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Matt HinesAASP202Journals 6-10

6. Adam Gussow If Bessie Smit Had !illed Some " ite Peo#le$%

In If Bessie Smit Had !illed Some " ite Peo#le& 'a(ial )e*a(ies+ t e Blues'e,i,al+ and t e Bla( Arts Mo,ement+% aut or Adam Gussow anal /es t e relations i# etween t e lues re,i,al in t e late 60s and earl 0s+ and t e la( arts mo,ementw i( arose in t e same era. Gussow dis(usses on ow+ on t e surfa(e+ t e lues re,i,alseems to e in dire(t (ontrast wit t e ideals of t e la( arts mo,ement. Howe,er+Gussow (omes to t e (on(lusion t at t e lues re,i,al ma not e a ad t in* from a

la( arts mo,ement #ers#e(ti,e.In order to e,iden(e is ar*ument+ Gussow uses #rominent fi*ures from t e la(

arts mo,ement su( as )arr eal to esta lis t e ideolo*i(al similarities etween t e lues and t e (ultural wor s of t e la( arts mo,ement. Bot em# asis ra(ial #ride andare res#onses to t e o##ression fa(ed Afri(an-Ameri(ans. 3 us+ Gussow asserts t at

t e lues re,i,al+ w i( was ea,il influen(ed w ite out s+ is a wa for t e lar*erso(iet to furt er understand la( (ulture and (ons(iousness.I t ou* t t at Gussow4s ar*ument was interestin* and a##ealin*. I ad ne,er

(onsidered t e relations i# etween t e la( arts mo,ement and t e lues re,i,al in t ewa t at Gussow outlines.

. "5B uBois 7riteria of e*ro Art%7riteria of e*ro Art% is a s#ee( made "5B u ois in June+ 1826. In is

s#ee( + uBois em# asi/es t e need for la( art to e 9ud*ed Afri(an-Ameri(ans andnot w ites+ w o dominated t e 9ud*in* of (ultural #rodu(tion. In t is s(enario+ uBoisar*ues t at t e w ite (on(e#tuali/ation of eaut is different from t e la( t us (reatin*

a one sided+ w ite (ultural re#rodu(tion.:n(e uBois esta lis es t is idea+ e e*ins to *i,e e;am#les of la( artistsw o+ in s#ite of t eir talent+ do not a##eal to t e w ite aest eti(. He *i,es e;am#les of

ow t e w ite #u li(4s demand for ra(ial #re-9ud*ement distorts t e trut and *oodnessof la( art. 3 erefore+ uBois demands t at Bla( Ameri(a needs to rea( a #ointw ere t e wor of art w en it a##ears is re,iewed and a((laimed our own free andunfettered 9ud*ment.%

" en I first read t is s#ee( + I was (au* t off-*uard uBois4 r etori(. I wase;#e(tin* a more inte*rationist% minded a##roa( . Howe,er+ it is im#ortant tounderstand t e ( an*e in ideolo* t at o((urs t rou* out uBois4 lifetime. 3 is r etori(seems ,er similar to t e la( arts mo,ement and a #re(ursor to )arr eal4s idea of a

la( aest eti(. :,erall+ I understand t e #ers#e(ti,e t at uBois and do a*ree wit isar*ument+ to an e;tent. It is im#ortant for t e formation of a la( aest eti(. Howe,er+ It in t e se#aratist nature of t is notion ta es awa from t e #otential formation of aw ite and la( aest eti(. Gi,en t e istori(al (onte;t uBois made t is s#ee( in aswell as t e de(ades to follow+ it is eas to understand w uBois would ma e t isar*ument.

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ar*ues t rou* ,arious (ultural mediums t at t e t reat of ,iolen(e was t e #rimarfa(tor in t e Sout ern Afri(an Ameri(an4s mi*ration nort ward.

Griffin uses a #let ora of (ultural e;#ressions to ar*ue is initial assertion. Griffin(ites 'i( ard "ri* t4s wor s and t e referen(es to #re,alent ra(ial ,iolen(e in t e Sout .In addition+ Griffin refers to art in order to #ro,e is (laim. In one wor + a la(

sout erner is seen mi*ratin* nort w ile in t e a( *round t ere is a la( man l n( ed a !lansmen.Alt ou* I was s e#ti(al at first+ Griffin was a le to swa m initial eliefs a out

t e (auses of Afri(an Ameri(an mi*ration. Griffin (ites numerous forms of la( (ulturale;#ressions to (on,e t e idea t at t e t reat of ,iolen(e was t e #rimar reason forAfri(an-Ameri(an mi*ration. " ile Griffin ar*ues t is to e t e main reason+ e alsostates t is was not t e onl reason. Griffin does loo to lues musi( for insi* t into ot erreasons for mi*ration+ su( as e(onomi( fa(tors.