The Black Arts Movement (BAM) was an art movement led by African Americans during the 1960s and 1970s. It used art and activism to create new cultural groups and share messages about black pride. BAM grew from the work of artists during the Harlem Renaissance.
Larry Neal, a writer, called BAM the "aesthetic and spiritual sister of Black Power," meaning it shared similar political ideas. Artists in BAM found inspiration in their African heritage to show the black experience in America. Artists like Aaron Douglas, Hale Woodruff, and Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller helped start the movement with a modern style. This style influenced the growth of African American art in the 20th century.
Amiri Baraka, a poet and playwright, is known as the founder of BAM. In 1965, he started the Black Arts Repertory Theatre School (BART/S) in Harlem. His work inspired others to create groups across the United States. Although many of these groups did not last long, their influence continues today. One group still active is the National Black Theatre, founded in Harlem, New York, by Barbara Ann Teer.
Background
African Americans have always contributed valuable art and literature to American culture. However, because of the harsh treatment during slavery and the unfair laws of Jim Crow, these contributions were often not recognized. Even while facing ongoing discrimination, African-American artists continued to create works that showed their experiences. A major time for these artists was the Harlem Renaissance—a period of literature and art that highlighted the lives and culture of Black people.
The Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement (BAM) share many similarities. Some scholars call the BAM era the "Second Renaissance" because of these connections. This link is clear when reading Langston Hughes’s essay The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain (1926). In this important essay, Hughes argued that Black writers should not let others control their art. Instead, he believed the most impactful Black artists would be those who fully expressed their identity and heritage.
However, the Harlem Renaissance did not include the strong political ideas that later defined BAM. Over time, the Renaissance and its ideas struggled to continue during the Great Depression.
During the civil rights era, activists began to focus more on how art could be used for political purposes. Writers like James Baldwin and Chester Himes helped shape a new "Black aesthetic" through their work. During this time, groups such as the Umbra Poets and the Spiral Arts Alliance were formed. These groups are considered early examples of BAM.
Art also helped people cope with the challenges of the civil rights movement. For example, ceramicist Marva Lee Pitchford-Jolly created "Story Pots," which used art to share stories and emotions.
Civil rights activists also worked to create Black-owned media. They started publications like Freedomways, Black Dialogue, The Liberator, The Black Scholar, and Soul Book. They also founded publishing houses, such as Dudley Randall’s Broadside Press and Third World Press. These outlets helped spread the art, writing, and political messages of BAM.
Developments
The Black Arts Movement began around 1965 when Amiri Baraka, who was then known as Leroi Jones, moved to New York City to start the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School (BARTS) after the death of Malcolm X. The movement was influenced by the Nation of Islam, the Black Power movement, and the Civil Rights Movement. During this time, Black artists and thinkers tried to create art that focused on the experiences and history of African Americans. They wanted to move away from older traditions in politics, culture, and art.
Although the success of protests and demonstrations by Black students in the 1960s inspired some Black artists and activists, many in the Black Arts Movement did not support the non-violent goals of the Civil Rights Movement. Instead, they believed in the Black Liberation Struggle, which focused on self-reliance and Black control over businesses, organizations, and institutions. According to the Academy of American Poets, African American artists in the movement aimed to create art that explored the cultural and historical experiences of Black people. The movement’s focus on Black independence is seen in the creation of groups like BARTS, which was started by Baraka and other artists in 1964. While BARTS in New York City is often highlighted, many other Black Arts groups and institutions existed across the United States before the movement became widely known.
Although the Black Arts Movement was a time of progress and creativity, it also faced criticism and ridicule from some people. Leaders and artists in the movement wanted Black art to be created and supported by Black institutions. For some people, the idea that Black people could express themselves through their own institutions and ideas seemed strange.
The movement did not start only in the Northeast. Instead, it began as separate efforts in many different places across the country, which later joined together to form a larger national movement. New York City is often called the birthplace of the Black Arts Movement because it was home to many Black artists and activists. However, the movement was active in many areas beyond New York, especially Harlem.
At the start, the movement connected people through printed materials like newspapers and magazines. Journals such as Liberator, The Crusader, and Freedomways helped create a shared community where ideas about art and politics were discussed. These publications also allowed more Black people to learn about the movement and its goals.
As a literary movement, the Black Arts Movement was influenced by groups like the Umbra Workshop. Umbra, formed in 1962 in Manhattan, was a group of young Black writers. Members included Steve Cannon, Tom Dent, Ishmael Reed, and others. Umbra’s magazine was the first major Black literary group after the Civil Rights Movement to focus on creating art and ideas that were different from those of the white literary world. Umbra had a debate between members who wanted to focus on activism and those who wanted to focus on writing, though many shared both interests.
Umbra grew out of another group called On Guard for Freedom, which was started in 1960. On Guard for Freedom was involved in protests, such as one at the United Nations against the American-backed invasion of Cuba. Members of On Guard helped form Umbra, including Tom Dent, Joe Johnson, and others.
In 1967, the Visual Arts Workshop of the Organization of Black American Culture painted the Wall of Respect in Chicago. This mural honored important Black figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Aretha Franklin, and Gwendolyn Brooks. It became a powerful symbol of the Black Arts Movement, showing pride in Black culture and history. The mural inspired many other murals across the country. In the eight years after its creation, over 1,500 murals were painted in Black neighborhoods, with more than 200 in Chicago. The mural brought communities together, even making rival gangs agree to treat the area as neutral ground.
In 1968, Barbara Ann Teer founded the National Black Theatre in Harlem, New York. Teer was a writer, producer, teacher, and activist who helped shape the Black Arts Movement. Her theater was one of the first Black theaters in the United States to make money from performances. Teer’s work focused on social and political issues, and she used African artistic styles in her plays. Her performances often mixed the roles of actors and audience members, aiming to inspire change through art.
Effects on society
The Academy of American Poets says that many writers, including Native Americans, Latinos/as, gay and lesbian individuals, and younger African Americans, have recognized the influence of the Black Arts Movement. This movement lasted about ten years, from the mid-1960s into the 1970s. It was a time of change and debate in the world of writing. One major change was the inclusion of new voices from different ethnic groups in American literature. Before the Black Arts Movement, most English-language books were written by white people.
African Americans became more visible in literature and other art forms, such as theater, music, and dance. These activities were central to the movement. Through books, plays, and performances, African Americans shared their culture and perspectives. Black poetry readings, for example, used everyday language to express ideas. The Harlem Writers Guild, which included writers like Maya Angelou and Rosa Guy, was an important group during this time. These performances helped spread political messages and support community efforts. Theaters and cultural centers across the United States were used for meetings, classes, and film showings. Newspapers played a key role in sharing the movement’s ideas. In 1964, Black Dialogue was published, becoming the first major publication linked to the movement.
Although the Black Arts Movement was short, it had a lasting impact on American history. It encouraged political action and the use of speech in African-American communities. It gave African Americans opportunities to share their voices in the media and connect with others. Some say the movement created some of the most powerful art, writing, and music in the United States after World War II. Writers like Toni Morrison, Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker, and August Wilson were influenced by the movement.
The Black Arts Movement also helped increase public support for the arts and funding for creative projects. It is considered one of the most important periods in African-American literature. It inspired African Americans to start their own publishing companies, magazines, and art schools. It also led to the creation of African-American Studies programs in universities. While some believe the movement began after the assassination of Malcolm X, its roots started earlier. Writers like Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, Maya Angelou, Hoyt W. Fuller, and Rosa Guy were part of the movement. Other writers, such as Toni Morrison, Jay Wright, and Ishmael Reed, were influenced by its themes but were not directly involved.
The Black Arts Movement helped bring diverse voices into literature. Before the movement, books often ignored the perspectives of racial and ethnic minorities. The movement encouraged new ways of writing and thinking. Theater, poetry, music, and dance were central to the movement, helping African Americans gain recognition in the arts. Poetry readings were a common way to teach about cultural differences and share political messages. Newspapers helped spread the movement’s ideas, with Black Dialogue being the first major publication in 1964.