RESISTANCE AND RENAISSANCE: POLITICAL AND AESTHETIC EVOLUTION IN THE WORKS OF AMIRI BARAKA AND MAYA ANGELOU

Abstract [English]

Inspired by Phillis Wheatley, a young enslaved girl who became the first published African American poet, and nurtured by nationalist writers like Langston Hughes and Amiri Baraka, African American literature has evolved into a powerful and influential body of work. This literary tradition reached new heights with Maya Angelou, who has become an American icon. A prolific and multifaceted writer, Angelou’s legacy includes seven autobiographies, ten poetry collections, three essay compilations, and a vast array of films and television appearances spanning over fifty years.
The Harlem Renaissance and the Black Aesthetic Movement played a crucial role in affirming Black identity, shaping the voices of writers who sought to challenge racial injustice by celebrating Black culture. As a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement, Amiri Baraka championed Black self-determination and revolution through his poetry and plays, using them as instruments of radical resistance. His works, deeply political and confrontational, aimed to dismantle white supremacist structures while reclaiming Black cultural identity.
Like many Black writers, Angelou began her poetic journey with protest literature, channeling her righteous anger against racial injustice and the oppressive realities of white dominance in America. However, as both a poet and a human being, her vision expanded beyond the dichotomy of Black and White toward a more universal perspective. This book traces her poetic evolution, illustrating how she not only embodies Black aesthetics but ultimately transcends them, emerging as a powerful Black voice imparting an aesthetic philosophy for all of humanity.