAM-1030: Introduction to African American Society Mid-Term Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core course themes, analytical categories, and central definitions from the AFAM-1030 Mid-Term Study Guide.

Signification

The stereotypes and dehumanization directed toward Black people discussed throughout the course.

Self-Signification

Black people's own self-definition, including their desire to create their own names, institutions, and identities.

Understanding the Black experience and diversity

A course theme emphasizing that the lives of different individuals within a group (such as enslaved people) must not be flattened, recognizing that complexities define individual experiences.

Change (and continuity) over time

A course theme examining how elements such as slavery, African and African American religion, education, institutions, the law, and gender norms evolved or remained the same over history.

Slavery and freedom in American society

A course theme examining how both enslaved and free Black people defined freedom versus enslavement, and how American democracy and freedom were defined by and dependent on slavery.

Resistance and community-building

A course theme investigating the methods and institutions Black people used to construct communities and display resistance, particularly when excluded from essentials like education and healthcare.

Categories of Analysis

Analytical filters—specifically Race, Gender, Religion, Social Class, and Location (Geography)—applied to written assignments to make arguments more specific and relevant.

Pan-Africanism

A modern Black consciousness promoting global unification, freedom, and empowerment of people of African descent in Africa and the Americas.

Civil War Amendments

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution.

Midterm Short Answer Focus

A brief one-paragraph prompt on the midterm exam focusing on the historical significance of events from either the Civil War or Reconstruction periods.