Sculpting a Pan-African Culture in the Art of Negritude: A Model for African Artist (Viewpoint Essay)

Abstract For centuries, the culture and art of African people on the continent and in the Diaspora has been erased, misplaced or misinterpreted. In some circumstances, historical figures have attempted to prove that Africans are simply devoid of culture. However, the hasty fashion which current museums and collectors have continued to acquire African cultural and artistic products coupled with an endless mimicking of African styles shows otherwise. Considering this paradigm, this paper provides theoretical insight on how Pan-African and Negritude movements spearheaded by African and African American leaders emphasized culture as a means for holistic empowerment, and created a need for African people to define culture on their own terms. As a result, the author presents a culture-centered model for African artists to implement.