African American Literature is a survey course that spans the history of America as it relates to the lives of African Americans. Students explore the forcible transport of individuals from Africa to America, the publication of narratives of enslaved men and women, the abolition of slavery under President Lincoln, the civil rights movement, and the presidency of Barack Obama. Students explore the powerful and influential roles that African Americans have played in U.S. history. They discover the contributions of African American activists, artists, and authors through literature and nonfiction texts such as biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, court cases, historical texts, and litigations.