The Black Arts Movement (BAM) began during the early 1960s up until the 1970s. The Black Arts movement was a period when African Americans could express their ideas about how to advance the Black race. Amiri Baraka made very significant contributions to this movement as a poet.
His poem “Black Art” became an adage in the BAM. He felt that poems should attack and reference every area that is unfair. Baraka’s poems are filled with vivid imagery; he used harsh words to help awaken the Black community on what they could be doing for themselves. His poem “Black Art” discusses why poems exist. Within this poem he expresses emotions and the importance of action.
In “Black Art” not only does Amiri express his anger, but also depicts how African Americans can use their personal expositions to motivate change. This reminds me of what African American's are dealing with in the twenty-first century. Throughout his poem he describes exactly what a Black poem during this era should be and what it should include. He explains how words should affect others and revolutionize their minds, while empowering them to understand issues that are important.
He comments on police brutality, societal perceptions of women and of the violent crimes committed against African Americans. The following quote is an excerpt from “Black Art”. “Clean out the world for virtue and love, Let there be no love poems written until love can exist freely and cleanly.” Baraka is sending a signal to the world by saying that injustices must be addressed before there is room for love and virtue. The reason his poem is representative of the Black Arts Movement is because he used his words wisely, to support what he believed in.
I believe that words are powerful and when used correctly can yield unimaginable results.
