University of Wisconsin-Madison - Travel Study Program

2019 Transnational Experiences of African Americans in Denmark Program

Summer 2019 was the second offering of The Transnational Experiences of African Americans in Denmark study abroad program by UW-Madison, a program that examines the transnational experiences of African Americans who lived, performed, studied and visited Copenhagen during the 20^th century. Educators, painters, social workers, writers, singers, jazz musicians among many others were drawn to Europe. While many have written about African Americans in France, their experiences in Denmark have remained unexplored. This program explored the experiences of African Americans in Denmark and looked for answers to such questions as:

• Why did African Americans go to Denmark?

• What were their experiences while there?

This course includes walking tours of “Black” Copenhagen, documentaries and feature films, music, art, literature, personal essays written by the expatriates and scholarly literature about the transnational experiences of African Americans.

2018 Transnational Experiences of African Americans in Denmark Program

The UW-Madison's Transnational Experiences of African Americans in Denmark program allows students to study abroad for the summer with a focus on the 20th century lived experiences of African Americans in Denmark. Although the African American experience in France has been studied, far less focus has been dedicated to the African American experience in Denmark. Students in the program are asked to address two main questions: Why did African Americans go to Denmark? And what were the experiences of African Americans while there?

Students study from the center of Copenhagen, with their classroom located at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS). There are many opportunities for learning outside of the classroom, through excursions to enhance classroom learning and tours to help students get to know the wonderful city of Copenhagen.

The study abroad learning objectives and goals for students of the program are:

• To learn about Danish history and culture in the 20th century.
• To experience 21st century Danish culture through Nordic cuisine and the hygge lifestyle.
• To deepen student understanding about why Denmark consistently tops the World Happiness Index.

The program is led and taught by Professor Ethelene Whitmire of UW-Madison's Information School. Professor Whitmire also teaches classes within Afro-American Studies, Scandinavian Studies, and Gender & Women's Studies. She is currently working on her second book project, Searching for a Rainbow: African Americans in 20th Century Denmark.