Black Arts
Movement
AP Literature Poetry Presentation
Itchel Coker
John Misch
Ignacio Salas Jezner Tapia
Period 2
Definition of Movement
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Created during the Civil Rights movement in the 1950’2
and 1960’s
Associated with the Black Power movement
Wanted for a faster pace to changes during the Civil
Rights movement
Poems are a challenge, sometimes aggressive, to the
White establishment
Political focus on civic change for racial equality
Associated with the Black Power notion and movement
Other Blacks to take up arms in poetry and fight in the
war of the words
Popular food in the 1960s and 1970s were characterized
with suburban, vegetarian, and ethnic bias
General Poetic Techniques &
Themes
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Tone
Repetition
Personification
Imagery
Theme: Opposition towards racial inequality
Diction
Symbolism
Allusion
Conceit
Assonance
Nikki Giovanni
Amiri Baraka
Black Art Poets
Ntozake Shange
Sonia Sanchez
Poem Analysis#1: Ntozake
Shange
Was
originally named Paulette
Williams
Born on October 18, 1948 in Trenton,
New Jersey
 At age 8 moved to St. Louis
 At age 13 moved back to New
Jersey
 Graduated Barnard College cum
laude in American studies
 Earned Master's degree at UCLA
 Married and divorced in first year of
college
 Fails suicide and loses all hope in life
 Jumps back up in 1971 and
changes her name
 Ntozake means “she who has her
own things” and shange means
“he/she who walks/lives with lions”
Most Notable Works: People of Watts, you
are sucha fool, I Live in Music (1994), Nappy
Edges (1978)
Plays: A Photograph: Lovers-in-Motion
(1977), Three for a Full Moon (1982), Daddy
Says (1989).
People of Watts by Ntozake
Shange
where we come from, sometimes,
beauty/ floats around us like
clouds/ the way leaves rustle in the
breeze/ and cornbread and
barbecue swing out the backdoor/
and tease all our senses as the sun
goes down/
dreams and memories rest by
fences/ Texas accents rev up like
our engines/ customized sparkling
powerful as the arms/ that hold us
tightly black n fragrant/ reminding
us that once we slept and loved/ to
the scents of magnolia and
frangipani/ once when we looked
toward the skies/
we could see somethings as lovely
as our children's/ smiles white n
glistenin' clear of fear or shame/
young girls in braids as precious as
gold/ find out that sex is not
just bein' touched/ but in the swing
of their hips the light fallin
cross/ a softbrown cheek or
the movement of a mere
finger/ to a lip many lips
rest seriously courtin'/ rappin' a
inviting kisses southern/ and
English we make up as we
hip as any one lanky brother
along/ turnin' nouns into
in the heat/ of a laid back
verbs braids into crowns/ and
sunday rich as a big mama
always fetchin' dreams from a
still/ in love with the idea of
horizon/ strewn with bones
love how we play at lovin'/
and flesh of those of us/ who
even riskin' all common
didn't make it whose smiles
sense cause we are as
and deep/ dark eyes help us
fantastical/ as any chimera or
to continue to see/ there's so
magical flowers where
much life here.
breasts entice/ and disguise
the racing pounding of our
hearts/ as the music that we
are/ hard core blues low bass
voices crooning/ straight outta
Compton melodies so pretty
they nasty cruising the Harbor
Freeway/ blowin' kisses to
strangers who won't be for
long/ singing ourselves to
ourselves Mamie Khalid
Sharita/ Bessie Jock Tookie
MaiMai Cosmic Man Mr. Man/
Keemah and all the
Literary Devices: People of
Watts
Diction:
the choice of wording that the author uses in
a work of literature.
EX: ...find out that sex is not just bein' touched/...
...smiles white n glistenin' clear of fear or shame/...
Personification:
the animation of inanimate objects to
portray a greater meaning in a poem.
EX: ...dreams and memories rest by fences/...
Allusion:
a reference to things outside the work.
EX: ...as any chimera or magical flowers where
breasts entice/...
Poem Analysis#2: Sonia
Sanchez
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Most Notable works: Ballad, A Blues Book for a
Blue Black Magic Woman, Broadside Press, 1974,
Wounded in the House of a Friend, Beacon
Press, 1995,
Plays: The Bronx is Next (1970), Black Cats and
Uneasy Landings
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Born Wilsonia Benita Driver in
Birmingham, Alabama on
September 9, 1934
Graduated from Hunter College with
a B.A in Political Science
Former member of the Nation of
Islam organization but left after her
views on women’s rights conflicted
with the their views
Advocate of the people and part of
CORE (Congress of Racial Equality)
Writings and works focused on the
struggles and lives of Black America
Informal diction used in work to get
her point across
Ballad by Sonia Sanchez
forgive me if i laugh
you are so sure of love
you are so young
and i too old to learn of love.
the rain exploding
in the air is love
the grass excreting her
green wax is love
and stones remembering
past steps is love,
but you. you are too young
for love
and i too old.
once. what does it matter
when or who, i knew
of love.
i fixed my body
under his and went
to sleep in love
all trace of me
was wiped away
forgive me if i smile
young heiress of a naked dream
you are so young
and i too old to learn of love.
Literary Devices: Ballad
Imagery:
the creation of a picture in the mind of the
reader through the use of words.
EX: the rain exploding/ in the air is love/ the grass excreting
her/ green wax is love
Personification:
the animation of an inanimate object to
convey a message.
EX: and stones remembering/ past steps is love
Conceit:
an interesting depiction of an event.
EX: the rain exploding/ in the air is love
Free
time.
Verse: no rhyming scheme yet still traditional to its
Poem Analysis#3:Amiri Baraka
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Amiri Baraka – Born on October 7, 1934 in
Newark, New Jersey. Formerly known as
“Leroi Jones”
Served in the Air force from 1954-1957,
where he moved to the lower East Side of
Manhattan and joined a circle of
Greenwich Village artists, writers, and
musicians.
In 1958, Baraka founded the Totem Press,
publishing beat movement icons such as
John Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg.
Married Hettie Cohen (1958-1965) and
became joint editor of the Yugen Literary
Magazine. Separated after Malcolm X’s
assassination.
He helped found and direct the influential
Black Arts movement which sought to move
black writers away from western sensibilities
and toward a more complete embrace of
the black world.
Most Notable Works: Preface to a Twenty – Volume Suicide Note;
Ka-Ba, An Agony. As Now., In memory of a Radio, and Wise I
Other Works (Plays) Include: The Slave, The Toilet and Dutchman
Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide
Note: By Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones)
Lately, I've become accustomed to the way
The ground opens up and envelopes me
Each time I go out to walk the dog.
Or the broad edged silly music the wind
Makes when I run for a bus...
Things have come to that.
And now, each night I count the stars.
And each night I get the same number.
And when they will not come to be counted,
I count the holes they leave.
Nobody sings anymore.
And then last night I tiptoed up
To my daughter's room and heard her
Talking to someone, and when I opened
The door, there was no one there...
Only she on her knees, peeking into
Her own clasped hands
Literary Devices: Preface to a
Twenty Volume Suicide Note
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Tone – Depressed, Hopeless, and engulfed with Despair.
“Lately, I’ve become accustomed to the way
The ground opens up and envelopes me
Each time I go out to walk the dog.”
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Repetition: ”And now, each night I count the stars.
And each night I get the same number.
And when they will not come to be counted,” –
Repeating of the
word “and”
Personification - “The ground envelopes me” – Identifies ground enclosing him
“ Broad edged silly music the wind makes…” – Wind creating
nonsensical
music
Imagery - “ Broad edged silly music”
“ Tip-toed”
“ Clasped hands”
Theme: African Americans are oppressed due to the harsh judgment given by the Whites.
Poem Analysis#4: Nikki
Giovanni
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Most Notable Works: Woman, Black Judgment
(1968), The Women and The Men (1975), Black
Feeling, Black Talk (1967)
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She was born Yolande Cornelia
Giovanni on June 7, 1943 in Knoxville,
Tennessee
She grew up in Lincoln Heights, an allblack suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio
She attended Fisk University in
Tennessee and recieved a Bachelors in
History
She then attended the University of
Pennsylvania and Columbia University
She is a University Distinguished
Professor at Virginia Tech (where she
currently teaches poetry)
She has recieved 19 honorary
doctorates and has been named
Woman of the Year in several different
magazines
The civil rights and black power
movements has inspired her early work
Her writing has been inspired by African
American artists and activists
Woman by Nikki Giovanni
she wanted to be a blade
of grass amid the fields
but he wouldn't agree
to be the dandelion
she wanted to be a robin singing
through the leaves
but he refused to be
her tree
she spun herself into a web
and looking for a place to rest
turned to him
but he stood straight
declining to be her corner
she tried to be a book
but he wouldn't read
she turned herself into a bulb
but he wouldn't let her grow
she decided to become
a woman
and though he still refused
to be a man
she decided it was all
right
Literary Devices: Woman
Assonance:
the repetition of a vowel sound.
EX: ...but he refused to be/ her tree...
Imagery:
the use of words and phrases to create a
picture in the mind.
EX: she wanted to be a blade/ of grass amid the fields
Symbolism:
the use of an item to portray the theme and
message of the work.
EX: she turned herself into a bulb/ but he wouldn't let her
grow
AP style writing prompt
1.
2.
3.
In the poem Woman by Nikki Giovanni, figurative language is used to
illustrate the one-sided relationship between a young man and
woman, with the latter not being satisfied enough. Carefully read the
poem. Then write a well-developed essay analyzing the theme and
compare or contrast the theme to another work of literature.
The poem Ballad by Sonia Sanchez implements figurative language
and literary devices to develop a point about love. What do you
suppose love is referred to? Annotate the poem and analyze the
figurative language and literary devices then write a well-developed
essay on what love is referred to.
Poetry can express an intense variety of emotion from different time
periods. In the poem, “Ballad” by Sonia Sanchez, the piece revolves
around a woman and her interpretation of wisdom and love. Carefully
read this poem. Then construct an essay that would analyze the
“bigger picture” of wisdom and love through the poems use of literary
devices
Interactive Poetry Lesson
senses of heritage
my grandpa was a doughboy from carolina
the other a garveyite from lakewood
I got talked to abt the race & achievement
bout color & propriety/
nobody spoke to me about the moon
daddy talked abt music & mama bout christians
my sisters/ we
always talked & talked
there was never quiet
trees were status symbols
I've taken to fog/
the moon still surprisin me
Resources
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonia_Sanchez
ww.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/147
www.afropoets.net/ntozakeshange3.html
www.nsm.buffalo.edu/~sww/poetry/shange_ntozake.ht
ml
www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/445
www.nathanielturner.com/amiribaraka.htm
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikki_Giovanni
www.nikki-giovanni.com/bio.shtml
Poets
Movement
Literary devices Poems
100
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100
100
200
200
200
200
300
300
300
300
400
400
400
400
100
Who currently teaches poetry at Virginia Tech
University?
Answer
200
This poet wrote I live in music and is renowned
for earning a Master’s degree at UCLA
Answer
300
This poet founded the Totem press and
helped publish certain Beat movement
icons.
Answer
400
This poet broke away from the Nation of
Islam due to conflicting views of
women’s rights.
Answer
100
When was the Black Arts movement?
Answer
200
What were poems and works focusing on
during the movement?
Answer
300
What organization in the civil rights
movement was Sonia Sanchez formerly
apart of?
Answer
400
Name 3 famous civil rights leaders
Answer
100
The term used to describe an ingenious
and fanciful notion or conception and
points to a striking parallel between two
dissimilar things.
Answer
200
Nikki Giovanni states in her Woman: “She
turned herself into a bulb/ but he wouldn't
let her grow” is an example of….?
Answer
300
Rain exploding…/ grass excreting her
green wax…/stone remembering… are
examples of…?
Answer
400
The focus of opposition of racial inequality
in a work is an example of…?
Answer
100
“you are so young
and i too old to learn of love.”
Answer
200
she decided to become
a woman
Answer
300
Nobody sings anymore.
Answer
400
And then last night I tiptoed up
To my daughter's room and heard her
Talking to someone, and when I opened
The door, there was no one there...
Only she on her knees, peeking into
Answer
Poets-100
Nikki Giovanni
back
Poets-200
Ntozake Shange
back
Poets-300
Amiri Baraka
back
Poets-400
Sonia Sanchez
back
Movement- 100
Civil Rights Movement from1950’s to 1960’s
back
Movement-200
Opposition towards racial inequality
Opposition towards establishment of White
society
back
Politically charged aggression towards
change in society
Movement-300
Nation of Islam
back
Movement-400
Martin Luther King Jr.
Malcolm X
back
W.E.B Du Bois
Rosa Parks
Maya Angelou
Jesse Jackson
Literary devices-100
Conceit
back
Literary devices-200
Symbolism
back
Literary devices- 300
Personification
back
Literary devices- 400
Theme
back
Poems- 100
Ballad by Sonia Sanchez
back
Poems- 200
Woman by Nikki Giovanni
back
Poems- 300
Preface to a twenty volume suicide note by
Amiri Baraka
back
Poems- 400
Preface to a twenty volume suicide note by
Amiri Baraka
back