WASHINGTON — Saddle up! Beyoncé isn't the only person ready to take you on a ride with her music.
Queen Bey released her latest album, Cowboy Carter, on Friday which features artists such as Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone and Tanner Adell -- to name a few. The tracks, which are filled with country music, is a part of act II for the singer.
Act I, on the flipside, was her album Renaissance. An album that fused together music genres from ballroom to R&B and hip-hop to house. The album didn't only evoke emotions through the beats, but lyrics and themes throughout -- and that did not go unnoticed.
On Monday, the Human Rights Campaign's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program released a syllabus for just that album. It is called Renaissance: A Queer Syllabus and it explores the tracks on her act I album.
"The syllabus serves as an educational resource designed to celebrate the beauty, brilliance, and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and will be shared with HBCU’s within HRC’s HBCU program network," the Human Rights Campaign said.
The syllabus provides links to articles, books, podcasts and interviews highlighting the Black queer community with each link associated with a song from the album. The songs are broken down into categories for their respective lessons. For example, 'I'm That Girl' and 'Alien Superstar' are listed under the Empowerment and Self-Acceptance section, while 'Pure/Honey' is in the Legacy and History category.
And something that makes this even more exciting, the course will be shared with D.C.'s own Howard University, among many others. Professors have not yet confirmed if the syllabus will be added to any of their curriculum, yet.
HRC'S HBCU team will roll-out a series of teach-ins and activations beginning this summer and continuing into the fall to aid with its education mission.
Themes and Topics for teach-in and activation:
- Black Queer History and Legacy: Exploring the historical context and contributions of Black queer individuals to art, culture, and activism.
- Empowerment and Self-Acceptance: Discuss themes of resilience, identity, and self-expression depicted in Beyoncé's album and its cultural impact.
- Social Justice and Activism: Analyzing the intersections of music, politics, and social movements, focusing on addressing systemic inequalities.
- Intersectionality and Inclusivity: Examining the complexities of identity and representation within the queer community, emphasizing the importance of intersectional approaches to advocacy.
- Artistic Expression and Resilience: Investigating the role of music, dance, and performance as tools for resistance and liberation, particularly within marginalized communities.
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