The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s College of Arts and Sciences offers courses in African American Studies. These courses focus on the impact of popular culture, such as music, movies, and television, on society. They cover topics from racial stereotypes to cultural pride expressions. One course, taught by local filmmaker T. Marie King, uses film and TV clips to demonstrate popular culture’s effect on the African American community.
King’s course includes a discussion of a scene from the 1967 film ‘In the Heat of the Night.’ In this scene, an African American man, played by Sidney Poitier, slaps a white character without punishment. This scene is used to show the media’s role in shaping societal views during the 1960s Civil Rights movement. King also talks about her documentary on Civil Rights activist Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth and the Black Lens series at the Sidewalk Film Festival.
King takes her students to film screenings, such as ‘4 Little Girls,’ a documentary about the 1963 Birmingham church bombing. Students then participate in Q&A sessions with people connected to the events. King believes these experiences help students understand historical events better.