Sunday, October 20, 2019
Women of the Black Arts Movement
Women of the Black Arts Movement The Black Arts Movement began in the 1960s and lasted through the 1970s. The movement was founded by Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones) following the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965. Literary critic Larry Neal argues that the Black Arts Movement was the ââ¬Å"aesthetic and spiritual sister of Black Power.â⬠Like the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement was an important literary and artistic movement that influenced African-American thought. During this time period, several African-American publishing companies, theaters, journals, magazines, and institutions were established. The contributions of African-American women during the Black Arts Movement cannot be ignored as many explored themes such as racism, sexism, social class, and capitalism. Sonia Sanchez Wilsonia Benita Driver was born on September 9, 1934, in Birmingham. Following the death of her mother, Sanchez lived with her father in New York City. In 1955, Sanchez earned a bachelorââ¬â¢s in political science from Hunter College (CUNY). As a college student, Sanchez began writing poetry and developed a writerââ¬â¢s workshop in lower Manhattan. Working with Nikki Giovanni, Haki R. Madhubuti, and Etheridge Knight, Sanchez formed the ââ¬Å"Broadside Quartet.â⬠Throughout her career as a writer, Sanchez has published more than 15 collections of poetry including Morning Haikuà (2010); Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poemsà (1999); Does Your House Have Lions? (1995); Homegirls Handgrenadesà (1984); Iââ¬â¢ve Been a Woman: New and Selected Poemsà (1978); A Blues Book for Blue Black Magical Womenà (1973); Love Poemsà (1973); We a BaddDDD Peopleà (1970); and Homecomingà (1969). Sanchez has also published several plays including Black Cats Back and Uneasy Landingsà (1995), Iââ¬â¢m Black When Iââ¬â¢m Singing, Iââ¬â¢m Blue When I Ainââ¬â¢tà (1982),à Malcolm Man/Donââ¬â¢t Live Here No Moââ¬â¢ (1979), Uh Huh: But How Do It Free Us?à (1974), Dirty Hearts ââ¬Ë72à (1973), The Bronx Is Nextà (1970), andà Sister Son/jià (1969). A childrenââ¬â¢s book author, Sanchez has written A Sound Investment and Other Storiesà (1979), The Adventures of Fat Head, Small Head, and Square Headà (1973), and Itââ¬â¢s a New Day: Poems for Young Brothas and Sistuhsà (1971). Sanchez is a retired college professor who resides in Philadelphia. Audre Lorde Writer Joan Martin argues in Black Women Writers (1950-1980): A Critical Evaluation that Audre Lordeââ¬â¢s work ââ¬Å"rings with passion, sincerity, perception, and depth of feeling.â⬠Lorde was born in New York City to Caribbean parents. Her first poem was published in Seventeen magazine. Throughout her career, Lorde published in several collections includingà New York Head Shop and Museumà (1974),à Coalà (1976),à and The Black Unicorn (1978). Her poetry often reveals themes dealing with love, and lesbian relationships. As a self-described ââ¬Å"black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,â⬠Lorde explores social injustices such as racism, sexism, and homophobia in her poetry and prose. Lorde died in 1992. bell hooks bell hooks was born Gloria Jean Watkinsà on September 25, 1952, in Kentucky. Early in her career as a writer, she began using the pen name bell hooks in honor of her maternal great-grandmother, Bell Blair Hooks. Most of hooksââ¬â¢ work explores the connection between race, capitalism, and gender. Through her prose, Hooks argues that gender, race, and capitalism all work together to oppress and dominate people in society. Throughout her career, hooks has published more than thirty books, including the noted Ainââ¬â¢t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism in 1981. In addition, she has published articles in scholarly journals and mainstream publications. She appears in documentaries and films as well. hooks notes that her greatest influences have been abolitionist Sojourner Truth along with Paulo Freire and Martin Luther King, Jr. hooks is a Distinguished Professor of English at the City College of the City University of New York. Sources Evans, Mari. Black Women Writers (1950-1980): A Critical Evaluation. Paperback, 1 edition, Anchor, August 17, 1984. Hooks, Bell. Ainââ¬â¢t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism. 2 Edition, Routledge, October 16, 2014.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.