#AP African American Studies: Black Arts Movement Study Guide ✊🏾

Hey! Let's get you prepped for the AP exam with a deep dive into the Black Arts Movement (BAM). Think of this as your ultimate cheat sheet for tonight. We're gonna make sure you're not just memorizing, but understanding.

#The Black Arts Movement (1960s-1970s)

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• The Black Arts Movement (BAM) was a cultural revolution that empowered Black artists to use their work as a tool for liberation.
• It unified diverse styles and mediums, drawing from African and African American traditions to uplift and empower Black communities.
• Think of it as a powerful wave of creative energy that aimed to redefine Black identity and challenge systemic racism.

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• Political Tool: Art as a means of liberation.
• Upliftment: Empowering Black communities.
• Rejection: Rejecting Eurocentric standards.
• Embracing: Embracing African and African American traditions.
• Self-determination: Promoting self-determination.

Remember P.U.R.E.S to recall BAM's core principles!

#BAM as a Political Tool for Liberation

• Galvanized the work of Black artists, writers, musicians, and dramatists (Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni).
• Envisioned art as a political tool to achieve Black liberation.
• Used art to raise consciousness, promote self-determination, and challenge systemic racism.
• Did not espouse a monolithic vision of what Black art should be.
• Embraced diverse styles, forms, and mediums.
• Unified by the notion that Black art was distinct in its inspiration, characteristics, and purposes.
• Drew from African and African American cultural traditions, histories, and experiences.
• Aimed to uplift, empower, and liberate Black communities.

#BAM's Connection to the Harlem Renaissance

• Created a new political foundation for Black art, similar to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. 💡
• Harlem Renaissance proclaimed a new mentality for the "new negro."
• BAM emphasized the political and social dimensions of Black art.
• Emphasized the long tradition of Black cultural production.
• Connected contemporary writers and artists to their forerunners (Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston).
• Celebrated and affirmed Black identity, culture, and aesthetics.
• Rejected Eurocentric standards of beauty and artistic value.
• Embraced Black vernacular, styles, and themes.

#Black Arts Movement's Influence on African American Studies

#BAM's Impact on Black Institutions

• Inspired the creation of Black-owned and operated cultural institutions:
  • Black magazines (Ebony, Jet)
  • Publishing houses (Broadside Press, Third World Press)
  • Art houses (Studio Museum in Harlem, Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School)
  • Scholarly journals (Journal of Black Poetry, Black World)
• Helped establish some of the earliest African American Studies programs in universities.
• Demonstrated the richness and complexity of Black cultural production.
• Provided a foundation for interdisciplinary study of Black history, culture, and politics.
• Flourishing of Black cultural forms during BAM helped to legitimize African American Studies as an academic field.
• Showcased the intellectual and artistic contributions of Black Americans.
• Challenged the marginalization of Black perspectives in traditional academic disciplines.

#Required Source: "Negro es Bello" by Elizabeth Catlett, 1969

Image: Elizabeth Catlett's "Negro es Bello" (1969). This artwork embodies the Black is Beautiful movement, affirming Black identity and challenging Eurocentric beauty standards.

• Elizabeth Catlett's artistic expression "Negro es Bello" encapsulates the spirit of the Black is Beautiful movement that emerged in the 1960s.
• This powerful visual statement affirms Black identity and challenges Eurocentric beauty standards, serving as a rallying cry for cultural pride and self-acceptance among African Americans.
• The artwork's significance extends beyond aesthetics, embodying the broader struggle for civil rights and social justice.
• By celebrating Blackness, Catlett's piece contributes to the ongoing dialogue about representation, empowerment, and the reclamation of African American cultural heritage in the face of systemic oppression and marginalization.

#Final Exam Focus

#Key Topics to Review

• BAM's goals: Liberation, empowerment, self-determination.
• BAM's impact: Cultural institutions, African American Studies programs.
• BAM's connection to the Harlem Renaissance: Building on earlier traditions.
• Key figures: Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni, Elizabeth Catlett.
• "Negro es Bello": Its significance as a visual representation of the movement.

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• Time Management: Don't spend too long on one question. Move on and come back if needed.
• Multiple Choice: Eliminate obviously wrong answers first.
• FRQs: Plan your response before writing. Use specific examples from the text.
• Connections: Look for ways to connect BAM to other topics in the course.

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• Overgeneralizing: BAM was diverse; avoid monolithic statements.
• Ignoring context: Always consider the historical and social context.
• Not using evidence: Back up your claims with specific examples from the text or sources.

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Practice Question

Practice Questions

#Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following best describes the primary goal of the Black Arts Movement? a) To integrate Black artists into mainstream American culture b) To promote Black self-determination and cultural pride c) To create art that appeals to a broad, multicultural audience d) To focus solely on aesthetic beauty, regardless of social context

2. How did the Black Arts Movement relate to the Harlem Renaissance? a) It rejected the artistic styles of the Harlem Renaissance. b) It was a direct continuation of the Harlem Renaissance with no new political goals. c) It built upon the cultural foundations of the Harlem Renaissance but with a stronger emphasis on political activism. d) It was a completely separate movement with no connection to the Harlem Renaissance.

3. Elizabeth Catlett's "Negro es Bello" is best understood as: a) A critique of the Black is Beautiful movement. b) An example of Eurocentric beauty standards in art. c) A visual representation of the Black Arts Movement's emphasis on Black pride and identity. d) A piece that is unrelated to the Black Arts Movement.

#Free Response Question

Question: Analyze the ways in which the Black Arts Movement (BAM) influenced both artistic expression and the development of African American Studies as an academic discipline. In your response, be sure to discuss the movement’s key goals, its relationship to the Harlem Renaissance, and the impact of BAM on Black cultural institutions. Additionally, include specific examples of artists, artworks, or institutions that exemplify the movement’s influence.

Scoring Breakdown:

• Thesis (1 point): A clear, defensible thesis statement that addresses the prompt.
• BAM's Goals (2 points): Discussion of BAM's goals of liberation, empowerment, and self-determination.
• Relationship to Harlem Renaissance (2 points): Explanation of how BAM built upon the cultural foundations of the Harlem Renaissance, while also adding a stronger emphasis on political activism.
• Impact on Black Cultural Institutions (2 points): Analysis of how BAM inspired the creation of Black-owned and operated cultural institutions, such as magazines, publishing houses, and art houses.
• Specific Examples (2 points): Inclusion of specific examples of artists (e.g., Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni), artworks (e.g., "Negro es Bello"), or institutions (e.g., Studio Museum in Harlem) that illustrate the movement’s influence.
• Analysis and Synthesis (2 points): Demonstration of strong analytical skills, making connections between different aspects of the movement, and drawing insightful conclusions.