HISP367

Abolitionist Literature in Spanish (1791-1886)

REG - Regular

Undergraduate

This course is meant to provide an introduction to the radical philosophies, aesthetics and practices of abolitionism in the Spanish-speaking world. Through a close-reading of autobiographical and literary sources from the 1800’s, students will explore abolitionism’s revolutionary role in 19th-century society, as well as its broader connections with the emancipatory legacies of democracy, feminism, and the struggle for workers' rights. Readings will include works by formerly enslaved Afro-Cuban poets Francisco Manzano and Juan Antonio Frías, popular song lyrics commemorating the slave uprising of Afro-Venezuelan revolutionary José Leonardo Chirino, Spanish translations of North American classics such as ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin,’ as well as notable anti-slavery novels and political writings by white Spanish-speaking authors such as Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, Cirilo Villaverde and José Martí. The course will be taught in Spanish.

Meets Humanities and Global Requirements

000729