American Studies 496/596

Bibliographies

Literature & Art Produced In or About Social Movement Cultures

-- T.V. Reed

• A. Morris, Origins of the Civil Rights Movement (1984). Excellent treatment of church culture and politics of early CRM.
• C. Payne, I've Got the Light of FreedoM: The Organizing Tradition and the Mississippi Freedom Struggle (1995). The best book on the movement culture of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the richest treatment of the radically democratic culture growing out of the "organizing tradition" nourished by folks like Ella Baker.
• A. Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi . (1968). Fine story of a young black SNCC volunteer exploring the inner tensions of the culture of the CRM.
• M. King, Freedom Song (1987). Fine account of a white woman in the culture of SNCC; especially good on role of music.
• L. Levine, Black Culture and Black Consciousness (1977). Historical overview of black culture from 18th to mid 20th c.
• J. Spencer, Protest and Praise: Sacred Music and Black Religion (1989). Includes important work on "freedom song" tradition.
• E. Bullins, ed. New Plays for the Black Theater (1969). Selection of black power plays by a variety of playrights.
• Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka), Home: Social Essays (1966). Shows evolution of Jones' black power aesthetic.
• A. Baraka (Leroi Jones), Selected Plays (1979).
• E. Bullins, The Theme Is Blackness (1973). His collected BP plays.
• G. Fabvre, Drumbeats, Masks, and Metaphor (1983). Sophisticated study of black theater, especially the black power phase.
• A. Gayle (ed.), The Black Aesthetic (1971).
• A. Chapman (ed.), New Black Voices (1972). Along with Gayle's important anthology (above), this book covers black power poetry, drama, fiction, and criticism influenced by the black power movement.
• A. Walker, Meridian (1976). Powerful novel about the CRM & BP.
• T. Cade Bambara, The Salt Eaters (1980). Great novel about the 60's and its aftermath among black activists, especially women.
• "Fundi." Fine film on the life of Ella Baker.

• M. Dickstein, Gates of Eden: American Culture in the 60s (1977). Good on 50s roots of 60s literary & cultural rebellion.
• S. Sayres et al. (eds), The Sixties Without Apology (1984). Collection of essays on various aspects of politics, culture and the arts in 60s movements.
• T. Gitlin, The Whole World Is Watching (1982). Excellent account of the media's impact on New Left that offers general insights into the shaping of movements in mass media "frames."
• A. Hoffman, Soon to Be a Major Motion Picture (1980). Amusing autobiography revealing the trickster cultural politics of the "Yippies".
• E. Doctorow, The Book of Daniel (1971). Superb novel on the 50s and 60s, old left and new.
• "The War at Home"
• "Berkeley in the Sixties," two good films on student movements.

• S. Hall, "The Hippies" in J. Nagel, Student Powe (1969). The most insightful reading of the hippie counterculture as a political forces.
• B. Berger, The Survival of a Counterculture (1981).
• T. Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1968). Wildride on "Further" explores the cultural politics of Ken Kesey's cabal.
• L. Yablonsky, The Hippy Trip (1971).
• P. Willis, Profane Culture (1978). Compares biker and hippie subcultures.
• M. Lee, Acid Dreams (1986).

• T. Shank, American Alternative Theater (1982). Includes essays on Teatro Campesino, SF Mime Troupe, and others.
• J. Weisman, Guerrilla Theater: Scenarios for Revolution (1970).
• H. Lesnick (ed.) Guerrilla Street Theater (1973). Anthology with examples of new left, black power, and early feminist street theater works with commentary.
• A. Henri, Total Art (1974). On experimental theater, happenings, of 60s and since.
• J. Schechter, Durov's Pig: Clowns, Politics, and Theater (1985). Interesting book on European and American theater and politics.

• E. Cockcroft & H. Barnet-Sanchez (eds.), Signs from the Heart: California Chicano Murals (1990). Four excellent essays on the mural movement.
• A. Barnett, Community Murals (1984).
• E. Cockcroft et al., Toward a People's Art: The Contemporary Mural Movement (1977).
• J. Quirate, ed. Chicano Art History: Selected Readings (1984).
• "Community Murals," fine journal tracing mural movement

• D. Brown, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (1974).
• V. Deloria, Trail of Broken Treaties (1976). Brown & Deloria's books are moving accounts of the long history of oppression and genocide waged against Indian.
• R. Coe, Lost & Found Tradition: Native American Art, 1965-85 (1986).
• J. Welch, Fool's Crow
• ---. Winter in the Blood . Two xcellent novels.
• L. Silko, Storyteller Story collection drawing on and rewriting native myth with contemporary twists.
• ---. Ceremony .
• ---. Almanac of the Dead . Two excellent works of fiction steeped in the politics and spirituality of contemporary Indian life.
• J. Campbell, Jailing of Cecelia Capture . Excellent novel set partly in Northwest.
• M. Crow Dog, Lakota Woman . Ghost-authored, controversial autobiography of a woman active in AIM
• "Lakota Woman." Made for TV movie from Crow Dog's book.
• "Thunderheart" Hollywood movie version of events during AIM era
• "Powwow Highway," fine funny film about contemporary reservation life and the struggle between assimilationist & traditionalist Indians.

• B. Herndon Smith (ed.), Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology (1983).
• G. Hull, P. Scott, & B. Smith (eds.), All the Women are White, All the Blacks are Men, But Some of us are Brave: Black Woman's Studies (1982). Two classic anthologies that include some feminist literary pieces.
• D. Fisher (ed.), The Third Woman (1982). Fine collection that includes poetry, and fiction by feminist women of color.
• G. Anzaldua & C. Moraga (eds.) This Bridge Called My Back (1981). Pioneering anthology of Chicana, black and native American feminism that includes poetry and short fiction..
• D. Leavitt, Feminist Theater Groups (1980).
• H. Keyssar, Landscapes of the Feminist Theater (1984).
• L. Hart (ed.), Making a Spectacle: Feminist Essays on Contemporary Women's Theater (1989).
• M. Roth (ed.) The Amazing Decade: Feminist Performance Art (1983).
• L. Lippard, Feminist Art (1976).
• J. Chicago, The Dinner Party . Large scale feminist art work.
• S. Davidson, Loose Change (1976). Fictionalized autobiography with accounts of early women's liberation movement.
• A. Shulman, Burning Questions (1978). Novel that catches the spirit of the early second wave women's liberation.
• M. French, The Woman's Room (1977). A somewhat watered-down but influential version of the above.
• T. Cade Bambara, The Salt Eaters (1980). Great novel about the 60's and its aftermath among black activists, especially women.
• A. Rich, Blood, Bread and Poetry (1986). Two collections of Rich's essays, including much on relations between poetry and feminism.
• F. Howe, ed. No More Masks: An Anthology of 20th Century American Women Poets (1993). Uneven in quality but rich in variety of poets & poems.
• A. Ostriker, Stealing the Language (1986). Excellent history of 20th century American women's poetry
• J. Montefiore, Feminism and Poetry (1993). Excellent introduction to a variety of issues in the relations between various feminisms and various poetries.
• And books of poems by any of the following feminist poets: Adrienne Rich, Judy Grahn, Grace Paley, Gwendolyn Brooks, Ntozake Shange, June Jordan, Sonia Sanchez, Cherrie Moraga, Gloria Anzaldua, Jayne Cortez, Mitsuye Yamada, Audre Lorde, Lucille Clifton, Marge Piercy, Paula Gunn Allen, Janice Mirikitani, Rita Dove, Joy Harjo, Marilyn Hacker, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Toi Derricotte, Irena Kelpfisz, among many, many others.

• C. Merchant, Radical Ecology (1993). The best general introduction to various strands of radical environmentalism (Greenpeace, ecofem, etc.)
• J. Bari, Timber Wars (1994). Moving personal account of woman eco-warrior paralyzed by a bomb planted by timber industry terrorists.
• K. Warren, ed. Environmental Feminism special issue of the journal Hypatia (1991)
• Y. King, What is Ecofeminism? (1993) Best short intro to the topic.
• M. Bookchin, The Ecology of Freedom (1982)
• R. Scarce, Eco-Warriors (1990) Fine survey of Greenpeace, Earth First! & other environmental movement groups.
• J. Davis & D. Foreman, The Earth First! Reader (1991)
• B. Tokar, The Green Alternative (1987) Excellent summary of the European and American green parties' alternative to politics as ususal.
• J. Seager, Earth Follies (1993) Feminist anlaysis of global environmental problems and solutions.
• J. Beardsley, Earthworks and Beyond (1989)
• A. Sonfist, ed. Art in the Land (1983)
• B. Matilsky Fragile Ecologies (1992). Interesting sruvey of earthworks and eco-active art forms.

• D. Crimp (ed.), & a. Rolston, AIDS Demo-Graphics (1990). Excellent book on AIDS graphic arts and demonstration art.
• D. Crimp (ed.), AIDS: Cultural Analysis/Cultural Activism (1988). Important collection analyzing the discourse about AIDS and various aspects of AIDS art activism.
• S. Watney, Policing Desire (1987). Excellent analysis of media distortions of the AIDS crisis.

• S. Hall (ed.), Resistance Through Rituals (1976). Influential group of essays on various aspects of subculture theory and practice.
• A. McRobbie & T. McCabe (eds.), Feminism for Girls--an Adventure Story (1982).
• M. Brake, Comparative Youth Culture (1985). General intro. to subcult theory; British, and American subcults compared.
• G. Lewis, Side-Saddle on the Golden Calf (1979). Interesting essays on rock culture, counterculture and popular culture of the 60's in the US.

• T. Rose, Black Noise (1995) Excellent book on the politics of rap.
• C. Keil, Urban Blues (1966). Good on CRM influence on soul music and on black blues tradition ; also a source for roots of rap.
• A. Dundes (ed.), Mother Wit From the Laughing Barrel (1972). Styles of ghetto/street humor & rapping in earlier sense.
• N. George et. al., Fresh: Hip Hop, Don't Stop (1985). Separate essays on rapping, graffiti, breaking, & hip hop fashion.
• M. Cooper & H. Chalfant, Subway Art (1984). Little text but great glossy photos of graffiti art.
• C. Castleman, Getting up: Subway Graffiti in New York (1982). Includes chapters on various aspects of "writing" and interviews with some graffitists. Also has good biblio on graffiti.
• D. Toop, Rap Attack (1984; 1995). Places rap in long history of Afro-American music.
• N. George (ed.), Stop The Violence (1990). Chronicles anti-violence movement among rappers.
• H. Nelson, & M. Gonzales, Bring the Noise: A Guide to Rap Music (1991). Group by group study of rappers.
• "Wild Style" Great film on early hip-hop culture.
• D. Wallace & M. Costello, Signifying Rappers (1990).
• A. Ross & T. Rose, eds. Microphone Fiends: Youth Music & Youth Culture . (1994) Excellent collection of essays on rap & other contemporary styles.
• G. Tate, Flyboy in the Buttermilk . (1992). Great collection of short essays on contemporary black cultural politics.
• J. Eure and J Spady, eds. Nation Conscious Rap . On rap & black nationalism.

• A. Waters, Race, Class, and Political Symbols: Rastafari and Reggae in Jamaican Politics (1985).
• P. Gilroy, There Ain't No Black in the Union Jack (1990). Includes a brilliant analysis of reggae and black culture.
• E. Cashmore, Rastaman: Rastafari Movement in England (1979).
• S. Clark, Jah Music: The Evolution of the Popular Jamaican Song (1980).
• D. Hebdige, Cut 'n Mix (1989). Fine book on reggae..
• T. White, Catch a Fire: the Life of Bob Marley (1979).
• M. Thelwell, The Harder They Come (1980). Novel which explores the political culture of poor black Jamaicans who created rebel reggae.
• S. Jones, Black Culture, White Youth: The Reggae Tradition form JA to UK (1988). Excellent study of race and youth.

• S. Frith, Sound Effects (1981). Excellent overall treatment of rock music; includes a useful bibliography on various aspects of rock as music, social force, and business.
• S. Frith (ed.), On Record (1990). Excellent collection of articles on all aspects of the rock music biz/art, and various approaches to analyzing it.
• J. Miller (ed.), Rolling Stone History of Rock and Roll (1980). Very useful collection of essays on various artists and rock genres.
• J. Stewart, Rebel Rock (1986). Fine, smart lively book.
• D. Marsh (ed.), Sun City: the Making of a Record (1985).On the anti-apartheid movement in U.S. and its use of music.
• D. Hatch & S. Millward, From Blues To Rock (1987).

• L. Lippard, Get The Message?: A Decade of Art for Social Change (1984). Excellent book on the politics of painting, performance art, poster art and other "high" and popular art genres in the 60's, 70's, and 80's .
• L. Lippard, Mixed Blessings (1992). Excellent book on recent trends in fine arts by people of color.
• I. Angus & S. Jhally, Cultural Politics in Contemporary America (1989).
• P. Buhle (ed.), Popular Culture in America (1987).
• D. Lazere (ed.), American Media and Mass Culture (1987). Along with the Angus and Jhally, and the Buhle anthologies, this makes three fine collections of essays on various aspects of political/cultural struggle in U.S. today.
• "Upfront," excellent journal devoted to activist art.
• "High Performance," journal that covers political performance art.
• "October," journal on the politics of film and video.
• "Heresies," journal on feminist art and culture.
• "Z," journal with fine coverage of activist art.
• "In These Times," journal with good coverage of activist art.
• "The Nation" covers political art sporadically.

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