The Beyhive may have to hit the books for a lesson in Beyoncé 101 — Yale is offering a course entirely dedicated to the pop superstar herself.
This spring, Yale students will dive deep into Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition History, Culture, Theory & Politics through Music, a course led by African American studies and music professor Daphne Brooks, according to the Yale Daily News.
Brooks, who specializes in black cultural studies, says the timing couldn’t have been better to recognize Beyoncé’s unprecedented contributions to American culture.
‘I thought this lesson would be a good one to teach because [Beyoncé] is so ripe for teaching right now,” Brooks explained to the outlet.
‘The number of breakthroughs and innovations she has achieved and the way she has interwoven history and politics: there is simply no one like her.’
The Beyhive may have to hit the books for a lesson in Beyoncé 101 – Yale is offering a course entirely dedicated to pop superstar herself
This spring, Yale students will take a deep dive into Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition History, Culture, Theory & Politics through Music, a course led by African American studies and music professor Daphne Brooks, according to the Yale Daily News
Brooks, co-founder of Yale’s Black Sound & the Archive Working Group, has taught similar courses at Princeton, but this is her first to focus exclusively on Beyoncé.
“I hope that no matter what discipline you pursue in the liberal arts at Yale, looking at culture through Beyoncé can invite us to reflect on the extent to which art can articulate the world we live in and nourish our minds and give us the space to imagine better worlds and the ethics of freedom.’
Brooks argues that given the 2024 election and the changing political landscape, it is critical to recognize Beyoncé’s profound impact on American and global culture over the past two decades.
The course focuses on Beyoncé’s evolution, starting with her 2013 self-titled album and continuing through her 2024 work, Cowboy Carter.
It also examines the complex representation of black women in both media and politics.
Although Beyoncé doesn’t often get involved in politics, her involvement always makes headlines when she does.
She performed at both of Barack Obama’s inaugurations, in 2009 and 2013, and previously performed at her 2016 endorsement of Hillary Clinton.
She recently gave her hit song Freedom to Kamala Harris’ 2024 campaign to use as an anthem.
Beyoncé even officially supported Harris, making a rare appearance at a rally in her hometown of Houston, Texas.
Brooks, who specializes in black cultural studies, says the timing couldn’t be better to recognize Beyoncé’s unprecedented contributions to American culture
‘I thought this lesson would be a good one to teach because [Beyoncé] is so ripe for teaching right now,” Brooks explained to the outlet
The singer’s 12-year-old daughter with Jay-Z became a fixture during her live sets when the tour moved from mainland Europe to the United States between March and September 2023.
Brooks, co-founder of Yale’s Black Sound & the Archive Working Group, has taught similar courses at Princeton, but this is her first to focus exclusively on Beyoncé.
The course focuses on Beyoncé’s evolution, starting with her 2013 self-titled album and continuing through her 2024 work, Cowboy Carter.
Fans in the packed stadium were hoping for a performance, though Beyoncé kept the focus on the cause, telling the crowd, “I’m not here as a celebrity… I’m here as a mother – a mother who cares deeply about the world in which my children and all our children are alive.’
“We are so happy to stand here on this stage as proud Texas women supporting and celebrating the one and only Vice President Kamala Harris,” she added.
“We are on the cusp of an incredible shift, on the edge of history.”
Courses on pop culture legends, such as Yale’s Beyoncé class, often see high enrollment, as evidenced by the more than 300 students enrolled in Harvard’s Taylor Swift course this year.