WILLIAMS, WILLIAM MCKINLEY LECTURE 92 053

    Archives Collection

WILLIAMS, WILLIAM MCKINLEY LECTURE                        92-053

RECORDS

Physical description:

.1 l.f. including 2 audio cassette tapes (TCA-0174A/B)

Dates:

26 January 1993.

Provenance:

        The transcription of the lyrics and other handouts were prepared by Dr. Williams. The audio tapes were made by Center audio specialist Bruce Nemerov.

Biographical sketch:

        Dr. Harry M. Williams, professor of history at Carleton College, delivered this lecture "Kickin' Butt With Sir Mix-a-Lot: Rap Music and the Use of Racial and Sexual Stereotypes" at Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro TN on 26 January 1993 as part of the university's celebration of African-American history month.

Scope and content:

        In this lecture Dr. Williams explored the nineteenth century racial and sexual stereotypes of Afro‑Americans which reappear in the lyrics and video of the song "Baby Got Back" performed by rap artist Sir Mix‑a‑Lot. His lecture included slides of nineteenth century portrayals of African‑Americans and the video of "Baby Got Back". Prior to the lecture he distributed a transcription of the lyrics of "Baby Got Back" and a list of terms used in the song and in his lecture.

        This group includes analog audio cassette tapes (TCA-0174A/B) of the lecture, copies of the handouts and a copy of a broadside flyer/poster promoting the lecture.

Location:

        The handouts and broadside are filed by accession number with other manuscript groups. The audio tapes are filed first by format, then by tape number, in the audiovisual archives.