Greetings!

Welcome to the blog for Mr. Rigler and Mr. Kramer's American Studies class! Here you will find daily postings about what happens in our class, links to each student's blog, helpful resources, and just about any other information you'd like to know about the class or the topics we'll study. We look forward to your posts, comments, and conversations!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Baby Suggs - Her Sermon and Ways to Hear It

In class last Friday, I played several video clips to suggest ways of imagining Baby Suggs's sermon in the clearing.
First, to think of it as gospel music, I played this song from Mahalia Jackson, one of the greatest gospel singers of all time.
Next, to think of it as revolutionary ideas communicated through the power of the spoken word, I played this song from Gil Scott-Heron.
Last, to think of it as a dance and celebration, combining elements of both of the above examples, I played Kanye West's "Jesus Walks."
I also shared with you a short clip from the film version of Beloved - it captures a powerful combination of these ideas. 
What did you think?  Did you find these clips to be helpful?  Share your thoughts below.

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