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Difficulty: MediumThe New Negro Movement and Cultural Debates

In his 1928 essay "Art or Propaganda?", Alain Locke writes:

"Art in the best sense is union, then. Propaganda is monopoly and division. My objection to propaganda in art is that it is too often an attempt to build a house on a foundation of shifting sand. ... Propaganda focuses on the conflict and the obstacle, while art must focus on the self-expression and the creation."

Based on this passage, which of the following best captures the core debate within the New Negro Movement regarding creative production?

  1. A
    The disagreement between Booker T. Washington's focus on industrial education and W.E.B. Du Bois's advocacy for classical education.
  2. The tension between using creative works as instruments for political advocacy versus pursuing aesthetic autonomy and self-expression.Answer
  3. C
    The divide between Marcus Garvey's promotion of economic separatism and the integrationist political strategies of mainstream Pan-Africanism.
  4. D
    The conflict between the 1960s Black Power movement's call for community-led survival programs and the integrationist strategies of nonviolent civil rights organizations.

Answer

The correct answer states that the core debate was the tension between using creative works as instruments for political advocacy versus pursuing aesthetic autonomy and self-expression.
The correct option correctly identifies Locke's concern that propaganda reduces art to temporary political conflicts, arguing instead that Black artists should focus on authentic self-expression and creation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary source and its author.
The source is Alain Locke's 1928 essay 'Art or Propaganda?'
Understanding the context helps isolate the specific debate.
2
Analyze Locke's main argument in the excerpt.
Locke objects to propaganda, arguing it is temporary and divisive, while true art focuses on self-expression and creation.
This contrasts directly with other figures (like Du Bois) who viewed all art as propaganda.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one representing this tension.
The option identifying the tension between political advocacy and aesthetic autonomy matches Locke's argument.
It accurately reflects the New Negro Movement's internal debate on the social purpose of art.

Key Concept

The New Negro Movement and Cultural Debates
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

The New Negro Movement and Cultural Debates

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