Black aesthetic theory: A perspective Mrs. Grewal Nitasha Department of English, KVA DAV College for Women, Karnal Online published on 7 June, 2014. Abstract Descriptions, discussions, and appraisals of Black Aesthetic Theory are plentiful. Among the principal commentators on Black Aesthetic Theory are Amiri Baraka, Stephen E. Henderson, Addison Gayle Jr., and Houston A. Baker. The theory itself is relatively simple; commentaries on it have not complicated it. An idea of the essentials of the theory can be had from any one of the essays, monographs, and books available on the subject. What strikes an outsider about discussions of Black Aesthetic theory is the view reiterated again and again that black literature is a literature of blacks, by blacks, and for blacks. With contempt for the legislative process, Black Power entered the Civil Rights Movement in the mid-‘60s and urged black people to acquire political and economic strength, and resort to violence and riots, if necessary, to realize their long deferred dreams. While Black Power propagated political nationalism, the Black Arts Movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s celebrated cultural nationalism. The present paper, Black Aesthetic Theory: A Perspective aims to discuss various aspects of Black Aesthetic Theory, its role in history, the reason behind its emphasis on Black Literature as a separate entity. Top |