In honor of the first Black History Month, The Poetry Shop is highlighting poetry from four movements where Black poets have made incredible contributions.
Explore four areas of focus: The Harlem Renaissance, The Black Arts Movement, Spoken Word, and a wide collection of Contemporary Black poets.
Please feel free to review the options and contact us if there are any you feel should be considered for inclusion.
The Harlem Renaissance![]()
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Centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, an groundbreaking artistic moment arose in the 1920s and 1930s. While the movement covered a wide swath of artistic endeavors, the poets left an indelible mark on American arts and culture. Leveraging a diverse range of forms, poets often infused the hallmarks of jazz, ragtime, and blues style into their work. Look for Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Georgia Douglas Johnson, Countee Cullen, and more.
Harlem Renaissance Poetry Books »
Black Arts Movement Poetry
The Black Arts Movement was an artistic movement that reached its heights between 1965 - 1975 and has been described by many as the cultural equivalent or extension of the Black Power Movement. Amiri Baraka is credited with catalyzing the movement which gave rise to incomparable luminaries like Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, Ishmael Reed, Audre Lorde, and Gwendolyn Brooks, just to name a few. The poetry is characterized by scintillating verse on Black self-determination, politics, and culture.
Black Arts Movement Poetry Books »
Spoken Word Poetry
There is no way for us to capture the modern Spoken Word movement in a collection. While all poetry is suited to be read aloud, Spoken Word poetry leans on the rhythmic pulse of the speaker. Performances and recordings are often layered accompanying music, blurring the lines between spoken poetry and the rhythms of hip-hop. As a form or method of performance, Spoken Word poetry emerge from other poetry movements, bringing along a wide open audience.
Contemporary Black Poetry
This collection is comprised of 32 remarkable poets, pulled from groups like Cave Canum, Furious Flower, and selected from bestselling poetry lists. This barely scratches the surface of the poets publishing today and the range of genres, forms, and themes through their work. If there is a poet whose work you would like to see here, please help us out and let us know: info@thepoetryshop.com
Contemporary Black Poetry Books »
