Analysis Of The Black Arts Movement

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Based upon the readings of Larry Neal’s “The Black Arts Movement” and Peniel Joseph’s “Black Liberation Without Apology” they have helped the critical understanding of 1960s Black Arts Movement tremendously. In Larry Neal’s “The Black Arts Movement” he discusses key factors on how black artists contribute to African-American culture. Larry Neal also discusses how Black Power and Black Art relate to one another, which subsequently aids in developing the needs of Black America. Lastly, Larry Neal discusses the central characters in Black Art, and how those individuals changed the black theatre and the perceptions of African Americans. These three key ideas help develop a critical understanding of the Black Arts Movement by: understanding the …show more content…

Black Power and Black Art relate to one another in one major aspect: politics. The political aspect of both concepts aided in transforming African American culture. “The Black Arts and the Black Power concept both relate broadly to the Afro-American 's desire for self-determination and nationhood.” (Neal 1968) The desire for nationhood helped African Americans establish their independence in America and it aided them in developing what the world means to their culture and their views. The political views of Black Art and Black Power subsequently leads to the development of black aesthetics. Resistance is a main aspect of developing black aesthetics, because the motive of black aesthetics is “the destruction of the white thing, the destruction of white ideas, and white ways of looking at the world.” (Neal 1968) With the understanding of how Black Power and Black Art relate and the motives of each, the critical understanding of the 1960s Black Arts and Black Power is …show more content…

Section three of Larry Neal’s “The Black Arts Movement” plays a vital role in the critical understanding of the 1960s Black Arts Movement. Section three mainly consists of Larry Neal describing how particular individuals and playwrights transformed the Black Arts movement. On page 37 Larry Neal states “Ron Milner’s Who’s Got His Own… strips bare the clashing attitudes of a contemporary Afro-American family.” (Neal 1968) The focus of this playwright was manhood, family, and morality; which changes the view of the African American families and made a way for a change in perception for African Americans. Ron Milner abided by black aesthetics to change Black Art. Ron Milner’s Who’s Got His Own is only one example of how playwrights cultivated culture and helped shift the Black Arts Movement. The critical understanding of the 1960s Black Arts Movement is enhanced because the execution of the movement is

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