African American poet Gwendolyn Brooks' trilogy of sermons titled "Wolland" reflects the transition from the black civil rights movement to the black power movement in the 1960s. Brooks' early works supported racial integration, but with the rise of black nationalism consciousness and violence in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, she turned to black nationalism. At the Second Black Writers' Conference in 1967, Brooks announced the beginning of the "Enlightenment Stage of the New Consciousness," and his subsequent poetry creation aimed to "summon all black people. The "Wopland" trilogy of sermons constructs an imaginative black space that deviates from the mainstream of the United States through Christian preaching forms and fictional locations, showcasing Brooks' consideration of the complex relationship between black nationalism and social historical forces, as well as his exploration of the historical direction of black destiny.

The Awakening of Black People in the Context of Political Theology

Explored the core metaphor of "Walpurand" in African American evangelism in the United States and its application in Brooks' poetry. The term "Wopland" combines the meanings of "distortion" and "land", symbolizing a society with unequal distribution of resources and justice, while implying the upcoming struggle. This metaphor has a specific temporal and spatial reference in the trilogy, echoing the Sermon on the Mountain in the Bible, linking religious doctrine with black political issues. Brooks projected the theological context onto the political context of the black movement through religious metaphors, providing religious inspiration and inspiration for the awakening and resistance of black consciousness. The preaching form and metaphorical language in poetry are consistent with religious preaching, demonstrating the poet's radical shift in poetic philosophy. In addition, Brooks introduced Christian theological ideas into the secular political sphere, reflecting the ideological characteristics of black people at the intersection of politics and theology in the 1960s. Black theologians believe that the black power movement is an important manifestation of Christ's revelation, integrating divine justice with social justice. Nationalism itself has a strong messianic connotation and is a quasi religious form of ideology. Brooks' preaching style poetry is not only a literary carrier that awakens black national consciousness, but also a manifestation of nationalism as an ideology with religious characteristics.

Black Empowerment in the Context of Black Power

Explored Brooks' profound attention to the issue of black empowerment in his trilogy of sermons titled 'The Uplander'. The poet uses the metaphorical image of "storm" to connect religious space with secular space, transforming religious ethics into political ethics, emphasizing the situation and survival challenges of black people in America. The call to 'live on' in poetry runs through the entire story, conveying the urgent issues faced by black people after their spiritual awakening. Brooks criticized American racism and affirmed the right of black people to control their own lives. In poetry, the theme of redemption is proposed, encouraging black people to save residual items in storms, and warning black people in a negative tone that they must change, especially the negation of the way white liberals empower black people. Brooks' shift in poetic stance reflects the transformation of black political stance, from fusionism to nationalism, calling on black people to rise up and resist for racial equality. The poem also explores the rationality of black people's self empowerment, questions the "timing" of white empowerment, and emphasizes black people's autonomous decision-making and rights view. Finally, the poem emphasizes the subjectivity of the lower class masses in the empowerment of black people, transforming the "timing" controlled by God into the "time" for black self-determination, and presenting the maturity and struggle spirit of black consciousness through plant imagery. Brooks used nationalism to awaken the awareness and action of black people to become rights holders in the political, economic, and social fields.

Black people's rebirth from the ashes in the context of secular rationality

Brooks' approach to black liberation underwent a transition from white empowerment to black self empowerment, and his nationalism did not completely oppose the American system or demand racial independence. In "The Third Commandment of Walpurand," Brooks explores the theme of black people's rebirth through the "transformative change" of poetic voice. In 1967, racial riots broke out in multiple cities in the United States, giving rise to Brooks' poetry collection "Riots", which constructed the "Wopland" as a dystopian space between the black nation and the slums, delving into the complexity of racial riots. The poem features dialogues between black and white philosophers, showcasing the dialogue between violent and nonviolent ideas within black and white races and within black social movements. Brooks' nationalism remains on the liberal side of the political spectrum, achieving equal citizenship rights for black people through the improvement of the capitalist democratic system. Racial integration and black nationalism constituted the two major trends in African American racial politics in the 20th century. Brooks' poetic changes provided a perspective for contemplating the rise of minority identity politics and the formation of multiculturalism in the 1960s in America. Black nationalism is mostly internalized within the framework of liberalism, transforming into ethnic pluralism that combines political and cultural pluralism.