The Black Cultural Front: Black Writers and Artists of the Depression GenerationUniv. Press of Mississippi, 9.7.2012 - 288 sivua The Black Cultural Front describes how the social and political movements that grew out of the Depression facilitated the left turn of several African American artists and writers. The Communist-led John Reed Clubs brought together black and white writers in writing collectives. The Congress of Industrial Organizations's effort to recruit black workers inspired growing interest in the labor movement. One of the most concerted efforts was made by the National Negro Congress (NNC), a coalition of civil rights and labor organizations, which held cultural panels at its national conferences, fought segregation in the culture industries, promoted cultural education, and involved writers and artists in staging mass rallies during World War II. The formation of a black cultural front is examined by looking at the works of poet Langston Hughes, novelist Chester Himes, and cartoonist Ollie Harrington. While none of them were card-carrying members of the Communist Party, they all participated in the Left at one point in their careers. Interestingly, they all turned to creating popular culture in order to reach the black masses who were captivated by the movies, radio, newspapers, and detective novels. There are chapters on the Hughes' "Simple" stories, Himes' detective fiction, and Harrington's "Bootsie" cartoons. Collectively, the experience of these three figures contributes to the story of a "long" movement for African American freedom that flourished during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Yet this book also stresses the impact that McCarthyism had on dismantling the Black Left and how it affected each individual involved. Each was radicalized at a different moment and for different reasons. Each suffered for their past allegiances, whether fleeing to the haven of the "Black Bank" in Paris, or staying home and facing the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Yet the lasting influence of the Depression in their work was evident for the rest of their lives. |
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... novel Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison's protagonist rebelled against a domineering political organization called the Brotherhood, his fictional version of the Communist Party. During the 1960s, Harold Cruse's The Crisis of the Negro ...
... novels still express hope in the labor movement. In contrast, Wright and Ellison broke with the Left to gain acceptance in an increasingly hostile Cold War environment. After publishing his essays in the Atlantic Monthly, Wright would ...
... novel that was to become If He Hollers Let Him Go (1945) explaining the main character's political outlook in greater detail. In the chapter on Harrington, I look at his cartoons as evidence of his radicalization in the Cold War years ...
... novel and no longer needed the Communist Party that Wright broke with it. In his first novel If He Hollers Let Him Go, Himes—through his main character Bob Jones—was sharply critical of the Communist Party for weakening its stance ...
... novel around at several studios to no avail. He was nearly hired to work on Cabin in the Sky, but MGM practiced “complete segregation” (Conversations 20). At Warner Brothers, Himes was offered a job but was let go after a racist Jack ...
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The Black Cultural Front: Black Writers and Artists of the Depression Generation Brian Dolinar Rajoitettu esikatselu - 2012 |
The Black Cultural Front: Black Writers and Artists of the Depression Generation Brian Dolinar Esikatselu ei käytettävissä - 2012 |