In his essay, “Expressive Language,” Amiri Baraka drives
home a remarkable yet refined message: words can either unite or divide
different types of people. Baraka, an activist, playwright, poet, and founder
of the Black Arts Movement, uses his words in different mediums to bolster the
black aesthetic.
Baraka made an impact on several areas of the Black Arts
Movement. He wrote fiery poetry, powerful books, and thought-provoking plays. To
extend his literary reach and to promote the black aesthetic even further, he
went into publishing, starting Totem Press, which housed a diverse group of
writers.
In “Expressive Language,” Baraka talks about how language
can be shaped and colored by the speaker, or as Baraka writes, “words have
users, but as well, users have words.”
Take, for example, Baraka’s take on money and wealth. He
notes that when you ask a poor person with only 70 cents to his name if he has
money, he will tell you, “Yes, of course I do.” But when a Rockefeller says, “I have money,”
he means an entirely different thing. Same phrase, different meaning.
Baraka provides another example with the phrase “God don’t
never change.” A wealthy person using these words means, “God don’t never
change,” as in “keep things the way they are.” But when a black, poor person
says it, it’s considered a complaint, a vent, as in “why doesn’t God ever
change?”
Through words and various literary mediums, Baraka left an
indelible mark on the Black Arts Movement.
