CSP 66 America’s Many Anthems: Songs of Unification, Protest, and Inspiration

From a Wellesley prof’s poem that became “America, the Beautiful” to Woody Guthrie’s radical “This Land is Your Land,” to Childish Gambino’s response to gun violence, “This Is America,” we have many US anthems. Inspired by National Public Radio’s series “American Anthems,” this course will research and analyze such songs and their history, considering their use for our nation, as well as those claimed by various groups, cultures, subcultures, and/or individuals.  After examining some anthems with a religious and national focus, students will investigate one of their own choosing (in any genre), justifying its status as an anthem.