From his first album, released in 2013, to his latest project, Cowboy Carter, The aim of the teaching is to study the influence of Beyoncé on black feminist thought and American culture.
Queen B invites herself into the lecture halls. In 2025, the prestigious Yale University in Connecticut will teach a new course called “Beyoncé makes history : history, culture, theory and politics of the black radical tradition through music”. In this module, students will examine the pop star’s artistic work spanning the period from her 2013 self-titled album through this year’s album, . A new approach to studying Black history, intellectual thought, and performance.
Daphne Brooks, a professor of African American studies at Yale University, plans to use the performer’s extensive repertoire, including footage of his live performances, as a medium for students to learn about it. learn about black intellectuals, from Frederick Douglass to Toni Morrison. « We’re going to take seriously how the critical work, the intellectual work of some of our greatest thinkers in American culture resonates with the music of and think about how we can apply their philosophies to his work and how it has sometimes been at odds with the black radical intellectual tradition »Daphne Brooks told the Associated Press.
Beyoncé and black feminism
« Beyoncé’s impact is monumental and deserves in-depth study », continues the professor of African-American studies. The course will analyze the singer’s artistic creations, her music, her clothing choices and her stage performances. These elements will be deciphered to understand their political and cultural significance. « 2013 was a real turning point in her career, as she expressed her beliefs on black feminismsays Daphne Brooks at In its title Flawless, it was the first time a pop artist used sound clips from a black feminist like . »
The professor believes that after the 2024 election, it is important to recognize Beyoncé’s unprecedented contributions to American culture. « Other artists have not embraced political and historical work as Beyoncé hasshe emphasizes. This is not to pit them against each other, it is just to highlight what institutions choose to value and what they often neglect. These are often about the artistic achievements of people of color and particularly women of color. »
In the United States other contemporary artists have already been studied at university such as the singer and songwriter. In 2023, students of the master’s degree in English language and literature at Ghent University in Belgium studied the texts of . In New York, Austin and even Ontario, Canada, classes have been given on the singer since 2022.
