Calvin Howard - Understanding Black Urban Literature UT Arlington Fall 2015 lyrics

Black urban literature embodies the cultural evolution of African Americans who have sought, and still seek, to define their existence in an ever changing society. These literary works speak of shared struggle and shared hope that have helped to unify black urban culture. In Henry Dumas' 'Will the Circle be Unbroken?', he speaks of a new facet of black urban culture, Jazz, that was developing on its own and was incomprehensible by white people. Mr. Dumas points to this lack of understanding when he states how a Yale graduate, Ron, "... was not fully satisfied that he had found the depth of the black man's psyche". Many other black authors convey similar tones and speak to the uniqueness of black urban culture while encouraging the black population to further embrace their culture. With such a relatively new emersion of black urban culture, it is no wonder that other peoples do not fully understand how to interpret it. The following keywords should help anyone looking to better understand black urban literature to grasp some of the main ideas and themes that influence such works. Use the definitions of these keywords and themes when reading black urban literature, or listening to Jazz or rap music, to help gain a better understanding of where the author is coming from and what message they are trying to convey to the audience. Keywords/Themes: 1. Impoverished city life: In large cities, land is a high priced commodity which forces land owners to build up rather than out. This means that people living in impoverished areas are forced to live in crowded apartment building often times sharing their living space with multiple families. 2. Era: Pay attention to when a work was published as well as what year it is within the story; they could be different. Both eras have significant historical events that may need to be taken into account when attempting to understand the author's intentions. 3. Origin: Many rap artists reference the neighborhood in which they grew up. This has deep sentimental "underdog" connotations that not only show from what struggles the artist came out of but also gives hope to those still living there. 4. Lingering Prejudice: Though slavery was abolished and equal rights have been given to black people, racism is alive in American society. Many black authors point to such over-held ideals in some subtle and not so subtle ways. 5. Determination: A common theme throughout black urban literature is the willpower to overcome the hardships endured by so many black people living in crowded urban centers. Yet, it is that struggle that unifies many black people in their hopes of one day making a better life for themselves and their families. 6. Rhythm: Jazz and black urban poetry are especially well known for the rhythmic beats and off-beat compilation that are fairly unique to black culture. Such musical identity began in plantation fields among slave workers and has carried on and evolved into many different art forms.