Table of Contents
Note to the Reader 11
Foreword Mark Godfrey Allie Biswas 12
Introduction Mark Godfrey 16
The Reader
1953
Marion Perkins, "Problems of the Negro Artist" 42
1964
Clebert Ford, "Black Nationalism and the Arts" 48
1965
Spiral: First Group Showing (Works in Black and White) (unsigned statement) 50
Lawrence [Larry] Neal, "The Black Revolution in Art: A Conversation with Joe Overstreet" 52
1966
Jeanne Siegel, "Why Spiral?" 55
Noah Purifoy, "The Art of Communication as a Creative Act," and "Signposts That Point the Way" (unsigned review) 60
1967
Ishmael Reed, "The Black Artist: Calling a Spade a Spade" 64
Raymond Saunders, Black Is a Color 68
Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC), "Black Heroes"; Gwendolyn Brooks, "The Wall"; and Don L. Lee, "The Wall" 72
"Wall of Respect" (unsigned article in Ebony) 76
Robert Newman, "American People: Faith Ringgold at Spectrum" 78
1968
Jay Jacobs, "Two Afro-American Artists in an Interview with Jay Jacobs" 80
Larry Neal, "The Black Arts Movement" 84
Evangeline J. Montgomery, "Why New Perspectives in Black Art?" and Paul Mills, untitled text, New Perspectives: Black Art 88
Earl Roger Mandle, "Introduction," 30 Contemporary Black Artists 90
Emory Douglas, "Position Paper 1 on Revolutionary Art" 92
Edward Clark, "Un musée pour Harlem" 95
Ralph Ellison, "Introduction," Romare Bearden: Paintings and Projections 98
Frederick Fiske, "Reflections from Within-Without: The Black Artist," and Victoria Rosenwald, "The Black Murals of Boston" 104
James T. Stewart, "The Development of the Black Revolutionary Artist" 111
1969
Romare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Richard Hunt, Jacob Lawrence, Tom Lloyd, William T. Williams, and Hale Woodruff, "The Black Artist in America: A Symposium" 114
Benny Andrews and Cliff Joseph for the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition (BECC) (untitled statement) 134
Roy Wilkins, "Preface," and Carroll Greene, "1969: Twelve Afro-American Artists in Perspective," 1969: Twelve Afro-American Artists 136
Frank Bowling, "Discussion on Black Art," "Discussion on Black Art-II," and "Black Art III" 139
James R. Mellow, "The Black Artist, the Black Community, the White Art World" 148
Dana Chandler Jr., untitled text. 12 Black Artists from Boston 151
Larry Neal, "Any Day Now: Black Art and Black Liberation" 153
Elsa Honig Fine, "The Afro-American Artist: A Search for Identity" 160
Ameer [Amiri] Baraka, "The Black Aesthetic" 162
Roy DeCarava: Thru Black Byes (unsigned text) 165
Edward K. Taylor, "Foreword," and Joe Overstreet, untitled statement, New Black Artists 167
Lawrence Alloway and Sam Hunter, "Introduction"; Frank Bowling, "Notes from a Work in Progress"; and William T. Williams, Jack Whitten, Melvin Edwards, Al Loving, Daniel LaRue Johnson, and Frank Bowling, untitled statements, 5+1 170
Frank Bowling, "Joe Overstreet" 174
Samella S. Lewis, "Introduction"; Ruth G. Waddy, "Introduction"; and Gary Rickson, David Hammons, John Outterbridge, Betye Saar, Dana Chandler, Cliff Joseph, Marie Johnson, David Bradford, David Driskell, Phillip Mason, Samella Lewis, and Robert Sengstacke, untitled statements, Black Artists on Art 176
Claude Booker for the Black Arts Council (BAC), letter soliciting members, and Charles White, "Art and Soul" and untitled statement, Wanted Poster Series 181
Al Loving, untitled statement, Al Loving 185
1970
Robert Newman, "America Black: Faith Ringgold at Spectrum" 187
Debbie Butterfield, "Contemporary Black Art," and Samella Lewis, "Epilogue," Dimensions of Black 189
Melvin Edwards, untitled statement, and William T. Williams, "William T. on M.E.," Melvin Edwards: Works 193
A. D. Coleman, "Roy DeCarava: Thru Black Eyes" 195
"Object: Diversity" (unsigned article in Time) 202
Walter Jones, "Critique to Black Artists" 206
Carroll Greene, "Perspective; The Black Artist in America," and "Black Art: What Is It?" (questionnaire) 210
Dore Ashton, "Introduction," and Smokehouse Associates, "Smokehouse," Using Walls (Outdoors) 216
AFRICOBRA 1: Ten in Search of a Nation (unsigned statement) 219
Benny Andrews, "The Black Emergency Cultural Coalition" 221
Edmund B. Gaither. "Introduction," Afro-American Artists: New York and Boston; Hilton Kramer, "Black Artists' Show on View in Boston," "Trying to Define 'Black Art': Must We Go Back to Social Realism?" and '"Black Art' and Expedient Politics"; Benny Andrews, "On Understanding Black Art"; Douglas Davis, "What Is Black Art?"; and Henri Ghent, "Black Creativity in Quest of an Audience" 226
Margaret G. Burroughs, "To Make a Painter Black" 241
Bayard Rustin, "The Role of the Artist in the Freedom Struggle," and Jacob Lawrence, "The Artist Responds" 246
LeGrace G. Benson, "Sam Gilliam: Certain Attitudes" 251
Barbara Rose, "Black Art in America" 256
Joseph E. Young, "Los Angeles" (interview with David Hammons) 260
Jeff Donaldson, "AFRICOBRA 1: 10 in Search of a Nation" 263
1971
Robert H. Glauber. "Introduction," and Ralph Arnold, Sam Gilliam, and Joseph B. Ross Jr., untitled statements. Black American Artists/1971 266
Joseph E. Young, Three Graphic Artists: Charles White, David Hammons, Timothy Washington 272
Edward Spriggs, "Preface," and David Driskell, "Introduction," Black Dimensions in Contemporary American Art 279
Charles Childs, "Larry Ocean Swims the Nile, Mississippi and Other Rivers" 309
Eugene Eda, Mark Rogovin, William Walker, and John Weber, "The Artists' Statement," and William Walker, untitled statement, Murals for the People 315
Keith Morrison, Black Experience 319
Carroll Greene, "Romare Bearden: The Prevalence of Ritual" 321
Noah Purifoy, "Statement by the Artist," Niggers Ain't Gonna Never Ever Be Nothin'-All They Want to Do Is Drink and Fuck 324
Frank Bowling, "It's Not Enough to Say 'Black Is Beautiful" 326
Robert Doty, "Introduction," Contemporary Black Artists in America; Black Emergency Cultural Coalition (BECC), untitled statement; Nigel Jackson, untitled introduction, and unsigned foreword, Rebuttal to the Whitney Museum Exhibition: Black Artists in Rebuttal; and John Dowell, Sam Gilliam, Daniel Johnson, Joe Overstreet, Melvin Edwards, Richard Hunt, and William T. Williams, "Political Communications" (letter to Artforum) 333
Melvin Edwards, "Notes on Black Art" 341
Tom Lloyd, "Introduction"; Melvin Dixon, "White Critic-Black Art???"; Tom Lloyd, "Black Art-White Cultural Institutions'; Imamu Amiri Baraka, "Counter Statement to Whitney Ritz Bros"; Jeff Donaldson, "The Role We Want for Black Art"; Bing Davis, "White Art Historians-Black Art"; Ray Elkins, "Rebuttal to the Whitney Museum's Introduction"; Francis and Val Gray Ward. "The Black Artist-His Role in the Struggle"; and Babatunde Folayemi, "The Re-defining of Black Art," Black Art Notes 344
Henri Ghent, "Notes to the Young Black Artist: Revolution or Evolution?" 362
Steve Cannon, "Introduction," and "Conversation with Peter Bradley, Curator of The De Luxe Show" The De Luxe Show 366
Steve Smith, "Black Art: The Black Experience" 373
Edward Spriggs, "An Intermediarily Pro/Position," and Cherilyn C. Wright, "Ten in Search of a Nation-Exhibition Review," AFRICOBRA II 377
Samella S. Lewis, "Foreword"; Ruth G. Waddy, "Foreword"; Samella S. Lewis, "Introduction"; and Benny Andrews, Nelson Stevens, Noah Purifoy, Cleveland Bellow, and Elizabeth Catlett, untitled statements, Black Artists on Art, Volume 2 381
Elton C. Fax, "Preface," Seventeen Black Artists 385
Edmund B. Gaither, "The ABA Idea"; Abdul Hakim Ibn Alkalimat, "Notes on Art and Liberation"; Jo Ann Whatley, "Meeting the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition"; and Edmund B. Gaither, "Visual Art and Black Aesthetics" 388
Robert Doty, untitled interview with Frank Bowling, Frank Bowling 397
Jeff Donaldson, "Commentary," Elizabeth Catlett: Prints and Sculpture 400
1972
Unsigned introduction; Noah Purifoy, "Art for the People"; and Gloria Bohanon, David Bradford, Dan Concholar, Alonzo Davis, Dale Davis, Marion Epting, David Hammons, Marie Johnson, John Outterbridge, Noah Purifoy, and Timothy Washington, untitled statements, Eleven from California 402
Carroll Greene Jr., Los Angeles 1972: A Panorama of Black Artists, and William Wilson, "County Museum Showing Work by Local Blacks" 405
Alma W. Thomas, untitled statement, Alma W. Thomas 410
David Henderson, "Introduction," Joe Overstreet 412
Kay Brown, "'Where We At' Black Women Artists" 415
Tony Eaton, Lou Draper, Beuford Smith, Ray Gibson, and Fred Beauford, "A Rap on Photography" 417
Ray Gibson, "Roy DeCarava: Master Photographer" 423
Louis Draper, "The Kamoinge Workshop" 426
Sue Irons, "CAPS GRANT-SCULPTURE: Statement on Work" 430
1973
Faith Ringgold, "A Message to the Could Be Political Artists of the World from Faith Ringgold" 432
Edward Spriggs, "Search for a Black Aesthetic" 434
Barbara Jones-Hogu, "The History, Philosophy and Aesthetics of AFRICOBRA," and Carolyn Lawrence, Jae Jarrell, Barbara Jones-Hogu, Frank Smith, Gerald Williams, Wadsworth Jarrell, Howard Mallory, Napoleon Henderson, and Nelson Stevens, untitled statements, AFRI-COBRA III 439
Diane Weathers, "Kay Brown: An Artist and Activist" 450
Betye Saar, "Black Mirror"; Claudia Chapline, "Reflections on Black Mirror, March 31-April 22"; and Samella Lewis, "Introduction," and Josine Ianco-Starrels, untitled text, Betye Saar: Selected Works, 1964-1973 454
Benny Andrews, John Coplans, Dana Chandler, Ademola Olugebefola, Howardena Pindell, and Wee Kim, "Black Artists/White Critics" 457
Toni Morrison, "Foreword," and Clayton Riley, "Introduction," The Black Photographers Annual 1973 468
1974
Milton W. Brown, "Jacob Lawrence" 471
Jack Whitten, "From an Interview with David Shapiro, April 1974" 473
Vivian Browne, "Norman Lewis: Interview, August 29, 1974" 475
Linda G. Bryant, "Introduction," David Hammons: Selected Works, 1968-1974 483
Martin Kilson, "A Debate: The Black Aesthetic-Opponent," and Addison Gayle, "A Debate: The Black Aesthetic-Defender" 485
Randy Williams, "The Black Art Institution" 496
1975
Mimi Poser, Linda Goode Bryant, and David Hammons, "Just Above Midtown Gallery" 499
Allan M. Gordon, "Allan M. Gordon Interviews Himself: The Phenomenology of a Black Aesthetic; Introductory Remarks" 506
Benny Andrews, "Jemimas, Mysticism, and Mojos: The Art of Betye Saar" 512
Linda Goode Bryant, "Greasy Bags and Barbecue Bones" 514
Elizabeth Catlett, "The Role of the Black Artist" 516
Burton Wasserman, "Where the Flesh Ends and the Spirit Begins" 521
Cindy Nemser, "Conversation with Betye Saar" 523
Earl G. Graves, "The Importance of Art Patronage" 530
1976
David C. Driskell, "Evolution of the Black Aesthetic: 1920-1950" 533
Samella Lewis and Val Spaulding, "Editorial Statement," Black Art: An International Quarterly 536
Betye Saar, "Juju," Recent Works by Houston E. Conwill: Juju 538
1977
Senga Nengudi, "Statement on Nylon Mesh Works, 1977" 540
Benny Andrews, "AJAM Session on Madison Avenue" 542
Studio Z, untitled statements, Studio Z: Individual Collective and other performances and events 544
1978
Yvonne Parks Catchings, "Is Black Art for Real?" 546
Linda Goode Bryant and Marcy S. Philips, Contextures 549
April Kingsley, "Black Artists: Up against the Wall" 563
Benny Andrews, "The Big Bash," "New York's 21 Club," and "Black Artists vs. the Black Media" 567
Lowery Stokes Sims, "Third World Women Speak" 575
1979
Dawoud Bey, "Reflections on Harlem U.S.A." 579
Larry Neal, "Perspectives/Commentaries on Africobra" 581
1980
April Kingsley, "Afro-American Abstraction" 583
Benny Andrews, "Charles White Was a Drawer," and M. J. Hewitt, "We Got the Message and Are Grateful" 586
1981
Lorraine O'Grady (as told to Lucy Lippard), "Performance Statement #1: Thoughts about Myself, When Seen as a Political Performance Artist" 591
1982
Dawoud Bey, "David Hammons: Purely an Artist" 593
Emma Amos, "Some Do's and Don'ts for Black Women Artists" 595
1984
Hugh M. Davies and Helaine Posner, "Conversations with Martin Puryear" 598
Benny Andrews, Sam Giliiam, Al Loving, Faith Ringgold, Jack Whitten, and William T. Williams, untitled statements, Since the Harlem Renaissance: 50 Years of Afro-American Art 603
Afterword Zoé Whitley 620
Credits and Copyrights 622
