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T. Amanda Lett is an adjunct lecturer in Non-Western American Art at Emerson College in Boston. A current doctoral candidate in Art History at Boston University, her research primarily focuses on American visual culture in 19th Century America. In the Fall of 2016, her class "Arts of Africa and the African Diaspora" used Wikipedia to create and edit articles about African American and African Diaspora artists and art movements.

Arts of Africa and the African Diaspora: Fall 2016 Course

In the fall of 2016, students enrolled in Prof. Lett's course on the African Diaspora wrote and edited articles on artists or artist collectives that were not currently available on the platform. The goal of this project was to not only increase the visibility of these artists on the web, but also to give students a project focused on critical thinking, research skills, and writing skills that had a real-world impact.

The class itself was largely arranged chronologically, beginning with the roots of African art on the continent, then exploring the consequences of contact and colonialism that resulted in a mass diaspora. The class then shifted focus to the United States, and ended by looking at the larger African Atlantic world. The course discussed the issues of colonialism, race, gender, and politics as contributing factors to the art of the African diaspora, with particular attention paid to African American artists in all media.

The Project

In small groups, the students in the course were asked to write a Wikipedia entry on an artist or artist collective relevant to the African Diaspora. A list of potential subjects--artists that were either not represented on the platform or whose articles needed improvement-- was given to the students by Prof. Lett. Students were asked to summarize the important aspects of the artist's life, including a brief biography, career overview, known works, and major exhibitions. In order to prepare the articles, the students were instructed to consult scholarly books, journal articles, and other reputable sources. Students had several benchmarks to meet throughout the semester and their work was both peer-reviewed and reviewed by the instructor. On the final day of class, the students uploaded their work for use on Wikipedia.

Any questions about the project should be directed to Prof. Lett.