African Women Resistance Leaders: Political and Spiritual

Wednesdays from 21st February for 6 weeks, 6.30pm-8.30pm

This course will detail Black women who have fought against colonialism and racism over the last 400 years and examine their varied spiritual belief systems. Mainstream history consistently ignores the contribution of Black women in general but many of these women used indigenous spiritual belief systems to sustain their own ideologies and inspire their followers. African civilisations and belief systems were, and are, routinely denigrated by Europeans which has led to stigma and mis-representation.

In this 6 week course we will cover:

Pre-colonial African belief systems
Christianity as oppression and resistance
Sanite, Mbuya, Nanny and Nanny Greg, Yaa, Fannie, Nzingha, Coretta, The Two Amys, Queen Mary Thomas, Queen Amar, Yemaja, Oya, Dandara, Nehanda and Graca
1970's women soldiers in Africa's liberaton wars
Black women’s resistance in English literature
Jamaica, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mississippi, Haiti, Angola, Brazil, Cuba, Nigeria :Civil and Human Rights
Disparaging terms ‘Obeah’, ‘Juju’, the real history of Santeria, Candomble, and Jumbie
African religious belief and Hollywood Superheroes
The African roots of the Zombie; movie metaphors
White female fragility and the co-options of feminism

We will use obscure and modern film clips, archival documents, rare books and essays, interviews , testimony from the women and their followers, small and large group work

Course Objectives

Provide political and spiritual context for 40 black women leaders from 1680's to 1980's
Explain pre-colonial belief systems and their survival in post -colonial African diaspora
Analyse and explore white supremacist thought in mainstream media
Promote the consumption of Black history and literature

Course Leaders: Dr Michelle Asantewa and Tony Warner

£61.00 for six-week course.