Black Americans Abroad

This course focuses on the long history of Black Americans going (and sometimes returning from) abroad. Our exploration will unfold chronologically from the 19th century to the present day, as we trace our subjects’ myriad reasons for setting out beyond their country’s shores. Each week of the course will be devoted to grappling with a set of travelers and international departures characteristic of a given era, including:

• Enslaved people’s quests for freedom
• Entertainers, creatives, and scientists’ pursuit of professional opportunities during the era of Jim Crow
• Scholars, journalists, and diplomats’ search for knowledge and cultural understanding
• Modern nomads and expats’ journeys of self-actualization

Our goal is to consider Black Americans’ evolving relationship to the United States and the world at large.