The literary works created during the Black Arts Movement (BAM) reflected the aspirations of many African-American people for the recognition of their political rights and their cultural identity. This artistic movement can also be associated with revolutionary ideology. There are many conflicting views on BAM. This essay will review various scholarly works that examine this cultural phenomenon.
The main thesis is that the representatives of the Black Arts Movement did call for social and political changes; however, they did not call for the destruction of the existing social order. The main theme which was explored by the writers and poets of that period was the political and cultural empowerment of black people.
This paper will show that the Black Arts Movement contributed to political activism by making African-American people more aware of their cultural identity and uniqueness. Moreover, one can argue that it contributed to many social changes within the American community.
Many scholars focus on the political aspects of the BAM. For instance, James Smethurst examines the connections of this cultural movement with left-wing ideology. When speaking about the political aspects of the Black Arts Movement, he focuses on poetry produced during that period. In this regard, one can mention such an avant-garde poet and writer as Amiri Baraka.
Smethurst believes that he was influenced by European avant-garde poets such as Marinetti and Mayakovski who also called for social changes (Smethurst 261). However, unlike them, Baraka did not urge African-American people to struggle for the socialist revolution in the country. Amiri Baraka pursued different objectives; in particular, he wanted to emphasize the idea that African-American people should accept their cultural roots (Smethurst 267).
This appeal was addressed to both writers and readers. In his opinion, they should not only mimicry Western-European art but try to invent a form of art that reflected African-American identity (Smethurst 267). Hence, from this author’s point of view, political activism advocated the Black Arts Movement should be based on cultural empowerment of black people and their unity.
It should not be confused with left-wing movements such as communism. Moreover, many researchers examine the relationships between the Black Arts Movement and Black Power. In this regard, one can mention the article written by Scot Brown, Joseph Panel and Ntongela Masilela who argue that the Black Arts Movement was shaped by a set of ideologies called Black Power (4).
For example, one can mention the belief in the unique cultural identity of African-American people. At the same time, this movement inspired many people to take part in political activism (Brown, Daniel, Masilela, 6). Thus, one can say that the BAM was a mirror of the civil rights struggle and the source of inspiration for many people. This is probably the most important characteristic of the Black Arts Movement.
Many critics and scholars also examine the rhetoric of race as it was presented in the Black Arts Movement. According to Jerry Watts, the writers and poets, who represented this movement, struggles against various forms of racial discrimination and advocated the idea of unity among black people (Watts 288).
In their opinion, the well-being of African-American people could be achieved only they could take pride in the culture and identity (Smethurst 306). The Black Arts Movement was represented by various writers and critics. Among them, one can single out Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, Steve Cannon, and many others.
The poems, plays, and novels produced by these authors explored a variety of issues such as segregation, the relationship between black and white people, rejection of African-American culture by mainstream critics. The main idea, advocated by the supporters of the BAM, is that black people should not try to accept their art, culture, and historical past without being ashamed of it.
This acceptance of their cultural identity was supposed to be the basis of their political activism. This was the major goal that the Black Arts Movement strived to achieve. Moreover, it was aimed at preventing black people from completely assimilating into Western culture.
The scholars, who study this cultural movement, acknowledge that some African-American poets and writers did call for extreme social changes. According to James Smethurst, some representatives of the BAM celebrated masculinity and even violence (72). Such extremist measures were advocated by Amiri Baraka (Smethurst 101).
Nevertheless, such a view was not shared by the majority of writers, poets, or musicians who worked during that period. Moreover, in her article, Maryemma Graham shows that the Black Arts Movement also comprised feminist literature that explored the struggles of African-American people (37).
Therefore, people should not assume that the BAM promoted masculinity or violence. One can argue that the Black Arts Movement was radical, but its radicalism manifested itself embracing the race and identity, rather than hostility toward other ethnic or cultural group. The BAM was not hostile to non-black people.
The second important aspect of the Black Arts Movement was the description of the social difficulties that African-American people faced during that period. In this regard, one can also mention the novel called The System of Dante’s Hell written by Amiri Baraka. This work eloquently illustrates the destructive aspects of segregation on a human being (Baraka 7).
This issue was explored by many writers of that period. The writers and poets, who worked during the time, illustrated such manifestations of racism as employment discrimination, racial profiling, or prejudiced attitude of authorities toward black people. By identifying these common experiences, the writers increased people’s willingness to take part in political activism.
They urged people to believe that this social change was necessary and possible. There are many literary works that were produced by African-American writers between 1965 and 1975. Among them, one can certainly single out Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings since it explores the central theme of the Black Arts Movement.
In this case, one can speak about social status within society and cultural identity. The author focuses on the discriminatory policies of the state against black people; for example, one can mention racist employment policies or the failure to protect African-American people from the attacks of Ku-Klux-Klan (Angelou 18).
This autobiography also shows that because of these discriminatory policies, many people began to suffer from inferiority complex. In other words, they became ashamed of being black as if the color of person’s skin bore some mark of social or cultural stigma. In this book, Maya Angelou was able to highlight the dangers of such worldview.
The author shows how the main character managed to reject this inferiority complex and eventually became a self-sufficient person with a sense of dignity. The main character was able to reject the ideas that implied cultural and social submission of black people. This example is very important for this discussion as it identified the main aspects of the Black Arts Movement, namely political struggle and cultural empowerment.
To a great extent, this autobiography was an appeal to African-American people who were urged not to feel inferior to white people only because the color of their skin was different. This autobiography reflected the goals of the Black Arts Movement, namely to encourage political activism among African-people and make them proud of their identity.
Furthermore, many researchers studied the interaction between political and aesthetic aspects of the black arts movement. In this regard, one can mention the article by Walton Muyumba who examined this issue. He believes that the representatives of the BAM tried to emphasize their African past.
In this regard, one can mention that many writers, musicians, and poets, who represented the BAM, adopted African names and wore the clothes that were different from conventional Western-European apparel (Muyumba 30). In this way, they strived to show that black people had their traditions and customs that had to be recognized and accepted by others.
It should be noted that the idea of unity and political struggle played an important part in other cultural movements. For instance, one can mention the Harlem Renaissance that emerged in the early twentieth century. The writers, who represented Harlem Renaissance, also attempted to combat racism and segregation. They were strongly influenced by the left-wing ideology (Smethurst 109).
They also tried to incorporate the folk culture of black people into their work. These writers such as Hubert Harrison did not emphasize the idea of black pride and unique identity. One should remember that the Harlem Renaissance was shaped by the ideas of internationalism and equality. In its turn, BAM was more oriented toward nationalism and unity of black people.
The main difference between them is that the representatives of the Black Arts Movement did not try to emulate Western-European art. They tried to introduce a style that could appeal to black people by reflecting their cultural heritage. Unlike previous artistic movements, the BAM was not only aimed only at integrating African-American art into the mainstream culture.
One of the major objectives was to distinguish African-American art from others. Moreover, they put forward the view that African-American people had to act as powerful political agents who act independently and insist on their political rights. Thus, one can argue that the Black Arts Movement was much more assertive than its predecessors. This is one of its major distinctions.
Finally, many others examine the impacts of the Black Arts Movement. In this regard, one can mention the article written by Fred Ho who examines the limitations of the BAM. In his opinion, this movement produced long-lasting effects on the political and cultural landscape of the United States (Ho 150). First, it increased the awareness of African-American people about their unique culture and art forms.
Moreover, it contributed to political activism among other minority groups, for instance, Asian-Americans or gay people (Ho 151). These people also began to write about their experiences, and this contributed a significant change in public opinion, especially official recognition and acceptance of minority groups. Therefore, one cannot reduce this cultural movement only to black aesthetics since it had significant social implications.
Apart from that, scholars believe that the Black Arts Movement attracted more media attention to the political activism of African-American people (Smethurst 306). During their public performances, such poets as Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka, or Nikki Giovanni conveyed many empowering messages to the audience and called for their increased unity, political activism, and pride in their cultural identity (Gabbin 3).
This activism led to many important changes such as black studies programs or the founding of African-American theaters and magazines. Hence, one can say the Black Arts Movement led to significant social changes. As it has been said before, this movement prompted other minority groups to express the concerns about their status within the American community.
Moreover, many other performers and poets were influenced by this movement; for instance, one can mention Talib Kweli or Sunni Patterson. Thus, the artistic influences of the BAM are still palpable in modern culture. Hence, one can argue that the Black Arts Movement had far-reaching effects on political activism and the life of African-Americans.
The importance of the Black Arts Movement can be fully appreciated if one looks at it from a historical perspective. It legitimized African-American culture and made black people attached to it. Moreover, it showed that political activism should be based on the idea that African-American people should be proud of their cultural heritage.
The literature produced during that period was related to such a theme as the political and cultural status of black people within the American community. On the whole, it made African-American people strive for unity, cultural dignity and reduced the risk of their complete assimilation into the mainstream culture.
Works Cited
Angelou, Maya, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings New York: Bantam, 1983. Print.
Baraka, Amiri. The system of Dante’s Hell. New York: Grove Press, 1965. Print.
Brown, Scot, Joseph, Peniel, and Masilela, Ntongela. “Black Liberation without Apology: Reconceptualizing the Black Power Movement.” The Black Scholar 31.3 (2001): 2-19. Web.
Gabbin, Joanne. The Furious Flowering of African American Poetry, Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 1999. Print.
Graham, Maryemma. “Margaret Walker: Fully a Poet, Fully a Woman (1915-1998).” The Black Scholar 29.2 (1999): 37-46. Web.
Ho, Fred. “Tribute to the Black Arts Movement: Personal and Political Impact and Analysis.” CR: the New Centennial Review 6.2 (2006): 141-189. Web.
Muyumba, Walton. “Improvising Over the Changes: Improvisation as Intellectual and Aesthetic Practice in the Transitional Poems of LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka.1.” College Literature 34.1 (2007): 23-51. Web.
Smethurst, James. The Black Arts Movement: Literary Nationalism In The 1960s And 1970s. Chapel Hill, Univ of North Carolina Press, 2005. Print.
Smethurst, James. “Pat Your Foot And Turn The Corner”: Amiri Baraka, The Black Arts Movement, And The Poetics Of Popular Avant-Garde.” African American Review 37.2/3 (2003): 261-270. Web.
Watts, Jerry. “The Black Arts Movement: Literary Nationalism in the 1960s and 1970s.” The Journal of American History 93.1 (2006): 288-289. Web.