Black anthems have a long standing history that can be traced through their African roots to modern day songs. Political groups have used these anthems to both lead and thrown into crisis their aims and objectives of their political messages. Not only have anthems been used in political areas they have also been used to showcase the culture at the time of their prominence. These anthems have many benefits such as uniting people together for certain causes, however, some of the anthems drawbacks are that they have been nearly forgotten as their respective political groups have faded away into history. The book Anthem: Social Movements and the Sound of Solidarity in the African Diaspora by Shana L. Redmond proves that anthems have been used …show more content…
The NAACP used their platform in society to move away from Black Nationalism into their own agenda of welfare and interracial political campaigning (Redmond 64). As with “Ethiopia”, the anthem was used to unite the political aspirations of the NAACP. Because of its presence in the black community in the south, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” brought in that demographic that was missing from the NAACP. Without this the organization would not have been the powerhouse that it became which in turn helped with the agenda and brought the NAACP into the national foreground. While being a political stepping stone, the anthem brought together Japanese achievements that would in turn help with black culture (Redmond 82). Because of the interest in the anthem, the cultures of Japan and black America would help further the NAACP. Japan’s prominence in the world gave the blacks the international platform that they needed that gave more stability to their position as a political and cultural standing in society. “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” anthem showed that some of these anthems had their benefits to a political organization. Redmond stated the song “has retained the institutional title of anthem in the Black United States (273-274). Anthems can be beneficial to the political organization that they stand for and this song proves that. By staying in prominence “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” has established the NAACP as an organization is still influential today even though it has a long history that could have ended it trajectory into mainstream
“We Shall Overcome” was a popular song of comfort and strength during the civil rights movement; it was a rallying cry for many black people who had experienced the racial injustices of the south. The song instilled hope that one day they would “overcome” the overt and institutional racism preventing them from possessing the same rights as white citizens. Anne Moody describes several instances when this song helped uplift her through the low points of her life as a black woman growing up in Mississippi in the 1950s and early 1960s. By the end of her autobiography “Coming Of Age In Mississippi” (1968), she saw a stream of excessive and unending violence perpetrated by white people and the crippling effects of poverty on the black people of
This book has proven to be an enlightening read. It both teaches and inspires. Howard Zinn has offered us a perspective of the real story of American history heretofore unavailable to us – history from the perspective of real people – immigrant laborers, American women, the working poor, factory workers, African and Native Americans.
Once in a while a truly exceptional person has made a mark on the growth of mankind. Dorothea Dix was an exceptional woman. She wrote children’s books, she was a school teacher, and she helped reform in prisons. Some of her most notable work was in the field of making mental health institutions a better place for the patients that lived in them. Dorothea Dix gave a great deal to humanity and her achievements are still being felt today, especially in the treatment of those with mental disabilities. Dix started out though with very humble beginnings.
The identity of Black Power was often connected with hate, violence, and racial resentment. Leaders like Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, and Huey Newton all spoke endlessly on issue of race relations and white oppression. Malcolm X and his “message to the grassroots” is an excellent example of how X and Black power enthusiasts viewed race relations. The speech emphasized the shared experience that all Negroes face in the United States, expressing that black people should unite under a revolution of a common enemy, “The European.” He continues how the Europeans have suppressed black ability to reach and maximize their full potential. X’s “Message to the Grassroots” speech stands a testament of Black Power’s perceptions; through a common enemy the group was able to form a collective identity.
" Sing for freedom : the story of the Civil Rights Movement through its songs. Montgomery, Ala.: NewSouth Books. Kirk, J. (2007). The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secon Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement: Controversies and Debates. Basingstoke, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Olivia Anderson had it all. The fame, the overwhelming respect, and the most charming husband. She achieved all of her aspirations in life, but one accomplishment that received the most accolades was when she became the first woman to become Chief of Surgery and win a Noble Prize the exact same year. As the the humble and classy woman she is, she never let the praise and admiration of people let her forget where she came from and how blessed she is to have the life she has today.
Before beginning to analyze both Motown and Stax Record’s influence on black consciousness it must first be understood why black consciousness itself can be seen as a step in the right direction in the fight against black struggle. Brian Ward does a great job of capturing the true success of soul music’s influence on black consciousness. Ward says, “[Black radio’s] real strength… was its ability to dramatize and celebrate shared aspects of the black experience… to promote a revived sense of black identity, pride, solidarity and common consciousness” (Ward 449). In his book, Ward also points out that despite this successful development of black consciousness, there was limited success both economically and structurally on behalf of the black music industry. This shows that even though ther...
The rise of the NAACP, was in effect long before the first members came together as a unit, the spirit of freedom was already being heard through the cries of those lynched, forced to endure public disgrace and ignorance through like of education, the American Negro. Before the first letter was typed, the spirit of writers such as August Meier, and John Hope Franklin were being purged through the blood of their fallen comrades. Yet being in the ground, their voices cry out what does it take for a black man to receive justice as free men. In the spirit of the rise of the NAACP, there were many challenges and obstacles they had to confront, lynching, the Jim Crow laws and educating newly freed slaves of their worth in this hostile society. It is my hope that the voices of Moorfield Storey, Mary White Ovington ans W.E.B. Du Bois will show the validity of the NAACP as a platform to the success of people of color, yesterday, today and whenever needed.
The rise of such speeches mostly made during demonstrations and mass actions across the United States were based on the continued oppression against the Black American population. Such oppression received such wide outcry more so due to the fact that it was perpetrated by the same government that was meant to act as a protector of its subjects. To great length, the group’s freedom of speech and assembly constantly faced oppression and as such the masses we...
“The land of the free and home of the brave,” the infamous line from America’s national anthem, Star-Spangled Banner, but how much did this ring truth for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Era? On October 16, 1968, gold medalist Tommie Smith and bronze medalist John Carlos challenged “the false vision of what it meant to be black in America.” (Pg. 108, John Carlos story) Although John Carlos and Tommie Smith ridiculed and ostracized because of their defiant act, which respectfully recognized as an iconic, powerful image labeled as the “black power salute” in the summer Olympics of 1968 in Mexico City. Carlos and Smith used the Olympics’ medal ceremony stage to challenge and bring recognition to the racism within sports and the United States in a silent gesture. This significant moment of their act of bravery, courage and willingness to sacrifice their sport careers and life to call attention to the segregation, racism and white supremacy back home for those who did not have a platform. “Smith and Carlos opened a unique symbolic space for dialogue and debate about these issues.” (Pg. 26, Douglas Hartmann) Without saying a single word, they captured the nation’s attention.
Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X manipulate the audience’s emotions, pathos, throughout the speech. However, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X use pathos in different ways. Martin Luther King Jr. uses pathos to create a patriotic and welcoming feeling throughout the audience. In his opening paragraph, he greets the audience by stating he is “happy” to speak to the audience. Throughout the speech, he includes positive words to reinforce the welcoming feeling such as “hope” (101), “joyous” (101), “magnificence” (101), and “great” (101). In addition, he adds a patriotic feeling in the crowd to show that people of color are not different from white people. He includes an American song, My Country Tis’ of Thee, as well as repeating the word “together” (103) in another paragraph. He uses the last line of My Country Tis’ of Thee, “let freedom ring” (104), towards the end of the speech to emphasize that the people of color are similar to white people. By using the song, he is showing that both African Americans and white people know the song.
The history of the African-American struggle against the forces of racism and oppression is a long and complex one. It dates back to when the first groups of Africans were forced to the Americas against their will. A tragedy most aptly described when Malcolm X proclaimed, “We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock; the rock was landed on us (X, Malcolm). Since that point in history, over four hundred years ago, Black people in the United States have been fighting to escape the holds of White supremacy. Leaders such as Frederick Douglas, W. E. B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, and many others each fought to win back the dignity and pride that had been stripped of their black brothers and sisters at the hands of racial inequality. This fight has continued on for centuries, and has employed many different methods in the quest for equality. One method in particular, stands alone as notorious in its advocacy for Black pride and power: Black Nationalism.
In the book anthem the societies are a collective. Meaning they work as one. “One for all and all for one”. In this essay I will be comparing a collective society to an individual society. We live in a society supporting individualism.
Assuredly, the purpose of this speech was to enlighten the minds of many Black Americans and engaged them in the fight for the civil rights. They now understand the situation at hand based on the vivid details expressed by X in his speech. As a result of X speaking up for the nation of blacks, he instilled the idea that African Americans should vote and become more politically active, by this motivation, he has established a new philosophy in the minds of the Black Americans, that being to seek equality.
Imagine being ripped apart from your mother as a child. Imagine watching family and friends receiving the stinging blow of a whip. Imagine religious men telling you that this is the will of god as they work you as close to death as they can. While difficult to imagine, this occurred to some of those who were enslaved in the early United States of America. One of the most heart wrenching of these accounts comes from a man born as a slave, Frederick Douglass. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an example of how some early Americans dehumanized slaves and how Fredrick Douglass’ viewed this atrocity. Despite this, Douglass found mental and physical means to fight this treatment.