Black Arts EraBlack Arts Era

1960 - 19751960 - 1975

The 60sThe 60s

Social upheaval at homeSocial upheaval at home Costly military engagement abroadCostly military engagement abroad Anti-war sentimentAnti-war sentiment Civil Rights MovementCivil Rights Movement Black Power MovementBlack Power Movement Generational distrust / factional Generational distrust / factional

revoltrevolt

1960 – “Freedom Now”1960 – “Freedom Now”

North Carolina - Black Civil Rights Sit-North Carolina - Black Civil Rights Sit-in galvanizes youth across nationin galvanizes youth across nation

Non-violent, direct actionNon-violent, direct action MLK professes civil disobedience and MLK professes civil disobedience and

passive resistancepassive resistance Non-violence and love keys to Non-violence and love keys to

successful strugglesuccessful struggle

Nation of Islam – Black Nation of Islam – Black MuslimsMuslims

Malcolm X appealed to lower and Malcolm X appealed to lower and working class black audiences to working class black audiences to become a "nation within a nation"become a "nation within a nation"

Black Pride – their goal was to set an Black Pride – their goal was to set an example for what could be done in example for what could be done in black communityblack community

Significant EventsSignificant Events

1963- 1963- March on WashingtonMarch on Washington "I Have A Dream" MLK speech"I Have A Dream" MLK speech Alabama church bombingAlabama church bombing JFK assassinatedJFK assassinated 1964-1964- LBJ signs Civil Rights ActLBJ signs Civil Rights Act

““Freedom Summer”Freedom Summer”

The summer of 1964 is named The summer of 1964 is named "Freedom Summer" for the number "Freedom Summer" for the number of staged protest demonstrations of staged protest demonstrations that take place across the country in that take place across the country in support of Civil Rights.support of Civil Rights.

History in the making…History in the making…

1965 -1965 - Malcolm X assassinatedMalcolm X assassinated Voting Rights ActVoting Rights Act Major urban riotsMajor urban riots 1968-1968- MLK assassinatedMLK assassinated

Black Freedom / Black ArtsBlack Freedom / Black Arts

Black Freedom Movement wanted to Black Freedom Movement wanted to re-define how black Americans were re-define how black Americans were perceived and treated by white perceived and treated by white AmericaAmerica

Black Arts Movement wanted to re-Black Arts Movement wanted to re-define how black Americans define how black Americans perceived themselvesperceived themselves

James BaldwinJames Baldwin

““No people that has ever produced No people that has ever produced great literature and art has ever great literature and art has ever been looked upon as distinctly been looked upon as distinctly

inferior" inferior"

Black Arts MovementBlack Arts Movement

The writers and artists of this time The writers and artists of this time wanted to develop a body of artistic wanted to develop a body of artistic endeavors that would provide a endeavors that would provide a "change of vision" in the perception "change of vision" in the perception of African American identity. They of African American identity. They felt that artistic production would felt that artistic production would revise the stereotypes of African revise the stereotypes of African inferiority that lay at the heart of inferiority that lay at the heart of American racism.American racism.

Perception of BlackPerception of Black

"Liberation is impossible if we fail to see "Liberation is impossible if we fail to see ourselves in more positive terms. For ourselves in more positive terms. For without a change of vision, we are slaves without a change of vision, we are slaves to the oppressor's ideas and values --to the oppressor's ideas and values --ideas and values that finallyideas and values that finally attack the attack the very core of our existence. Therefore, we very core of our existence. Therefore, we must see the world in terms of our own must see the world in terms of our own realities."realities."

   

Larry Neal, "Black Art and Black Liberation," Larry Neal, "Black Art and Black Liberation," 19691969

““Black Aesthetic”Black Aesthetic”

Artists and writers were interested in Artists and writers were interested in improving black Americans' improving black Americans' perception of themselves, rather perception of themselves, rather than creating artwork that would than creating artwork that would only encourage white America to only encourage white America to look upon African Americans more look upon African Americans more positively.positively.

Who…Who…

Amiri BarakaAmiri Baraka Audre LordeAudre Lorde Martin Luther King Jr.Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm XMalcolm X Nikki GiovanniNikki Giovanni

Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones)Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones)(1934 -)(1934 -)

Author of over 40 books Author of over 40 books of essays, poems, of essays, poems, drama, and music drama, and music history and criticismhistory and criticism

Revolutionary political Revolutionary political activist activist 

Founder of the Black Founder of the Black Arts Movement in Arts Movement in Harlem  Harlem  

Still active in the Still active in the struggle against racismstruggle against racism

DutchmanDutchman

The play Dutchman (1963) The play Dutchman (1963) was the symbol of black was the symbol of black nationalism” with themes nationalism” with themes of racial oppression and of racial oppression and racial hatred at its heart. It racial hatred at its heart. It was praised for its power was praised for its power and freshness and criticized and freshness and criticized for its harshness. Baraka for its harshness. Baraka stated: "It is about the stated: "It is about the difficulty of becoming and difficulty of becoming and remaining a man in America" remaining a man in America"

Audre LordeAudre Lorde

American writer Audre Lorde American writer Audre Lorde names herself as "a black names herself as "a black feminist lesbian mother poet"feminist lesbian mother poet"

Her poetry explores pride, Her poetry explores pride, love, anger, fear, racial and love, anger, fear, racial and sexual oppression, urban sexual oppression, urban neglect, and personal neglect, and personal survivalsurvival

"Hanging Fire""Hanging Fire"

Nikki Giovanni (1934 - )Nikki Giovanni (1934 - )

Black American poet, Black American poet, writer, educator, writer, educator, activist, mother, activist, mother, daughterdaughter

Voice of Black Voice of Black communitycommunity

Focus on oneself to Focus on oneself to make a difference in make a difference in othersothers

Martin Luther King Jr.Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) (1929 – 1968)

"Non-violent resistance is the most "Non-violent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom”people in their struggle for freedom”

Malcolm X (1925 – 1965)Malcolm X (1925 – 1965)

““You can’t separate peace from You can’t separate peace from freedom, because no one can be at freedom, because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom”peace unless he has his freedom”