Widener University’s Beyoncé course allows students to explore her influence on African-American culture

By Aziza Shuler

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    CHESTER, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — This fall, Widener University in Chester, Delaware County, is debuting a course focusing on all things Beyoncé.

Dr. Richard Cooper’s freshman seminar at Widener has a class size of about 10 students, all girls who are “Crazy in Love” with Beyoncé, or at least in love enough to take a course on Queen B.

“Who doesn’t want to take a course on Beyoncé? I grew up listening to her music,” said Grace Schneider, who is a freshman at Widener.

The class uses the Grammy Award-winning icon’s music as a gateway for students to explore her influence on African-American culture, feminism and advocacy for social and political change.

“We must incorporate this content into the regular American course because we’ve been left out,” Cooper said.

Cooper is the co-coordinator of the African American studies department, so he’s challenging this “BeyHive” to use hit songs like “Run the World” and some of the star’s historic performances to reflect on the intersection of race, gender and identity.

“This song makes me feel independent because I am a girl,” a student said.

The course is a first-of-its-kind course at Widener, but Beyoncé’s career has been studied in academia for many years, most notably by Professor Riche’ Richardson at Cornell University.

“This is the class I talk the most in,” Jayla Stone, a freshman at Widener, said. “It’s a small class and we’re able to connect more.”

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