Cora Garner - An African American Stylistic Timeline from 1940-1980 lyrics

I N T R O Emergence of the term "revolution" influenced Black poets, authors, and activist of the twentieth century to advocate for social change. From 1940-1980, leaders of the Black Arts Movement, Civil Rights Movement, and Black Power Movement incorporated "revolution" into their literature, speeches, and music. According to Civil Rights leader Malcolm X, "The Negro revolution is controlled by foxy white liberals, by the government itself. But the Black revolution is controlled only by God." Collectively, the Revolution was a social uprising in America which promoted Black liberation. T I M E L I N E "Let a new earth rise. Let another world be born. Let a bloody peace be written in the sky. Let a second generation full of courage issue forth; let a people loving freedom come to growth...let a race of men now rise and take control." Margret Walker "For My People" 1942 "The pool players... we real cool. We left school. We lurk late... We sing sin... We die soon" Gwendolyn Brooks "We Real Cool" 1960 "There are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral obligation to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." Martin Luther King Jr. "Letter From Birmingham Jail" 1964 "I said that on the American racial level, we had to approach the black man's struggle against the white man's racism as a human problem...black people had to build within themselves much greater awareness..." Malcolm X "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" 1965 "i wanted to write a poem that rhymes but revolution doesn't lend itself to be-bopping...maybe i shouldn't write at all but clean my gun and check my kerosene supply...Perhaps these are not poetic times at all" Nikki Giovanni "For Saundra" 1968 "We want a black poem. And a Black World. Let the world be a Black Poem And Let All Black People Speak This Poem Silently or LOUD" Amiri Baraka "Black Art" 1969 "The revolution will not go better with coke. The revolution will not fight germs that may cause bad breath. The revolution will put you in the driver's seat. The revolution will not be televised Will not be televised Not be televised Be televised. Gil Scott-Heron "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" 1970 '"You just don't understand", she said..."your heritage...you ought to try to make something of yourself...it's really a new day for us. But from the way you and Mama still live you'd never know it."' Alice Walker "Everyday Use" 1973