Black Arts Movement
Ashley Domingo
Justin Martinez
Leinalyn Reduque
Period 1
Definition of the Movement
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Began around approximately 1965
Emphasized racial pride and presented works that were
committed to the reflection of African American culture and
experiences of black people
Emerged during the Civil Rights Movement which eventually
led to what was known as the “Black Power Movement”
Often politically based with an aggressive style/tone
Challenged the white establishment
Started in Harlem by Amiri Bakara
Poetic Techniques and
Themes
• Personification
• Tone
• Repetition
• Imagery
• Symbolism
• Assonance
• Metaphor
• Diction
• Narrative Instability
• Theme: Breaking away from racial inequality
Gwendolyn Brooks
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Born in Topeka, Kansas in 1917 and raised in Chicago
Brooks first attended Hyde Park High School, transferred
to Wendell Phillips High, and lastly Englewood High
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School
Father is David Anderson Brooks; Janitor
Mother is Keziah Wilms Brooks; Schoolteacher
Well known for her intimate literary works that revolve
around the struggles of racism and poverty of African
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American life
Received Literary Awards
o First African American writer to win a Pulitzer Prize
o Jefferson Lecture
o Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American
letters
Notable Works
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A Street in Bronzeville (1945)
Annie Allen (1949)
Maud Martha (1953)
The Bean Eaters (1960)
In the Mecca (1968)
Literary Devices
• Repetition: "We"
• Assonance: Cool and school, late and
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straight, sin and gin, or June and soon
Irony: Title is "We Real Cool" but the
message of the poem is different from
what is expected
Tone: Hopeless
Theme: Freedom from education leads
to an unhappy ending
Sonia Sanchez
Biography
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Born on September 9, 1934 in Birmingham, Alabama
In 1955, she earned a B.A. in political science at Hunter College
She formed the “Broadside Quartet” of young poets in Greenwich Village
In the early 1960s, she was a great supporter of racial equality among black
people, but later focused on her black culture
In 1965, she was a teacher at San Francisco State University
In 1969, she published her first book of poetry called Homecoming
Not only did she write poetry, but she also wrote children books and plays
In 1971, she joined the Nation of Islam, but later left because of the restraint
of women
Some literary achievements include the Outstanding Arts Award, the Peace
and Freedom Award, and a National Endowment for the Arts Award
Notable Works
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Homecoming (1969)
A Blues Book for Blue
Black Magicial Women (1973)
We a BaddDDD People (1970)
I’m Blue When I Ain’t (1982)
The Bronx is Next (1970)
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Literary Devices
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Tone: Passionate & Loving
Metaphor: "the rain exploding in the air is love," "the grass
excreting her green wax is love," and "stones remembering
past steps is love"
Personification: "rain exploding," "grass excreting," and
"stones remembering"
Repetition: "is love" in the second stanza
Diction & Imagery: reveal/visualize the emotions you feel
when you are in love
Theme: Age plays a role in understanding the meaning of
love
o During the Black Arts Movement, poets wrote narrative
stories such as the Ballad which inspired writers to write
outside of their culture
Amiri Baraka
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Born into the name Everett LeRoi Jones in Newark, New Jersey on October
7, 1934
Father is Colt LeRoi Jones; a postal supervisor
Mother is Anna Lois Jones; a social worker
Attended Rutgers University; 2 years
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Served in the Air force from 1954-1957
Moved to Lower East Side of Manhatten
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Transferred to Howard University; earned B.A. in English in 1954
Joined loose circle of Greenwich Village artists, musicians, and
writers
One year later, married Hettie Cohen
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Began co-editing the avant-garde literary magazine Yugen with her.
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Founded Totem Press
Won Literary Prizes that included:
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Fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation
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National Endowment for the Arts
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PEN/Faulkner Award
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Rockefeller Foundation Award for Drama
Notable Works
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Black Art (1969)
It's Nation Time (1970)
Spirit Reach (1972)
Black Magic : Collected Poetry (1969)
Literary Devices
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Imagery: "Clasped hands"
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Tone: Hopelessness & Depression
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Repetition: Uses "And" repetitively
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Personification: "Ground envelopes me"
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Theme: Judgment from the Whites has damaged the
African Americans emotionally
Artworks
Confrontation
"Die" Faith Ringgold
AP Style Writing Prompt
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Read the Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide
Note poem carefully. Then write an essay in
which you discuss the ways the author uses
imagery, repetition, and personification to
explain the theme of the poem.
In Gwendolyn Brooks's "We Real Cool," analyze
how she uses tone, assonance, and irony to create
the theme of the poem.
Interactive Poetry Lesson
A closed window looks down
on a dirty courtyard, and Black people
call across or scream across or walk across
defying physics in the stream of their will.
Our world is full of sound
Our world is more lovely than anyone's
We have been captured,
and we labor to make our getaway, into
the ancient image; into a new
Correspondence with ourselves
and our Black family. We need magic
now we need the spells, to raise up
return, destroy,and create. What will be
the sacred word?
tho we suffer, and kill each other
and sometimes fail to walk the air.
Ka'Ba
We are beautiful people
With African imaginations
full of masks and dances and swelling chants
with African eyes, and noses, and arms
tho we sprawl in gray chains in a place
full of winters, when what we want is sun.
By: Amiri Baraka
Resources
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http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5647
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19520
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/276
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/blackarts/historical.
htm
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Black_aesthetic_mo
vement.aspx
BLACK ARTS MOVEMENT
QUIZ TIME
Question 1
Who is this poet?
Answer
Amiri Baraka
Question 2
Approximately what period did this movement
take place in?
Answer
1965
Question 3
Who was the first African American writer to
win a Pulitzer Prize?
Answer
Gwendolyn Brooks
Question 4
Who earned a B.A. in political science?
Answer
Sonia Sanchez
Question 5
Name one of Sonia Sanchez's notable works.
Answer
Homecoming, A Blues Book for Black Magical
Women, We a BaddDDD People, I'm Blue
When I Ain't, The Bronx is Next
Question 6
What University did Amiri transfer to?
Answer
Howard University
Question 7
What movement was happening when this
movement emerged?
Answer
Civil Rights Movement
Question 8
Who is this writer?
Answer
Gwendolyn Brooks
Question 9
Sonia Sanchez wrote poetry, but what else did
she write?
Answer
Childrens Books and Plays
Question 10
Who founded the Totem Press?
Answer
Amiri Baraka