{"id":477,"date":"2019-12-17T17:21:22","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T22:21:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/afr111-f19\/?page_id=477"},"modified":"2019-12-21T15:58:48","modified_gmt":"2019-12-21T20:58:48","slug":"black-art-as-a-reflection-of-racial-prejudice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/afr111-f19\/black-art-as-a-reflection-of-racial-prejudice\/","title":{"rendered":"Black art as a reflection of racial prejudice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Victoria Santa Cruz<\/h3>\n

Victoria Santa Cruz is an Afro-Peruvian composer, activist, and choreographer that produced work centered on her cultural background. Victoria Santa Cruz was born into a family of artists and dancers who contributed to her own fundamental understanding of art. Santa Cruz is famously known for producing that works to attempt to reclaim and reconstruct forgotten black experiences and practices in Peru. Santa Cruz’s poem Me Gritaron Negra (1978) is an example of a piece in which Santa Cruz attempts to reclaim the black experience.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Victoria Santa Cruz\u00a0 \u00a9 and courtesy the artist<\/p>\n

Me Gritaron Negra<\/em> (1978)<\/h3>\n

In 1978, Victoria Santa Cruz wrote the powerful poem, “Me Gritaron Negra<\/em>“. Santa Cruz’s poem serves as a social commentary on race and the othering of the black body.\u00a0 The poem emphasizes the experience of Victoria Santa Cruz illustrates the internal developments that occurred for her as a result of the reclaiming her identity as a black woman. Santa Cruz is able to define and restore her blackness in the midst of racism and white noise.<\/p>\n

Below find the English translation of the poem:<\/p>\n

They Yelled at Me: “Black!”<\/em><\/h4>\n
\n
\n
I was just seven years old,<\/div>\n
Just seven years old…<\/div>\n
What seven years old!<\/div>\n
And not even make it five!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Suddenly, some voices on the street,<\/div>\n
They yelled at me: “Black!”<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Black! Blackr! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black!<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Am I “Black”? – I told myself (Yes!)<\/div>\n
What is to be a “Black”? (Black!)<\/div>\n
And I didn’t know the sad truth<\/div>\n
which might be behind (Black!)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
And I felt black (Black!)<\/div>\n
As they said (Black!)<\/div>\n
I stepped back (Black!)<\/div>\n
Just as they wanted (Black!)<\/div>\n
And I hated my hair and my fleshy lips<\/div>\n
And I saw with sadness my brunette skin<\/div>\n
I stepped back (Black!)<\/div>\n
I stepped back…<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
And the time went by,<\/div>\n
and I always so bitter<\/div>\n
I continued to carry my heavy burden<\/div>\n
On my back,<\/div>\n
And how it weighed!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
I smoothed my hair<\/div>\n
And I make up my face,<\/div>\n
But among my soul I heard<\/div>\n
Always the same word:<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Until one day that I stepped back,<\/div>\n
I stepped back and I was going to fall out-<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
So what? so what?! (Black!)<\/div>\n
Yes- (Black!)<\/div>\n
I’m- (Black!)<\/div>\n
Black!- (Black!)<\/div>\n
I’m black! (Black!),<\/div>\n
Yes- (Black!)<\/div>\n
I’m- (Black!)<\/div>\n
black!- (Black!)<\/div>\n
I’m black!!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Henceforth, I don’t want<\/div>\n
Smooth my hair (I don’t want!)<\/div>\n
And I’ll laugh at those<\/div>\n
To prevent – they said –<\/div>\n
To prevent some conflict<\/div>\n
They call to black people “people of color”<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
And what a color! (Black!!)<\/div>\n
And how good it sounds! (Black!!)<\/div>\n
What a rhythm it has!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Finally!<\/div>\n
I finally realized! (Finally!)<\/div>\n
I don’t step back anymore (Finally!)<\/div>\n
I walk safe (Finally!)<\/div>\n
I walk and hope (Finally!)<\/div>\n
And I bless the Heaven because God wanted that<\/div>\n
My skin was jet black color,<\/div>\n
And I understood (Finally!)<\/div>\n
That I have total control:<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black! Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n
Black! Black!<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
I’M BLACK!!!!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

(https:\/\/lyricstranslate.com)<\/a><\/p>\n

Below find the performance of Me Gritaron Negra<\/em><\/p>\n