The Human Rights Campaign's HBCU program has released a syllabus inspired by Beyoncé's 2022 Renaissance, per a detailed report by Billboard. Renaissance: A Queer Syllabus, was released on Monday and is described by Billboard as “a sprawling collection of academic articles, essays, films and other pieces of media rooted in Black queer and feminist studies and directly inspired by each track on Queen Bey’s Billboard 200-topping dance album”. The syllabus revolves around six themes, spanning from “intersectionality and inclusivity” to “social justice and activism”, drawing inspiration from popular songs on the album for lesson content.
The course syllabus was created by Justin Calhoun, Leslie Hall, and Chauna Lawson, members of the Human Rights Campaign's HBCU program. According to the report, the syllabus will be distributed to around 30 historically Black colleges and universities, such as Howard University, North Carolina A&T University, Prairie View A&M University, and Shaw University.
The Human Rights Campaign did not work with Beyoncé nor Parkwood Entertainment to make the syllabus but they describe putting the document together as a seamless process according to Hall.
“We knew amongst the team which authors and which folks to go to for certain things, I don’t think any of us did many Google searches,” said Hall. We knew where to go to connect the right [resources] to one of her songs [and] build a course out of it. It is really a testament to well-read, well-learned people. I feel obligated to say that because we don’t talk about ourselves like that. We’re smart. It would take folks with Howard degrees to put something like this together.”
The syllabus on page 7 includes a note for universities that have received the document.
“We are thrilled to introduce the Queer Renaissance Syllabus, an educational resource designed to celebrate the beauty, brilliance, and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. As the HBCU program at the Human Rights Campaign, we are excited to share this resource with you and invite you to share it with your university community.
Inspired by the award-winning album Renaissance by Beyoncé and the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community, this syllabus aims to amplify diverse voices, empower communities pushed to the margins, and promote inclusivity and a sense of belonging within higher education. In light of the recent declaration of a national state of emergency for members of the LGBTQ+ community by the Human Rights Campaign, this syllabus becomes even more significant. It serves as a powerful tool to navigate these challenging times and foster a deeper understanding of the experiences and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals.
At the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, we strive to achieve LGBTQ+ equality by inspiring and engaging individuals and communities. Through our HBCU program, we work to empower leaders, eliminate stigma, and enrich the college experience for LGBTQ+ students and the entire student body.
Thank you for your commitment to education, equality, and social progress.”
Beyoncé's HBCU Advocacy
While this syllabus is independent of Beyoncé or Parkwood Entertainment, the music icon consistently leverages her resources and platform to highlight and support HBCUs. Particularly, she showcased HBCU culture and history in her 2019 “Homecoming” Netflix documentary and Coachella performance. She expressed her desire to attend an HBCU during an interview within the two-hour film.
“I always dreamed of going to an HBCU. My college was Destiny’s Child. My college was traveling around the world, and life was my teacher.”
In August, Beyoncé teamed up with Tiffany & Co. to launch a collection inspired by her Renaissance tour in support of HBCU scholarships. The collection includes designs Beyoncé wore during the tour, ranging in price from $275 to $700. All proceeds from the collection were dedicated to Beyoncé and Jay-Z's “About Love” scholarship. This scholarship, a collaboration between Tiffany & Co., Beyoncé's BeyGood Foundation, and Jay-Z's Shawn Carter Foundation, provides educational funding for students in fine arts, history, and communications at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Norfolk State University, Bennett College, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Central State University.
The scholarship, founded in 2021, received $2 million in funding from Tiffany & Co. for chosen students. It aims to support students requiring emergency aid to pursue their education, with the scholarship amount adjusted according to students' financial needs.
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