Jan. 3, 2003 – The University of the Virgin Islands is making history already this year: they are introducing a course in the history of Carnival, and it will be taught this spring semester by historian and calypsonian Dr. Hollis Liverpool, also known as "Mighty Chalkdust."
The course, entitled Introduction to the History of Carnival and Caribbean Culture, will be taught from St. Thomas and videoconferenced to the St. Croix campus. It will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 8:15 p.m.
The three-credit course will introduce students to the history and development of the Trinidad-style Carnival, the history of carnivals in other Caribbean islands and the circumstances whereby carnivals reached cities in North America and Europe. Other topics to be examined include masquerades, festivals and the laws, regulations and social circumstances that affected music and dance.
Trinidad-born Liverpool has written most recently "Rituals of Power and Rebellion: the Carnival Tradition in Trinidad and Tobago 1763-1962," a book published by Frontline Distribution Liternational in 2001. Earlier he had written "Kaiso and Society" and "Calypsonians to Remember." His own life experience, as recounted in an online biography in Music Web's Encyclopaedia of Popular Music, embodies a history of Caribbean music.
Pre-requisites for the course are SSC 100 or an introductory course in any of the social sciences and ENG 100/WAC 011, ENG 101/RCA 021 or SAT exemption. New student registration will be held Jan. 8, and late registration is set for Jan. 9 and 10.
Other new and unique course offerings for this semester include the police science and administration course Biological Evidence in Forensic Science, the science course Introduction to Meteorology and the selected topics English course Shakespeare.
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