1. Read (30–45 minutes)
W.E.B. Du Bois — “Criteria of Negro Art”
Read it once, straight through.
Pay attention to:
- What Du Bois thinks art is for
- Who he believes art answers to
- Where beauty, propaganda, and truth intersect
2. Sit With It
Close the book. No rereading yet.
Respond to:
“What Is Art Allowed to Do?”
Not what Du Bois says.
What you believe right now — before the seminar changes you.
3. Make the First Page (10–15 minutes)
Title a fresh page:
THE BLACK CLASSICS SEMINAR
Day 1
Under it, write:
- Today’s date
- One sentence that feels true after reading
- One sentence that unsettles you
That’s it. Stop there.