Last week in my Literature and Social Justice class we discussed two essays. One essay, written by Ron Maulana Karenga, discussed the three elements that black art should possess. In the essay, “Black Cultural Nationalism”, Karenga insisted that black art be functional, collective and committed. Essentially, Karenga wanted artist of the Black Arts Movement (BAM) in the 70’s to understand that art should not be produced for art sake, but art should be produce in order to transform people. The art of the Black Arts Movement was created to help black people. The art was created to help the revolution.
The next essay, written by Barbara Ann Teer, is entitled “Needed: A New Image”. This essay discussed how African Americans were portrayed in film and television. She noticed the shift of secondary/ stereotypical portrayals such as maids and butlers to cops and pimps. My class discussion went on to discuss films like Driving Miss Daisy and Gone with the Wind. We talked about how the black actors had to play horrible black characters and in return were rewarded at the Academy Awards. The Black Arts Movement purpose was to elevate the masses through art by portraying the current life experiences of African Americans. Those movies mentioned before did not support the movement of BAM. Those movies hurt the movement.
Then it hit all of us; the problems of the 1970s are problems we are still facing now. As a country we haven’t grown at all. Movies like 12 Years a Slave and The Help are getting rewarded for showing that old ideal of black people. Though there are good aspects of those movies, those movies play into the game. In order to be awarded you present the white masses with what they like and what they want to see. Present the white masses with current life experiences of African American or any race/ethnicity you get ignored such as Creed, Dope, or Straight Outta Compton in this year’s Oscars.
People of color do not want freebie awards or recognition. We want the proper representation. It’s time for only slave movies, movies with oppressed groups with a white savior, or the black actors portraying a stereotype to stop being the only diverse movies getting nominated. We have other stories to be told. Just like we want to be able to live without worrying about the color of our skin, we want everyone to stop worrying about everyone else’s color. We are all people. All people have different stories to be told.
You may not think that the portrayal of minorities is important, but what you fail to realize is the media that we produce is projected to other countries. What is being produced is how they see us. I care about that. I don’t want anyone from a different country to think negatively about me because of my race.
Since black artists have integrated into mainstream media, I wonder if we need another Black Arts Movement to uplift our people again and to give us more representation. If no one else will represent us, we should do it ourselves.
It has been over 45 years since the Black Arts Movement. At what point are we going to learn and grow as a country? Are we always going to have this problem? I sure hope not.
