An creative response to the Black power movement, which dominated the years between 1960 and 1970, is the Black aesthetic movement. The Black Arts movement, which gave rise to the idea of the Black aesthetic, was described as the most contentious movement in the growth of African American writing and probably the most influential on American writing in general in a piece written by (Gayle) for Times Magazine. (poets.org). Due to the fact that it encouraged members of the African American community to found their own art organizations, periodicals, and journals, this movement is regarded as one of the most historically important periods in African American literature. (James). It also resulted in the creation of African American study programs at the tertiary level (Rojas). There have been quite a number of prominent authors in America’s history who have explored the position of the Black community in American society. This research paper bases on the works: playing in the dark, citizen and Corregidora to examine the contributions made by Amiri Baraka are arguably the most controversial"(poets.org). The writer’s rejection of the principles of traditional poetry had a profound influence on the movement. The Black aesthetic has developed as a resistance that is perceived both as direct and indirect oppression by the American society and as such, it is typically characterized by a deviation from traditional norms. This argument will be supported throughout this paper through a critical analysis of "Black Art."
Analysis of Black Art
From the start, Baraka’s poem Black Art strives to portray the aesthetic qualities which it supports as shown when the author states that poems are bullshit unless they are/teeth or trees or lemons piled/ on a step. It attempts to take on the “object like” characteristics, which it supports, and it replaces euphemism with direct, forthright language. It is quite apparent that this literary work strongly opposes the style of traditional poetry not simply because it is polite, but also for its use of metaphorical language. The statement; "Poems are bullshit" is an obvious metaphor aimed at denouncing this contemporary style of poetry. The solution provided, is for poems not only to emulate but also to become physical entities in a common and real environment; like "teeth or trees or lemons piled on a step." From one point of view, this is in essence, a reaffirmation of the objectivist agenda presented in “ars poetia" by Archibald MacLeish, that a "poem should not be but mean to be." To the contrary, Baraka employs this concept on an extreme scale presenting a poem, which appears to be anti-poetic in principle. It also portrays itself as anti-rational as evidenced in the author's intentional use of random metaphors such as lemons, teeth, and trees. In the end, Black art boils down to a denial of order in preference for disorder and art, and an abandonment of poetry in preference of effectiveness, physicality and activism and effectiveness. The poem is not just an expression of the author's desire for poetry not only to become a physical force but also for them to emulate and demonstrate aspects of human activity. As a result, Baraka describes poetry as a combination of words, which are not merely lively but are impassioned and alive. This philosophy leads Baraka to ignore the boundaries of traditional objective aesthetics. His literature attacks and kills all those perceived to be enemies of the Black people. In other words, they actively take part in the political process as opposed to simply commenting on political events. In Barak’s opinion, Black art is that which hastens change to the benefit of African Americans
In an interesting twist, the poem also attacks five distinct categories of African Americans. First, barrack directs his attention to "niggers in jocks" this was probably in reference to Blacks who focused on nothing else but sport, the poem suggests that they should be recruited for the "cause." The "girdle mama mulatto bitches" Black women with mixed European ancestry who attempt to entirely abandon their Black heritage are looked upon with even more contempt and are attacked with more severe language, probably because they portray a complete rejection of their roots. In the author's opinion, politicians who betrayed the interests of the Black people describes as "slick half white politicians" and "negro leaders." The most hated of these was the "negro leader" because his idea of negotiation with the enemy only served to glorify him, referred to as the sheriff in the poem. Baraka venomously attacks these personas because they are a hindrance to true Black empowerment and freedom.
Other groups are also targeted by the poems strong language. Drug trafficking Italians and Irish police officers; in this case, it is apparent that Baraka is referring to the mafia because of their well-known association with metropolitan Black society. In the poem, they are marked for death. From the author's point of view, liberalists will be eliminated by their own disease. The poem also attacks Jews on three different occasions (Baraka, p 23-30). First, the author's use of owner Jews is in reference to store owners and slumlords in Black communities who are of Jewish descent. The second is less apparent because it targets the Jews’ liberal spokesperson and not the Jews themselves. The author's criticism was probably directed at richer Jewish individuals who supported the civil movement of the time or those who used their financial resources to influence the direction of civil rights movement policy in various pressure groups through their liberal; representatives. On the other hand, one can only guess the meaning of Baraka’s statement; "another bad poem cracking/steel knuckles in a new lady's mouth," which is the only image of unjustified violence present within the entire poem. Nonetheless, the assertion that Black Art was written to fuel anti-Jewish sentiments is unfounded. Such a conclusion does not take into account the rhetorical style present through the entire poem. Although there are a number of deviations, the poem is quite clear on whom it criticizes and why. There has not been any criticism of the poem based on its attack on African Americans. It is obvious in this case, that Baraka has identified particular kinds of African Americans who should be criticized, but this does not mean that they represent the wider Black community. In the same way, there is not anything in the poem that suggests that all Italians sell drugs or that all Irish are police officers. However, he does not avoid attacking the ethnicity of the guilty parties where it is deemed necessary. Of the three references to Jews, two have a specific political perspective. These references to ethnicity portray a crucial characteristic of Baraka’s initiative to politicize Black art. As part of his description of how a poet works, Baraka borrows Charles Olson’s statement that an individual must "find out what part of his being is most valuable and then transfer that energy to his readership" (Bakara). In this context, Baraka was trying to draw upon the ethnic animosities present in Black metropolitan communities, give them a clear political direction, and convey this emotion to his readership.
This approach necessitates deep understanding. It reflects an understanding got the significance of grounding political art in actual experiences of the common people as opposed to abstract ideologies. The approach fails, however, because the influence of racism effectively counters the attempt to correct and repurpose racial sentiments. The primary animosity intended in the phrase "owner Jews" is clearly directed toward to the "owner": the exploiter and slumlord. The term "Jew" is required to provide particular grounding in an actual common experience. Jews, in actuality, have been exploiters and owners in Black communities. However, from a political perspective, proprietorship, not Jewish ancestry is the focus for antagonism. This language cannot be easily separated from the cultural and social constraints, which traditionally govern it. Racism carries a much greater potency in American culture than anti-capitalist views. There is not even a convenient phrase for anti-capitalism. As a result, "of the owner Jews/dagger poems in the slimy bellies" is obviously taken to be a racist attack on individuals with Jewish ancestry. In truth, the suggestion that Baraka intends to physically attack proprietors would appear to be an evasion to some readers. This could be true, Baraka had to use the term "Jews" because of the emotional force it conveys, which in a rather unfortunate note is derived from racism. Words such as "capitalist" owner and proprietor are ineffective in comparison. Human culture tends to provide effective descriptions of oppression but fails to develop sufficient language of liberation. Baraka finds problems with this constraint, which is a significant difficulty for any growing political artist, unsurprisingly; Baraka has racially driven work falls under its weight.
This problem is most evident in the structure of Baraka’s poem. On a conceptual basis, Black Art is divided into two segments; an attack on the perceived threat to Black culture and a celebration of the Black people and their values. Despite the fact that the poem strives to celebrate Blackness at its end, forty-one of its fifty-five lines are dedicated to abuse as opposed to affirmation. The negative segment of the poem is noticeably longer and contains much better writing. For instance, lines such as let "the world be a Black poem" and "let there be no love poems written/ until live can exist freely and cleanly" are lifeless and pale when compared to "Black poems to/ smear in girdle mamma mulatto bitches/ whose brains are red jelly stuck. The last lines reflect Baraka’s advocacy for the use of images, which convey a strong sense of physicality. In contrast, the former are abstract, vague and rather close to what the author denounces at the start of the poem. From one point of view, the lack of balance in the poem is a reflection of the author's apparently halfhearted attempt to integrate two different ideas into a single metaphorical phrase. The poem addresses the concept of art as magic. Therefore, Black Art portrays a possible vindictive kind of magic, in other words, a form of sorcery or voodoo used against a perceived threat. This metaphor, however, is not extended effectively into the positive segment of the poem. Although the real voodoo is perceived to have many beneficial attributes, particularly as a form of healing, the author does not explore this potential in the poem. The description Baraka offers shows a greater similarity to alchemy which deals with the conversion of basic elements into precious metal. The author is apparently trying to convert an unpleasant world into something beautiful, in other words; a Black poem. Nonetheless, transformation and healing are essentially different processes. In addition, alchemy is a white form of magic. On a more significant note, the last part of the poem also fails because it was not built on strong cultural and emotional sources as observed in the first segment of the poem. The first part of the poem makes effective use of shock value. Vulgar language is used to generate part of its emotional impact. A poem that starts with “poems are bull shit" presents a shock to almost any reader with an attack in traditional poetic values and audacious language. Baraka intelligently makes use of words avoided in political commentary such as nigger, puke, and pissing to sustain his attack on the reader's nationality. He relies greatly on images physical violence to achieve the same effect. Only a very unemotional reader could take in this kind of language without being affected by it. The last part of the poem of the other hand makes use of clean language and is not offensive or shocking in any way. In a political context, the author draws on the passion associated with racial sentiments. This is evident in Baraka’s view of Jews. Baraka also relies on the great resource of emotion connected to color differences among African American people. The line "girdle mamma mulatto bitches" for instance is in reference to a kind woman whom Black men have continually resented and desired intensely. One who is beautiful, fair skinned and prefers white men to African men in the same way that Black men prefer her to typically African men. This complexity, though not general is quite commonplace in the African American society and it consequently brings with it a significant emotional impact
Denouncing such women in the way that Baraka does in the poem is a symbol of the abandonment of the white dependant consciousness. In the same way, the word Negro in the poem is replaced by "Uncle Tom." Baraka uses the strong racial sentiments of the African American community to portray what Black consciousness must reject and despise. His advocacy for Blackness at the end of the poem is not founded on a similarly powerful source of emotional energy. As a result, the conclusion of the poem is seemingly ineffective and empty, although the conviction portrayed is admirable. Black art also has quite a number of admirable qualities. It forcefully presents an activist, objectivist aesthetic, and offers an accurate account of the negative contributions made by African Americans to their own plight. However, the conclusive positive segment of the poem is of a significantly inferior quality when compared to the standard set by the first segment. Much of this failure is seemingly a result of Baraka’s dependence on racial identification. This creates a significant challenge partly because the author does not clearly define the term Blackness. The term is apparently meant to separate rational, self-confident African Americans from those who adore and emulate white people; such a definition is unclear at best. More importantly, the idea of race in itself operates in human culture as a vehicle of oppression. In addition, its consequences are overly negative. For Baraka, race is a sufficient source of negative energy in his literary work; however, it does not present any foundation for a positive end. To establish such a basis, the author would have had to build more convincingly on the various resources of afro American culture
Racism as a Tool of Oppression
The idea of race as it is commonly known was developed to justify the culture of slavery and after liberation; it was used to validate the continued oppression of ethnic subgroups such as the African Americans (Hutchinson & Darren). In simple terms, a vehicle used to relegate a portion of the population to an unchanging status of abnormal exploitation and inferiority. Race was developed to serve the purposes of the ruling class, and only the sustained dominion of this social class facilitates such an unscientific and arbitrary concept. From a cultural point of view, race is used to limit the significance of actual historical events by establishing a set of allegedly innate, historical, and abstract characteristics as racially definitive. Consequently, the concept of the Negro takes center stage over individuality if African Americans from a collective and individual point of view. Because this racial essence apparently creates a distinction between Euro-Americans (white people) and African Americans, one is led to believe that the process through which history develops as a changing constant. Essentially, African Americans are perceived as Black people, Negroes, or niggers, the physical representations of an abstract concept as opposed to human beings in a historical context. In view of this, it would be correct to conclude that there are appropriate Black ideals, and perhaps, an appropriate form of Black artistic expression. Some individuals portray the values and ideals of their culture better than others do. At the conclusion of "Black art," the author calls for all those who are truly Black to speak with a unified voice, which in this case would be all that the poem advocates for. In principle, Black art asserts that African Americans should oppose everything associated with the white establishment. In a twist of irony, this ideology is the exact philosophy of race, which benefits only the high class of society
Baraka’s only invention is to argue that emulating the ideals of Black American culture is preferable to the adoption of white culture. This assertion, though it attacks the enemies of the African-American culture and the people they control also facilitates the workings of oppression, a typical characteristic of any ill informed nationalistic movement. If the essence of Black culture is defined based on white culture, then the Black establishment is dependent upon white culture for its existence, which is a rather complex challenge. The author of the poem did not reach this conclusion because of a lack of intelligence. Rather, he reached this conclusion because of the philosophy he adopted and by this blind commitment to it.
Comparison to Similar Nationalist Leaders
The ideas that Baraka presents are reminiscent of Fanon's post World War 2 call for intellectuals and artists in liberal society to establish new cultures and cultures in their communities and are supported by other prominent writers in his time such as Addison Gayle (Gayle). In fact, Fanon's influence can be seen in Baraka’s work. In the "Fact of Blackness," Fanon's argument is that "Blackness" is not a self-established designation, but one that has been forced onto all those that falls into the category of Black people. Fanon explains the term "Blackness" as a social abstract as a tool, which is used to separate and eventually eliminate individuals who are perceived to be of Black. Frantz Fanon describes this trend as the "fact of Blackness." This phenomenon, in his view, implies that the Black man is deprived of the ability to establish an original self-image and is forced into predetermined image that has been established by the wider nonBlack community based on his Blackness or social uniform. Fanon asserts that although the Black man may have a similar experience to that of other marginalized groups such as the Jews, fact that an individual is a Jew may go unnoticed, and as a result, his behavior and actions are the final basis for any judgment for, or against him (Fanon). On the other hand, the Black man is deprived of any chance to prove himself.
Conclusion
Black art shows a remarkable similarity to the works produced by other Black Nationalist writers such as Fanon, Gayl Jones, and Toni Morrison. All these authors deeply explored the true meaning of “Blackness,” and the African-American struggle for identity. Although Fanon refers negatively to "Blackness" in his this literature, one could rightly assume that he is in fact, addressing the issue of race, which Baraka keenly attacks in Black art. Fanon’s call for intellectuals everywhere to create new cultures and forms of artistic expression that champion the cause of the Black people is also answered in Baraka’s poem Black Art which calls for and attempts to establish a new form of Black literature, which is more involved in the political struggle for Black emancipation and liberation.
Works Cited
"A Brief Guide to the Black Arts Movement". poets.org. February 19, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
Gayle, Addison. The Black aesthetic. Garden City, N.Y. : Doubleday, 1971
Baraka, Amiri. "Black art." The Black Scholar 18.1 (1987): 23-30.
Baraka, Amiri. Home: Social Essays. Akashic Books, 2009.
Fanon, Frantz. "The fact of Blackness." Postcolonial Studies: An Anthology (1952): 15-32.
Hutchinson, Darren Lenard. "Progressive Race Blindness: Individual Identity, Group Politics, and Reform." UCLA L. Rev. 49 (2001): 1455.
Rojas, Fabio. "Social Movement Tactics, Organizational Change, and the Spread of African-American Studies". web.b.ebscohost.com.
Smethurst, James E. The Black Arts Movement: Nationalism in the 1960s and 1970s (The John Hope Franklin Series in African American History and Culture). NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 2005.
