The Black Arts Movement saw writers embrace themes regarding equality and revolution. Efforts to create a black aesthetic also lead to the creation of a black, female aesthetic. Writers further explored what being a woman meant, continued reclaiming their s**ual identity, and embraced themes of revolutionary change by focusing primarily on heritage, identity, s**uality, and equality.
1942- Margaret Walker publishes For My People.
"For My People", Margaret Walker
"For the boys and girls who grew in spite of these things to
be man and woman, to laugh and dance and sing and
play and drink their wine and religion and success, to
marry their playmates and bear children "
1950- Gwendolyn Brooks became the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize.
"still do I keep my look, my identity ...", Gwendolyn Brooks
"Each body has its art, its precious prescribed
Pose, that even in pa**ion's droll contortions, waltzes,
Or push of pain---or when a grief has stabbed,
Or hatred hacked---is its, and nothing else's."
1954- Dorothy Dandridge was the first African American woman nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, for playing the lead role in Carmen Jones
"homage to my hips"- Lucille Clifton. 1980.
"these hips
are free hips.
they don't like to be held back.
these hips have never been enslaved,
they go where they want to go
they do what they want to do."
1967- Aretha Franklin recorded her signature song, "Respect"
"Respect", Aretha Franklin. 1967.
"What you want
(Ooh) Baby, I got
(Ooh) What you need
(Ooh) Do you know I've got it
(Ooh) All I'm askin'
(Ooh) Is for a little respect when you come home"
1967- Loving v.Virgina, a landmark civil rights decision of the United States Supreme Court, invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage.
"Kin", Maya Angelou. 1978
"Before muddy rivers seeded clouds
Above a virgin forest, and
Men ran naked, blue and black
Skinned into the warm embraces
Of Sheba, Eve and Lilith."
1968- Audre Lorde published her first book of poems, The First Cities.
"A Woman Speaks", Audre Lorde
"I have been woman
for a long time
beware my smile
I am treacherous with old magic
and the noon's new fury"
1971- Where We At, Black Women Artists, 1971," is exhibited at the Acts of Art Galleries in New York.
"The Last M.F.", Carolyn Rodgers
"and so they say because we love you
throw that word away, Black Woman …
i say,
that i only call muthaf**as, muthaf**as
so no one should be insulted."
1973- The National Black Feminist Organization is founded.
"Poem About My Rights", June Jordan.
"I am not wrong: Wrong is not my name
My name is my own my own my own
and I can't tell you who the hell set things up like this
but I can tell you that from now on my resistance
my simple and daily and nightly self-determination
may very well cost you your life"