| The Black Arts Movement, which started from the1960s, is an important renaissance in American history. This movement was catalyzed into action by the assassination of Malcolm X. This movement, which originates from Harlem in New York, spread across the country and enjoyed it maturity in Bay Area and Midwest. As a cultural movement closely connected with the political and social movements at that time as well as the advancement of black people’s social life, the Black Arts Movement advocated "black aesthetic" and black cultural nationalism. It is a new black movement, with the aim of promoting the pride of black people, and eradicating the "nigger consciousness". With the enlightenment of the movement, African Americans were inspired to establish their own publishing houses, magazines, journals and art institutions. It led to the creation of African-American studies programs within universities. Meanwhile, varieties of arts like poetry, drama, music, dance and visual arts sprang up like mushrooms from this movement. Additionally, the Black Arts Movement reshaped the image of African Americans, exerted influence on many world-famous writers, and advanced greatly the multiculturalism. In conclusion, it is a most influential cultural movement in American history. The dissertation falls into six chapters, and the main idea of each chapter is as follows:The first chapter analyzes the origin and social background of the Black Arts Movement. Since the assassination of Malcolm X was considered as the ignition of the Black Arts Movement, the relationship between Malcolm X and the Black Arts Movement is focused for the purpose of clarification of the direct cause of this movement.The second chapter explores the development of the Black Arts Movement across the country. Case studies concerning the Black Arts Movement in New York, Chicago, the South of America and "Prison Arts Movement" are conducted. The museum protest in New York,"the Wall of Respect" in Chicago, the Black Art Movement in university campuses in the South, and prison writers and the Black Arts Movement, among other things, are respectively probed into in each section. African American artists were neglected and treated with disdain for a long time. The museum protests in New York triggered by "quality" of the work of art were increasingly catalyzed. Although the protests declined consequently as a result of interior and exterior factors, their impacts were enormous. The "mural movement" originated from the painting of the "Wall of respect". It was the "wall of respect"-a cultural carrier that unite African-Americans who lived in the neighborhood, the African artists, and many Black Arts participants living in other parts of America together and directly led to a massive mural movement across the country. The Black Arts Movement in the South experienced its being overlooked and accepted. The historically black colleges and universities as well as some important journals and organizations appearing in this period played a profound role in shaping the Black Arts Movement in the South. Some African American writers argued that America was an extension of African American community. While some cultural and educational projects were launched, the incarcerated people there were failed to enjoy equality. Moreover, many participants and activists of this movement used to be incarcerated. The incarcerated people together with writers and artists who were once behind the bars created a number of outstanding works and depicted numerous classic images.The third chapter makes an analysis of the thoughts of the key leading figures of this movement. Amiri Baraka, one of the most important leaders of the Black Arts Movement, is labeled as "the father of the Black Arts Movement". His living experience as well as the drama and poetry he wrote greatly moulded this movement. Larry Neal, who was both the theorist and mentor of the Black Arts Movement, articulated black aesthetic. Sonia Sanchez is one of the most prominent women poets of the movement. She let out the most powerful sound of the women through her writing.The fourth chapter demonstrates the ideological connotation of the Black Arts Movement as well as the literary and artistic forms arising from this cultural Movement. The Black Arts Movement is also labelled as the Black Aesthetic Movement in the light of the unique aesthetic thoughts it advocates. The Black aesthetic that the black artists advocated, the black cultural nationalism that they held in high esteem, and the traditional black culture that they emphasized are the key ingredients of the ideological connotation of the Black Arts Movement. The most influential arts arising from the Black Arts era include poetry, drama, music, and visual arts. Additionally, a great many African American publications and literary conferences facilitated the spread and development of this movement.The fifth chapter decodes the causes of the decline and transformation of the Black Arts Movement, which was destined to experience prosperity and decline historically. There are both internal external factors incurring its decline and as feminism gradually became the new political focus and main theory, the Black Arts Movement fulfilled its historical transformation, during which the black women’s literature was a direct outgrowth of the Black Arts Movement with significant differences.The sixth chapter comments objectively on the historic status and its influence.The Black Arts Movement is a mass oriented radical arts movement whose influence reached almost every corner of the United States. Varieties of colorful art forms sprang from this movement, and became a powerful force changing the cultural appearance of the country. This movement has left great and enduring imprint upon the multiculturalism in the United States. Despite these above, nevertheless, its political nature overshadows its arts nature, and the value of some literary works is not highly appreciated. |
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