Introduction to Black Aesthetics: This workshop (and eventual class) explores the Introduction of Paul C. Taylor’s text Black is Beautiful: A Philosophy of Black Aesthetics as an entry point into ‘black aesthetics,’ defined by Taylor as “the practice of using art, criticism, or analysis to explore the role that expressive objects and practices play in creating and maintaining black life-worlds.” We will define key terms, discuss Taylor’s discursive trajectory, and respectfully challenge our own, Taylor’s, and others’ views and definitions en route to a more robust way of encountering black expressive objects and practices of the literary, visual, and performing arts. We will ground this introduction with poems, fiction excerpts, song lyrics, and film/video clips that provide an opportunity to connect the works, people, and bodies in black life-worlds to the inherently aesthetic, thus philosophical nature of blackness in the United States. 3hrs (with 15 min vegan snack & dance break). Suggested donation: $1-$10.✌🏾Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 6-9pm, Resource Mpls, 512 E 24th St, Mpls MN 55404 — Free registration suggested here.
It will help our discussion and dynamic if you read the Introduction (or entire text) beforehand. However, it is not required for attendance and participation. I cannot provided access to the book due to copyright. Please seek out Paul C. Taylor’s Black is Beautiful: A Philosophy of Black Aesthetics in print and digital as well as via interlibrary loan.
It will also help you ground me in my theoretical background and definitions by reading the Introduction to my dissertation Uncovering the Psychologically Androgynous Post-Slavery Subject (P.A.P.S.S.): A Novelistic Approach to Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) and my definition of ‘black’ in the Definitions section. Access to dissertations is available via your library’s access to ProQuest. However, reading these items is not required for attendance and participation.
Another valuable resource is Debates in Aesthetics, Vol. 15 No. 2 Aug 2020, The British Society on Aesthetics. This issue focuses on critical responses to Taylor’s essay “Black Reconstruction in Aesthetics” which “can be viewed as an extension of his early work, notably Black is Beautiful.” Pg 3.
Registration isn’t mandatory, but registration helps my planning, and ensures you a spot and refreshments. Resource has limited seating. I will do my best to accommodate walk-ins. Please register here.
Thank you for contributing to our good faith interaction! ✌🏾-LB
(c) 2025 Lawrence D. Benson. All rights reserved.
Sōma|Flourish 