Great African American musicians of the40’s, 50’s, especially 60’s and 70’s, like Jimi Hendrix for example, where not have always been in the headlines for the right reasons. They, Hendrix especially, were not always forefront leaders in movement like the Civil Rights era like Malcolm X or Martin Luther where.. That may be true, but by simply being a successful African American musician in times like these would speak volume, and have profound influence. Jimi Hendrix explained it bests, when he summed up the power behind, not just his music, but all music, when he told us...
“Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.”
Nowhere and at no time was statement ever truer than at the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. Music preserved the history of the movement, was movement biggest advocate, largest supporter, and greatest leader. Music embodied the movement likewise to how Martin Luther King did. But of the countless protest and songs, some did this especially well. Songs like “We Shall Overcome”, “We shall not be moved”, and “Go, tell it on the Mountain”.
But By the far the most common and powerful song of the era was Pete Seeger’s adaption of the old folk song “We Shall Overcome” (LOC) The first refrain of which reads
“We shall overcome; we shall overcome someday, Oh deep in my heart I do believe we will overcome.”(LOC)
This was the anthem for the movement. It was sung in Church, school, in the streets, on the protest. It was the motto that summed the entire movement up into three simple words., that really empowered African-American. The song itself has traveled and evolved along with the Blacks as they ventered from slaves to fully equal citizens.
It was original...
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...the entire nation.
The song still remains today. Often regarded as one of the most motivating and inspiring works of that era in history, as well as the decades before Civil Rights. This is an one few examples of the power behind music to embody ideals, immortalize the beliefs and struggles.
Works Cited
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/songs/overcome.html http://www.sharefaith.com/guide/Christian-Music/hymns-the-songs-and-the-stories/go-tell-it-on-the-mountain,-the-song-and-the-story.html http://www.sharefaith.com/guide/Christian-Music/hymns-the-songs-and-the-stories/go-tell-it-on-the-mountain,-the-song-and-the-story.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/we-shall-overcome_b_3835195.html http://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/swf/jukebox/jukebox6.php
http://www.opengovernmentrecords.net/drupal/node/65
The development of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the late 1940s and early 1950s by young African Americans coincided with a sensitive time in America. Civil rights movements were under way around the country as African Americans struggles to gain equal treatment and the same access to resources as their white neighbors. As courts began to vote in favor of integration, tensions between whites and blacks escalated. As the catchy rhythm of Rock ‘n’ Roll began to cross racial boundaries many whites began to feel threatened by the music, claiming its role in promoting integration. This became especially problematic as their youth became especially drawn to ...
During the Civil Rights era, African Americans changed the way people looked at music by ending the segregation in the music world and by making a well-known “soundtrack” and influence during the Civil Rights Movement.
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
Artists write about what they know; they pull feelings from their heart and their songs relay what the artists’ emotions, whether it be of their hometown, their high school crush, or their experiences. Many artists that came to fame during the twentieth century have a fair share of experiences they share with us in the form of their songs. The twentieth century is comprised of the institution of slavery and its effects, war, gender norms, discrimination based on nationality, sex, race, etc., and countless events that sparked protests and uproars in the United States. Music at this time was a phenomenon, and artists could use it to their advantage. Artists used their music to spread awareness about their cause, influence their listeners, and
In the land of the free, home of the brave, events showed how much of a lie this slogan was. Slavery was prominent in the South but was no more following the Civil War which would make one think America would return to the promise they offer of freedom. But after the abolition of slavery, racism simply took it’s place leaving African Americans in a not-so-free America. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Jelly Roll Morton, and others involved in the Harlem Renaissance transformed America into what we know today. Through musical outlets, the Harlem Renaissance or Jazz Age changed the perspective of those listening to accept the fact that all men were created equal. Possibly defined as one of the most influential characters in the Jazz Age,
From his wealth of protest songs like "The Bourgeois Blues” and "Scottsboro Boys." to his ability to cross class and race lines to perform in colleges and for educational radio programs teaching the White man about his people, the places he had lived and the stories that had been passed down to him via song, must have given him not only a tremendous sense of purpose but joy in sharing what he loved to do most. His music gave him a voice in an era where other poor black men had no voice at all.
This poem represents the resiliency of the African American spirit, Although African Americans were enslaved, overworked and victimize the speaker is still proud to be a “Negro.” The speaker wanted to be the voice that represented all the unfair and injustice experience African American endured. Most importantly he wanted to end the poem they way he started the poem… Proud to be a “Negro.”
It spoke to the masses about common issues that many people faced every day. With issues ranging from tax raises, the war in Vietnam, and second-class living standards, this poem was an inspiration and a voice of the people who could not speak up for themselves and made an effort to challenge the norm that was set by the government. Many people found that the collaboration between Hughes and Simone to be a turning point in Africa-American culture. It called for an equal treatment of all the classes no matter what race or ethnicity they were. “Try to find myself a job to earn a little cash, all you got to offer is a white backlash.” (Lines 16 through 18, stanza 3) These lines show that the civil rights of African-Americans was not equal to the whites and the backlash from an unequal society was hurting the African-American community. The song was also very popular in the “Back to Africa Movement” because of its call that many people interpreted to be a call for the community to go back to its roots. This song and poem was the driving force behind an entire generation and was a key part in the civil rights
Music was used as a critical instrument in the early 20th century in mobilizing and inspiring the civil rights movement by giving them more voice to bring out their grievances. According to Kerk (2007, p.18) Martin Luther king was the most prolific figure who utilized music to sensitize society, “we believe that freedom songs play a big and vital part in the struggle that we are going through” this words were also echoed by the Albany movement “music keeps us a live, it gives us a sense of unity, new courage every dawn, hope to move on that the future still holds something in our most daring and dreadful hours”
Some, not all, African Americans truly believe that they are enslaved of their freedom and are still in bondage by their past, present and future. Even though there are accurate facts about what happened to their ancestors who were slaves; this matter should not be personalized. If it wasn’t for the slave survivors, civil rights activists and leaders, politicians who knew their facts and did their research, and the African American literature; a lot of information would not be known today. However, what really broadens a wider perspective of expressions, opinions and experiences that outreached the masses is brought about in music. In the African American
Music has often played a role in political and social events; however, those events were usually focused on a smaller population (i.e. Swing low, Sweet Chariot for slaves1 and We Shall over Come for African American civil rights). Folk singers had become active in the civil rights movement with songs like “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” by Bob Dylan and “Birmingham Sunday” by Joan Baez.2 The Vietnam War affected the masses and music became a method to unite the public and express disapproval to America’s involvement in Vietnam.
The stories of the African American journey and perspective told through jazz songs introduced society to the struggle of blacks everywhere and eventually allowed to develop a sense of purpose. Firstly, ”The true story of jazz,
Historically, the Civil Rights Movement was a time during the 1950’s and 60’s to eliminate segregation and gain equal rights. Looking back on all the events, and dynamic figures it produced, this description is very vague. In order to fully understand the Civil Rights Movement, you have to go back to its origin. Most people believe that Rosa Parks began the whole civil rights movement. She did in fact propel the Civil Rights Movement to unprecedented heights but, its origin began in 1954 with Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka was the cornerstone for change in American History as a whole. Even before our nation birthed the controversial ruling on May 17, 1954 that stated separate educational facilities were inherently unequal, there was Plessy vs. Ferguson in 1896 that argued by declaring that state laws establish separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Some may argue that Plessy vs. Ferguson is in fact backdrop for the Civil Rights Movement, but I disagree. Plessy vs. Ferguson was ahead of it’s time so to speak. “Separate but equal” thinking remained the body of teachings in America until it was later reputed by Brown vs. Board of Education. In 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, and prompted The Montgomery Bus Boycott led by one of the most pivotal leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. After the gruesome death of Emmett Till in 1955 in which the main suspects were acquitted of beating, shooting, and throwing the fourteen year old African American boy in the Tallahatchie River, for “whistling at a white woman”, this country was well overdo for change.
Traditional gospel music was written to be performed to express the African Americans’ personal feelings of Christianity. During the 1950’s, African Americans were segregated from the whites. Black Americans believed that the U.S. should be integrated not segregated. The civil rights movement came into play because of the large range of discrimination in the U.S. Gospel music was a tool for resistance during the Civil rights movement, because many protestors would sing hymns instead of violently protesting in the streets. Black Americans would sing freedom songs that influenced their rights against discrimination. Gospel music gave African Americans strength to not violently protest in the streets because they knew violence wasn’t the way to go. To express the relationship of African American traditional gospel music to their struggle towards freedom after the World War II era.
Considered a touchy topic for some people, the African American resistance movement had many factors contributing to its success. Some may debate how some of these factors served a legitimate purpose, but this film discusses the role of music. We gain an insight into some individuals who believed the music acted as a vital contributor to the movement while others felt it became popular because of the movement. Personally, I stand on the side that believes the music acted as a catalyst in the movement. This film provides us with many examples of the black South Africans using the music to fuel their resistance. In fact, I do not understand how you can have any other viewpoint after watching this film because it thoroughly explains how certain