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• Title:The Soul of a nation reader : writings by and about Black American artists, 1960-1980 / edited by Mark Godfrey and Allie Biswas.
  
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• Variant Title:Writings by and about Black American artists, 1960-1980
  
• Related Title:Soul of a nation : art in the age of Black power.
  
• Other Contributors/Collections:Godfrey, Mark (Mark Benjamin), editor.
  Biswas, Allie, editor.
  Whitley, Zoé, afterword.
  
• Published/Created:New York, NY : Gregory R. Miller & Co., 2021.
  ©2021
  

• Holdings

  Holdings Record Display

  • Location:MAA LIBRARY (IKB) stacksWhere is this?
    
  • Call Number: N6538.N5 S6452 2021
    
  • Number of Items:1
    
  • Status:Available
    

   
• Library of Congress Subjects:African American art--20th century.
  African American artists--History--20th century.
  Art and society--United States--History--20th century.
  Black power--United States--History--20th century.
  Black Arts movement.
  Arts--Political aspects--United States.
  
• Genre/Form:Essays.
  Art criticism.
  
• Description:627 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 23 cm
  
• Summary:"A comprehensive compendium of artists and writers confronting questions of Black identity, activism and social responsibility in the age of Malcolm X and the Black Panthers, based on the landmark traveling exhibition. What is "Black art"? This question was posed and answered time and time again between 1960 and 1980 by artists, curators and critics deeply affected by this turbulent period of radical social and political upheaval in America. Rather than answering in one way, they argued for radically different ideas of what "Black art" meant. Across newspapers and magazines, catalogs, pamphlets, interviews, public talks and panel discussions, a lively debate emerged between artists and others to address profound questions of how Black artists should or should not deal with politics, about what audiences they should address and inspire, where they should try to exhibit, how their work should be curated, and whether there was or was not such a category as "Black art" in the first place. Conceived as a reader connected to the landmark exhibition Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, which shone a light on the vital contributions made by Black artists over two decades, this anthology collects over 200 texts from the artists, critics, curators and others who sought to shape and define the art of their time. Exhaustively researched and edited by exhibition curator Mark Godfrey, who provides the substantial introduction, and Allie Biswas, included are rare and out-of-print texts from artists and writers, as well as texts published for the first time ever." -- Provided by publisher.
  
• Notes:"Originating in research for the landmark traveling exhibition Soul of a nation: art in the age of Black power, this anthology brings together more than two hundred texts, most of them rare and long out of print"--Page 4 of cover.
  Contributors include: Lawrence Alloway, Emma Amos, Benny Andrews, Tomie Arai, Ralph Arnold, Dore Ashton, Malcolm Bailey, Amiri Baraka, Romare Bearden, Fred Beauford, Cleveland Bellow, LeGrace G. Benson, Dawoud Bey, Camille Billops, Gloria Bohanon, Claude Booker, Frank Bowling, David Bradford, Peter Bradley, Gwendolyn Brooks, Kay Brown, Milton Brown, Vivian Browne, Linda Goode Bryant, Margaret G. Burroughs, Debbie Butterfield, Steve Cannon, Yvonne Parks Catchings, Elizabeth Catlett, Dana Chandler, Claudia Chapline, Charles Childs, Edward Clark, A.D. Coleman, Dan Concholar, John Coplans, Hugh M. Davies, Douglas Davis, Bing Davis, Alonzo Davis, Dale Davis, Melvin Dixon, Jeff Donaldson, Robert Doty, Emory Douglas, John Dowell, Louis Draper, David C. Driskell, Tony Eaton, Eugene Eda, Melvin Edwards, Ray Elkins, Ralph Ellison, Marion Epting, Elton Fax, Elsa Honig Fine, Frederick Fiske, Babatunde Folayemi, Clebert Ford, Edmund Barry Gaither, Addison Gayle, Henri Ghent, Ray Gibson, Sam Gilliam, Robert H. Glauber, Lynda Goode-Bryant, Allan M. Gordon, Earl G. Graves, Carroll Greene, Abdul Alkalimat, David Hammons, David Henderson, Napoleon Henderson, M.J. Hewitt, Richard Hunt, Sam Hunter, Josine Ianco-Starrels, Nigel Jackson, Jay Jacobs, Jae Jarrell, Wadsworth Jarrell, Daniel LaRue Johnson, Marie Johnson, Walter Jones, Lois Mailou Jones, Barbara Jones-Hogu, Cliff Joseph, Paul Keene, Martin Kilson, Wee Kim, April Kingsley, Hilton Kramer, Jacob Lawrence, Carolyn Lawrence, Don L. Lee, Hughie Lee-Smith, Samella Lewis, Tom Lloyd, Al Loving, Howard Mallory, Earl Roger Mandle, Jan van der Marck, Phillip Mason, James Mellow, Paul Mills, Evangeline J. Montgomery, Toni Morrison, Keith Morrison, Larry Neal, Cindy Nemser, Senga Nengudi, Robert Newman, Lorraine O'Grady, Ademola Olugebefola, John Outterbridge, Joe Overstreet, Marion Perkins, Marcy S. Philips, Howardena Pindell, Mimi Poser, Helaine Posner, Noah Purifoy, Ishmael Reed, Gary Rickson, Clayton Riley, Faith Ringgold, Mark Rogovin, Barbara Rose, Victoria Rosenwald, Joseph Ross, Bayard Rustin, Betye Saar, Raymond Saunders, Robert Sengstacke, Jeanne Siegel, Lowery Stokes Sims, Steve Smith, Beuford Smith, Frank Smith, Val Spaulding, Edward Spriggs, Nelson Stevens, James Stewart, Edward K. Taylor, Alma Thomas, Ruth Waddy, William Walker, Francis and Val Gray Ward, Timothy Washington, Burton Wasserman, Diane Weathers, John Weber, JoAnn Whatley, Charles White, Jack Whitten, Roy Wilkins, William T. Williams, Gerald Williams, Randy Williams, William Wilson, Hale Woodruff and Cherilyn C. Wright.
  Includes bibliographical references.
  
• ISBN:9781941366325 (paperback)
  1941366325 (paperback)
  
• Contents:Machine generated contents note: READER
  1959
  Marion Perkins, "Problems of the Negro Artist"
  1964
  Clebert Ford, "Black Nationalism and the Arts"
  1965
  Spiral: First Group Showing (Works in Black and White) (unsigned statement)
  Lawrence [Larry] Neal, "The Black Revolution in Art: A Conversation with Joe Overstreet"
  1966
  Jeanne Siegel, "Why Spiral?"
  Noah Purifoy, "The Art of Communication as a Creative Act," and "Signposts That Point the Way" (unsigned review)
  1967
  Ishmael Reed, "The Black Artist: Calling a Spade a Spade"
  Raymond Saunders, Black Is a Color
  Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC), "Black Heroes"; Gwendolyn Brooks, "The Wall"; and Don L. Lee, "The Wall"
  "Wall of Respect" (unsigned article in Ebony)
  Robert Newman, "American People: Faith Ringgold at Spectrum"
  1968
  Jay Jacobs, "Two Afro-American Artists in an Interview with Jay Jacobs"
  Larry Neal, "The Black Arts Movement"
  Evangeline J. Montgomery, "Why New Perspectives in Black Art?" and Paul Mills, untitled text, New Perspectives: Black Art
  Earl Roger Mandle, "Introduction," 30 Contemporary Black Artists
  Emory Douglas, "Position Paper 1 on Revolutionary Art"
  Edward Clark, "Un musee pour Harlem"
  Ralph Ellison, "Introduction," Romare Bearden: Paintings and Projections
  Frederick Fiske, "Reflections from Within-Without: The Black Artist," and Victoria Rosenwald, "The Black Murals of Boston"
  James T. Stewart, "The Development of the Black Revolutionary Artist"
  1969
  Romare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Richard Hunt, Jacob Lawrence, Tom Lloyd, William T. Williams, and Hale Woodruff, "The Black Artist in America: A Symposium"
  Benny Andrews and Cliff Joseph for the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition (BECC) (untitled statement)
  Roy Wilkins, "Preface," and Carroll Greene, "2969: Twelve Afro-American Artists in Perspective," 1969: Twelve Afro-American Artists
  Frank Bowling, "Discussion on Black Art," "Discussion on Black Art
  II," and "Black Art HI"
  James R. Mellow, "The Black Artist, the Black Community, the White Art World"
  Dana Chandler Jr., untitled text 12 Black Artists from Boston
  Larry Neal, "Any Day Now: Black Art and Black Liberation"
  Elsa Honig Fine, "The Afro-American Artist: A Search for Identity"
  Ameer [Amiri] Baraka, "The Black Aesthetic"
  Roy DeCarava: Thru Black Eyes (unsigned text)
  Edward K. Taylor, "Foreword," and Joe Overstreet, untitled statement New Black Artists
  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 Frank Bowling, "Joe Overstreet"
  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
  Claude Booker for the Black Arts Council (BAC), letter soliciting members and Charles White, "Art and Soul" and untitled statement, Wanted Poster Series
  Al Loving, untitled statement, Al Loving
  1970
  Robert Newman, "America Black: Faith Ringgold at Spectrum"
  Debbie Butterfield, "Contemporary Black Art," and Samella Lewis "Epilogue," Dimensions of Black
  Melvin Edwards, untitled statement, and William T. Williams "William T. on M.E.," Melvin Edwards: Works
  A. D. Coleman, "Roy DeCarava: Thru Black Eyes"
  "Object: Diversity" (unsigned article in Time)
  Walter Jones, "Critique to Black Artists"
  Carroll Greene, "Perspective: The Black Artist in America," and "Black Art: What Is It?" (questionnaire)
  Dore Ashton, "Introduction," and Smokehouse Associates, "Smokehouse," Using Walls (Outdoors)
  AFRICOBRA 1: Ten in Search of a Nation (unsigned statement)
  Benny Andrews, "The Black Emergency Cultural Coalition"
  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 [ect.]
  Margaret G. Burroughs, "To Make a Painter Black"
  Bayard Rustin, "The Role of the Artist in the Freedom Struggle," and Jacob Lawrence, "The Artist Responds"
  LeGrace G. Benson, "Sam Gilliam: Certain Attitudes"
  Barbara Rose, "Black Art in America"
  Joseph E. Young, "Los Angeles" (interview with David Hammons)
  Jeff Donaldson, "AFRICOBRA l: w in Search of a Nation"
  1971
  Robert H. Glauber, "Introduction," and Ralph Arnold, Sam Gilliam, and Joseph B. Ross Jr., untitled statements, Black American Artists
  Joseph E. Young, Three Graphic Artists: Charles White, David Hammons, Timothy Washington
  Edward Spriggs, "Preface," and David Driskell, "Introduction," Black Dimensions in Contemporary American Art
  Charles Childs, "Larry Ocean Swims the Nile, Mississippi and Other Rivers"
  Eugene Eda, Mark Rogovin, William Walker, and John Weber, "The Artists'
  Statement," and William Walker, untitled statement, Murals for the People Keith Morrison, Black Experience
  Carroll Greene, "Romare Bearden: The Prevalence of Ritual"
  Noah Purifoy, "Statement by the Artist," Niggers Ain't Gonna Never Ever Be Nothin'
  All They Want to Do Is Drink and Fuck
  Frank Bowling, "It's Not Enough to Say Black Is Beautiful"
  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 Dowel I. Sam Gilliam, Daniel Johnson, Joe Overstreet, Melvin Edwards, Richard Hunt, and William T. Williams, "Political Communications" (letter to [ect.]
  Melvin Edwards, "Notes on Black Art"
  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 [ect.]
  Henri Ghent, "Notes to the Young Black Artist: Revolution or Evolution?"
  Steve Cannon, "Introduction," and "Conversation with Peter Bradley Curator of The De Luxe Show," The De Luxe Show
  Steve Smith, "Black Art: The Black Experience"
  Edward Spriggs, "An Intermediarily Pro/Position," and Cherilyn C. Wright, "Ten in Search of a Nation
  Exhibition Review," AFRICOBRA II
  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 Elton C. Fax, "Preface," Seventeen Black Artists
  Edmund B. Gaither, "The ABA Idea"; Abdul Hakim Ibn Alkalimat, "Notes on Art and Liberation"; JoAnn Whatley, "Meeting the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition"; and Edmund B. Gaither, "Visual Art and Black Aesthetics"
  Robert Doty, untitled interview with Frank Bowling, Frank Bowling
  Jeff Donaldson, "Commentary," Elizabeth Catlett: Prints and Sculpture
  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
  Carroll Greene Jr., Los Angeles 1972: A Panorama of Black Artists, and William Wilson, "County Museum Showing Work by Local Blacks"
  Alma W. Thomas, untitled statement, Alma W. Thomas
  David Henderson, "Introduction," Joe Overstreet
  Kay Brown, "`Where We At' Black Women Artists"
  Tony Eaton, Lou Draper, Beuford Smith, Ray Gibson, and Fred Beauford "A Rap on Photography"
  Ray Gibson, "Roy DeCarava: Master Photographer"
  Louis Draper, "The Kamoinge Workshop"
  Sue Irons, "CAPS GRANT-SCULPTURE: Statement on Work"
  1973
  Faith Ringgold, "A Message to the Could Be Political Artists of the World from Faith Ringgold"
  Edward Spriggs, "Search for a Black Aesthetic"
  Barbara Jones-Hogu, "The History, Philosophy and Aesthetics of AFRI-COBRA," 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
  Diane Weathers, "Kay Brown: An Artist and Activist"
  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
  Benny Andrews, John Coplans, Dana Chandler, Ademola Olugebefola Howardena Pindell, and Wee Kim, "Black Artists/White Critics"
  Toni Morrison, "Foreword," and Clayton Riley, "Introduction," The Black Photographers Annual 1973
  1974
  Milton W. Brown, "Jacob Lawrence"
  Jack Whitten, "From an Interview with David Shapiro, April 1974"
  Vivian Browne, "Norman Lewis: Interview, August 29, 1974"
  Linda G. Bryant, "Introduction," David Hammons: Selected Works 1968-1974
  Martin Kilson, "A Debate: The Black Aesthetic
  Opponent," and Addison Gayle, "A Debate: The Black Aesthetic
  Defender"
  Contents note continued: Randy Williams, "The Black Art Institution"
  1975
  Mimi Poser, Linda Goode Bryant, and David Hammons, "Just Above Midtown Gallery"
  Allan M. Gordon, "Allan M. Gordon Interviews Himself: The Phenomenology of a Black Aesthetic; Introductory Remarks"
  Benny Andrews, "Jemimas, Mysticism, and Mojos: The Art of Betye Saar"
  Linda Goode Bryant, "Greasy Bags and Barbecue Bones"
  Elizabeth Catlett, "The Role of the Black Artist"
  Burton Wasserman, "Where the Flesh Ends and the Spirit Begins"
  Cindy Nemser, "Conversation with Betye Saar"
  Earl G. Graves, "The Importance of Art Patronage"
  1976
  David C. Driskell, "Evolution of the Black Aesthetic: 1920-1950"
  Samella Lewis and Val Spaulding, "Editorial Statement," Black Art: An International Quarterly
  Betye Saar, "Juju," Recent Works by Houston E. Conwill: Juju
  1977
  Senga Nengudi, "Statement on Nylon Mesh Works, 1977"
  Benny Andrews, "A JAM Session on Madison Avenue"
  Studio Z, untitled statements, Studio Z: Individual Collective and other performances and events
  1978
  Yvonne Parks Catchings, "Is Black Art for Real?"
  Linda Goode Bryant and Marcy S. Philips, Contextures
  April Kingsley, "Black Artists: Up against the Wall"
  Benny Andrews, "The Big Bash," "New York's 21 Club," and "Black Artists vs. the Black Media"
  Lowery Stokes Sims, "Third World Women Speak"
  1979
  Dawoud Bey, "Reflections on Harlem U.S.A."
  Larry Neal, "Perspectives/Commentaries on Africobra"
  1980
  April Kingsley, "Afro-American Abstraction"
  Benny Andrews, "Charles White Was a Drawer," and M. J. Hewitt "We Got the Message and Are Grateful"
  1981
  Lorraine O'Grady (as told to Lucy Lippard), "Performance Statement #1: Thoughts about Myself, When Seen as a Political Performance Artist"
  1982
  Dawoud Bey, "David Hammons: Purely an Artist"
  Emma Amos, "Some Do's and Don'ts for Black Women Artists"
  1984
  Hugh M. Davies and Helaine Posner, "Conversations with Martin Puryear"
  Benny Andrews, Sam Gilliam, Al Loving, Faith Ringgold, Jack Whitten, and William T. Williams, untitled statements, Since the Harlem Renaissance: 50 Years of Afro-American Art.