The Black Aesthetic Edited by Addison Gayle Jr.   This book was a library book donated. Jacket in tact.  Many black artist of the past, notes Addison Gayle in his introduction, "were, in the main, anxious to become Americans, to share in the fruits of the country's economic system and to surrender their history and culture to a universal Melting Pot."  Now, the reverse is becoming true. Black artist a seeking ways of perceiving the world and expressing themselves which are rooted in and compatible with the uniqueness of their culture. Today, says Mr. Gayle "the problem of the de- Americanization of Black people lies at the heart of the black Aesthetic."  The artist in this collection have studied and experienced the cultural aspects of Oppression. They recognize that vague Western theories defining "universal," "melting Pot Society," and "art for art's sake," do little to prepare Black Americans for the reality they face.