Sidney Blaylock, a Visiting Scholar of African American Literature in the English Department, is from Chattanooga, TN. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in English – American Literature, Master of Arts in English – Rhetoric and Writing, and his Master of Sciences in Secondary English, 7-12, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is currently a doctoral candidate in English at Middle Tennessee State University.

As part of his doctoral work, Blaylock’s areas of expertise are film and rhetoric and composition. He explained, “I enjoy studying Rhetoric & Composition because rhetoric is at the heart of how we communicate with each other, and composition offers the opportunity to help students grow as writers.” Blaylock also appreciates the potential that film has as a means of communication: “Film is fun to study because, not only can it be a medium for entertainment, but it can also be a medium that helps communicate values and ideas about culture, society, and the
human condition.”

At this time, Blaylock is writing his dissertation The Future in Now: The Power and Promise of Afrofuturism and Empathy, which observes how Afrofuturism generates empathy with its narratives. “As film is one of my major areas of study, I am examining the film Black Panther as a major work in the field of Afrofuturism that has inspired empathy towards African Americans and those from the African Diaspora,” he stated. 

Blaylock is teaching African American Literature (EH303) and English Composition I (EH101) this semester and is equally excited for the both of them. While Blaylock loves to see students become better writers in Composition, he is also “[looking] forward to discovering [African American] voices” with his students. “African American literature is a literature of hope and not one of hopelessness,” he shared. “There is power in the words of the authors.”

Blaylock hopes that, while teaching at JSU, he can inspire his students. “I always want students to go beyond what I teach them and to dig deeper into the topics and the subjects that we discuss,” he said. “I also want students to be able to take their new knowledge from classes and discussions and apply it to their own passions and interests in life in order to make those activities more enriching to them.”

Currently, Blaylock’s favorite part of his job is the multitude of learning opportunities. “Even though not knowing something is sometimes awkward, I’m always excited to learn, whether it is about new procedures, the campus, or the curriculum and students,” he explained. About the English Department itself, Blaylock said the highlight is the “camaraderie and friendliness… Everyone is so nice and willing to help and that is appreciated, especially by new members of the department such
as myself.”

In his spare time, Blaylock enjoys playing science fiction and fantasy games. “The Assassin’s Creed games are ones that I’ve not only played and enjoyed, but also form part of my scholarship due to their ‘historical’ nature,” he stated. Blaylock also reads science fiction and fantasy works, with his current favorite authors being Brandon Sanderson, Tad Williams, and Elizabeth Moon.

Blaylock is actually a published writer, having released science fiction and fantasy short-stories both online and in print. “I also have an outline for my first novel,” he said, “but my dissertation must take precedence.”

Blaylock’s advice to his students is simple but effective: “Never give up! Having the determination to succeed is often more important than anything else. When things are hard, it is often very difficult to keep going, but I’ve found that those students who don’t give up are often the ones who find the greatest amount of success when they finally overcome
their struggle.”