The Black Arts Movement is described as an artistic Black Nationalist movement that contributed innovative ideas and works in literature, drama, visual art, and music. From 1965 to 1975, right towards the end of the civil rights movement in 1968, many self-determined black individuals published all forms of art, ideology, and pro-black spirit to showcase the coming of a new era. Many of these artists published works of black uplift and hope for the community.
People like Maya Angelou and Audre Lorde became not only activists for civil rights and feminism, but also pioneering poets who differed from dominantly white poetic genres during the movement.
Amiri Baraka, 1937-2014: Baraka is commonly credited as a pioneer of the Black Arts Movement and was a poet and playwright who explored the anger of Black people in response to systemic oppression and white supremacy. One of his most famous quotes is
“The artist’s role is to raise the consciousness of the people. To make them understand life, the world, and themselves more completely. That’s how I see it. Otherwise, I don’t know why you do it.”
Audree Lorde, 1934-1992: Lorde was a self-proclaimed “Black, lesbian, feminist, socialist, mother, warrior, poet” who centered her works on topics of racial identity, queer identity, and feminism. One of her most famous quotes that speaks to her audience is “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own,” arguing that one cannot be free if the people around you, or people different from you, are facing injustice.
Maya Angelou, 1928-2014: Angelou was a poet and author during the Black Arts Movement. Prior to that, she was also a professional singer, dancer, and choreographer. Maya Angelou is a representative of black artists during the era; some of her most famous poems were “Still I Rise” and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” which deal with themes of racial prejudice and the pains of racial inequality.
The Black Arts Movement also helped fuel some of the iconic genres we know today. These genres include funk, jazz, and soul. These shoes were filled by many outstanding Black individuals, like Gil Scott-Heron, a revolutionary in Black soul music and spoken word poetry. The movement also has many beautiful pieces of art. One dominant Black painter during the movement was Faith Ringgold, who uplifted the black community with just a flick of her brush.
Gil Scott-Heron, 1949-2011: Scott-Heron, during his musical career, combined both Spoken word and soul music in a creative pro-black fusion. Songs of his include “We Almost Lost Detroit,” where he addresses the Fermi Nuclear Power Plant in 1966, and “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” where he talks about how real change is not something that can be broadcast, but internalized. A famous quote from Gil Scott-Heron is “the revolution that takes place in your head nobody will ever know.”
Faith Ringgold, 1930-2024: Ringgold was a painter and author who also established the “Anyone Can Fly Foundation,” centered around increasing the awareness of Black artists. One of her pieces is called “The American People Series #20: Die,” which illustrates the fights and tensions between races and how it affects people like children. A famous quote from Faith Ringgold is “All you need is somewhere to go that you can’t get to any other way. The next thing you know, you’re flying among the stars,” which highlights how you can flourish with a community supporting you.
Overall, the Black Arts Movement was just one of many cultural eras to which black individuals contributed creativity and ideas. As Black History Month continues, let’s remember individuals like these- and many more who contributed to many other eras of our history. black history is our history.
