African Canadian Studies 11

Unit 1: Module 1: Evolution and Change

Building foundations: the background knowledge students bring, the diversity of Africa, cultural identity, the meaning and elements of culture, historiography and Afrocentrism, the roots of Afrocentricity, and Africa as the birthplace of humankind.

• Background knowledge about African heritage
• The diversity of Africa
• Describing your own cultural identity

• The meaning and elements of culture
• Historiography, ethnocentrism, and Afrocentrism
• The roots of Afrocentricity
• Africa as the birthplace of humankind

Unit 2: Module 2: Elements of the African Diaspora

The pre-colonial foundations: the location of ancient African civilizations, the political, economic, and social systems of ancient African kingdoms, the elements of pre-colonial African cultures, and the effects of these on the shift from pre-colonial to colonial Africa.

• Locating ancient African civilizations
• Systems of ancient African kingdoms

• Elements of pre-colonial African cultures
• From pre-colonial to colonial Africa

Unit 3: Module 3A: Impact of Colonial Expansion

The Transatlantic Slave Trade and enslavement: the colonial and imperial systems causing slavery, the Slave Trade itself, displacement and forced migration, how enslavement shaped the world, slave culture and its effects, and resistance through cultural expression and anti-slavery movements.

• Colonial systems causing slavery
• The Transatlantic Slave Trade

• Displacement, migration, and forced migration
• How enslavement shaped the world
• Slave culture and the effects of enslavement
• Resistance to enslavement

Unit 4: Module 3B: Struggle for Identity

The African Canadian journey: the American Revolution's implications, the Black Loyalists, Maroons, and Black Refugees who came to Canada, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War and its aftermath, the problems Black settlers faced, Confederation and African Canadian contributions, and Black communities across a changing Canada.

• The American Revolution and people of African descent
• Black Loyalists, Maroons, and Black Refugees
• The Underground Railroad

• The Civil War and its aftermath
• Problems Black settlers experienced in Canada
• Confederation and African Canadian contributions
• Black communities across a changing Canada

Unit 5: Module 4: Independent Study

Conducting independent inquiry in African Canadian Studies: developing a proposal and work plan, formulating a research question, conducting organized research from diverse sources, organizing findings, identifying bias, comparing interpretations, and explaining connections in the data.

• Developing an inquiry proposal
• Building a work plan
• Formulating a research question
• Conducting organized research

• Organizing research findings
• Identifying bias and stereotyping
• Comparing interpretations
• Explaining connections in the data

Unit 6: Module 5: In Pursuit of Justice

The struggle for justice: power, disenfranchisement, segregation, and racism; the Civil-Rights Movement in Africa, the United States, and Canada; its impact in Canada and especially Nova Scotia; legal documents and the Canadian context; and the Black church as an instrument of leadership.

• Power, disenfranchisement, segregation, and racism
• The Civil-Rights Movement compared
• The Civil-Rights Movement in Nova Scotia

• Legal documents and the Canadian context
• The Black church as an instrument of leadership

Unit 7: Module 6: The Journey toward Empowerment

Empowerment and its future: the empowerment model and institutional change, global political empowerment, grassroots organizations, the contributions and achievements of African Canadians, the evolution of Black families, the challenges facing African Canadians and African Nova Scotians today, and collective consciousness across the diaspora.

• The empowerment model and institutional change
• Global empowerment and independence
• Grassroots organizations over time

• Contributions in social and educational institutions
• Contributions in political and religious institutions
• Contributions in judicial institutions

• The evolution of Black families in Canada
• Challenges facing African Canadians and African Nova Scotians today
• Collective consciousness across the diaspora