A Sunset of the City

“kitchenette building” by Gwendolyn Brooks (1963)

This poem centers on key themes in Brooks’s canon. Here, the speaker of the poem is a Black woman in poverty, living in an urban house. In this poem, the kitchenette of a house symbolizes the experiences of the woman, like the city does in “A Sunset of the City.” The poem asks about the possibility of fulfilling a dream deferred, and it echoes notable works by Langston Hughes and Lorraine Hansberry, also artists associated with the Black Arts Movement.

“Primer for Blacks” by Gwendolyn Brooks (1980)

A poem from later in Brooks’s career, this poem is more explicit in describing Brooks’s experience as a Black woman living in Chicago and advocates for a Black collective.

“Black Art” by Amiri Baraka (1965)

This controversial poem by Baraka is credited as the inspiration for the Black Arts Movement; Baraka emphatically expresses his desire for Black artists to start creating their own art outside of white traditions and expectations. Baraka himself, cited as the founder of the movement, contributed many works, including poems and plays, to the movement.

“A Woman Speaks” by Audre Lorde (1984)

Like Brooks, Lorde’s poem expresses her experiences as a Black woman.