Civil Rights Movement Music

Important issues in the Civil Rights Movement were segregation, unity and freedom. The African American’s of that time were separated from white American’s. Different toilets, and water fountains, difference places where to sit in restaurants and on buses. Because of this separation the African American’s felt divided and helpless to the circumstances. However, average people like you and me began to question the merit of the divide between African Americans and whites. Those who began talking were young college students who say the current way of life wrong and wanted to change it for their futures.  In order to express the other important issue, unity, these young people had to connect themselves to the older generations. One way they did this was through song. They used church songs that were deeply rooted in African culture which were sung by slaves working on the plantations, and changed the lyrics so that they were facing the current issue of unequal rights between them and whites. Bernice Johnson Reagon wrote an essay over the power of song in the Civil Rights movement which can be found at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/reflect/r03_music.html . She gives examples where the old melodies were revised with new lyrics to fit current situations. One example she gives is “there is a story of a policeman beating a demonstrator on the ground and the man being assaulted began to sing, "We Shall Overcome," and this particular policeman could not continue the beating”. In this situation the lyrics took on a new meaning, one that even the policeman could not ignore. Another example is when the Freedom Riders, who were famous for singing and creating new lyrics to old melodies, were locked up in a prison in Mississippi:

                “They said to the singing freedom riders, "if you don't shut up, we'll take your mattress," the protesters would sing, "You can take my mattress, you can take my mattress, oh yeah, you can take my mattress you can take my mattress, I'll keep my freedom, oh yeah..." That song is a concert spiritual, and we learned it as an arranged concert spiritual "Chariots a ‘coming, Oh Yeah."

These songs provided not only a link between generations but among all African American’s as well. They created solidarity and set an example of how people can be brought together, an example the whites could respect and admire. Because of the theme of freedom within these songs they were known officially as Freedom Songs. These songs were congregational songs with a song leader, who would sing the lyrics and people would join in and come together in unison of voice. These were either sung at large gatherings of protest or in the black churches. One song that was sung was “This Little Light of Mine”. These audio clips are going to let you experience what these songs sounded like to those who were listening during the Civil Rights Movement. Here is the first one: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/story/09_summer.html#music . For this second clip, listen to “Freedom Medley” at the bottom of the page. Here is the second one: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123599617. These songs are so inspirational! You can feel the spirits united and being lifted by every song they sing.

Some of this music is still seen today in the African American songs such as, blues, jazz, and R&B. When the original lyrics are sung it brings back the power and strength that the Civil Rights Movement had. With the success of the Civil Rights Movement African American’s are allowed equal opportunity and rights under the law of the United States and for the first time in history we have an African American president. Whether you agree that he is a great or horrible president does not wash away the significance of the freedom and respect of African Americans in this country that we didn’t have sixty years ago. In celebration of Black History Month a concert was held at the White House to honor those who fought for freedom in the Civil Right Movement. Here is a news clip of the performance: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june10/music_02-11.html . None of this could have been achieved if average folks didn’t decide to fight for the common goal of freedom and equality. The music of the Civil Rights movement helped them stay focused on their goal and keep moving forward.

Can music really create change?

Hello Everyone,

Did you feel like you had long day at work today? Are you so relieved that the weekend is finally here? Well I can guarantee that your day at work was not as long or hard as a day of work before the American Labor Movement. We owe our fair wages and lesser work hours to the men (and women) who decided to stand together, despite the dangers, and demand decent treatment. One of the most important aspects of this movement was solidarity. Those who chose to strike needed to come together as a cohesive unit in order to successfully demand change for themselves and their future generations. However, there was a major challenge posed to these workers. These workers were vastly different from one another: different countries, different languages, different genders, and different races. This challenge was taken on by the power of music who allowed these people to come together under a similar cause.

A musician, Joe Hill, had a tremendous impact on the American Labor Movement. According to Industrialization and the Emergence of Labor Music “No single person contributed more to the development of the genre of political music in the American labor movement that Joe Hill.” He joined forces with the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W) or more commonly known as the Wobblies. He sang at rallies all of the country and no one knew where he was at any particular moment. Quite often he was “witnessed” at two different rally events at the same time but in two different places. This shows that his songs were able to take on a character of their own and functioned independently of Joe Hill. Joe Hill was executed by a firing squad in 1915, no one knowing the true reason. But by that time Joe Hill had become an idea that couldn’t be killed. This is seen by songs written after his death about his persistent presence. “I Thought I Heard Joe Hill Last Night” is one of them; here is a link to Paul Robeson’s version of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Kxq9uFDes

Music’s most important feature is its power to inspire and bring people together behind a common cause. In the case of the American Labor Union many people needed music in order to keep pushing on and complete their strikes. Joe Glazer, a great musician and activist for the industrial workers, said “When you’re in a struggle and people are down, the music is very important to lift people up, help them build their spirit and their solidarity.” Movements need passion. Passion is what can tie people together and allow them the power to succeed whatever they wish to. There is a difference between speeches and songs, one noted by Joe Glazer, “Unlike speeches, music touches the soul, it not just the brain.” Sometimes to make the biggest change we have to unite our souls, not just our words. When there is a war to be held “Music is a great extra weapon.” Here’s some more about the power of music to the American Labor Movement by Joe Glazer himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaQ7qWo6120

One of the many controversial songs Joe Hill wrote was “The Preacher and the Slave”. Joe Hill along with the Wobblies tried to gather the most destitute people to join the Union cause but they had to fight with the Salvation Army over them. “The Preacher and the Slave” is directed at those people who tried to tell these people not to strike and keep working as they have because “they would receive their reward in heaven”. If people began to believe this it would jeopardize the progress the Union was making to better the working conditions of the industrial worker. If people did not unite and keep striking for the cause then the American Labor Movement would disintegrate. Joe Hill as well as the other Wobblies tried their hardest, and successfully, to win over the people to think about bettering the conditions they were in instead of hoping for a better future after their death. One judge who was trying a striker said “You are striking against God and Nature, whose law is that man shall earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. You are on strike against God!” Maybe man should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, but not by starvation, homelessness, death (about 100 people died every day from work injuries), and stingy bosses whose selfish wants deprive you of a normal human experience. Songs such as “The Preacher and the Slave” told these people they were only being deceived by this idea, which I have to agree with. Here is a rendition of “The Preacher and the Slave”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca_MEJmuzMM&feature=related

I hope you have enjoyed this blog and please feel free to comment!

Diversity Blog

In class we have been preparing to perform our very own Broadside Ballad. We decided on the theme of “Diversity Appreciation” here on campus. We will be performing our ballad Tuesday, February 15 at 2:30 at the Coulter Science Center Lecture Hall. Because we have been discussing this theme it is diversity appreciation that I will address in my blog, Enjoy!

For this blog we were assigned to read “Advancing cultural understanding through a “celebrate diversity!”” This article was about Staten Island’s initiative to rebuild their community after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. After this time, Staten Island lost many of its people and there was a lot of tension between different cultures. People were questioning of each other and isolating themselves to only the people they knew. I feel like this is the main reason people don’t reach out to people in other cultures, they are simple afraid to go outside of their comfort zone. But we must take that chance if we want to expand our experiences and the experiences of others. Culture differences are only as large as you allow them to be. The members of the New York Center for Interpersonal Development (NYCID) and Wagner College knew the important of this diversity and set for on a mission to revive the cultural appreciation that make Staten Island what it is.

To do this they started by reuniting neighbors and exciting the community once again. They did this through get-togethers that occurred throughout the year. These once a month events included, pot-luck dinners, interactive study circles, festivals, etc. After the success of these ventures the NYCID decided to host an enormous event called Celebrate Diversity! This event had theatre performances, art shops, music, dancing, awards, games and shows for children, and of course, tons of food! However, this event took a lot of work from those in NYCID, Wagner College students, and those in the community themselves. But in the end each individual’s hard work paid off in a great celebration and appreciation of the immense cultural diversity of Staten Island.

I attend Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri and we are ranked the second in the nation for the amount of international students we have. Students here are from a very wide variety of backgrounds and cultures and it is very important for all of us to be understanding and appreciative to one another. If we don’t we won’t be able to have a unison community and we will be divided just like Staten Island was. We cannot allow fear of the unknown take away from the bond we could have as a community. I have friends from South Korea, Thailand, China, Germany, Britain, Oklahoma, Virginia, Texas, Arkansas, and many more. They have enriched my life and I believe that if we show by example people will see being friends with people from other cultures is not frightening, but immensely rewarding then Westminster College can move towards a greater diversity appreciation.

No Blog This Week :(

Unfortunately, I will not be posting a blog this evening because a blizzard decided to wreck havoc on the Mid-west. So I have not had school for three days and have not recieved a blog assignment. Sorry for the inconvenience! However you can check back next Thursday and I should have a blog at that time, thanks for all your helpful comments!

Mel

What is a Broadside Ballad?

A broadside ballad is a narrative song, sung to a popular theme that addresses a specific social or political issue of that time period. The broadside ballad is intended for the masses, and to show this it was played in taverns, bars, on the streets, etc. They would be just a sheet of paper with lyrics on it that would be posted everywhere like flyers we see today. To make up an example, of what a broadside ballad could be today it could be addressing the Arizona shooting over the immigration issue, but it would be sung to the melody of America The Beautiful (a hymn everyone can recognize). Broadside ballads give us a glimpse into truth about our struggles now, and about those in our past. A broadside ballad cannot be censored, it is raw and listening to one can be just as exciting as sitting around with a bunch of Grandkids and listening to Grandpa tell a captivating story about when he was a young boy. Listening to broadside ballads allow us to recapture moments lost in time and with a simple melody, bring them back to life once more.

One such struggle was the Southern Tenant Farmers Union strike in the 1930’s.  Because of President Franklin D. Roosevelt the Agricultural Adjustment Agency (AAA) was founded to increase the price of food and help rebound the economy. In order to do this they paid farmers not to farm but the money would go to the landowners not to the farmers. Even though the landowners were expected to share the money, most did not. So the Southern Tenant Farmers Union was formed. The Almanac Singers saw this social justice was occurring and wrote a ballad called “Roll the Union On”. It was sung to a melody almost everyone knew and is actually quite catchy! Here is a link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4YeDI4R9MA

Being able to listen to a broadside ballad such as “Roll the Union On” is like being able to experience the emotion that the people were feeling during that time. It gives you an experience you cannot recreate from a history book. When people come together in song, whether a church hymn, a school alma mater, or a broadside ballad they become united and a powerful force that cannot be silenced.

“The songs of the working people have always been their sharpest statement and the one statement which cannot be destroyed.”
                                                                                                                                         --John Steinbeck

Blog #1

Hi everyone, my name is Melanie and I am doing this blog for my music class: Music of Resistance, Revolution, and Liberation. The purpose of this blog is to seek out and understand music that has been used to influence political or social change. We will look at why these pieces were so successful and what they did for the societies they wanted to change. I am taking this class because I am interested in the way that music changes other’s attitudes and can influence others to change. Music is very inspiring to me. By the end of this course I would like to have learned numerous amounts of songs that are powerful and meaningful in the past, present and future.

http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/video/CFV10058_768k_320_n.swf

The artist I have chosen is Bernice Johnson Reagon. She has been a singer and an activist since the sixties. ” She founded SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) Freedom Singers, which was the first group of freedom singers to travel nationally. Through Freedom Singers and her own work, she became a leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

The primary social and political issues she addressed were the idea of equal rights for African Americans. She saw firsthand the effects of racism in her own life and wanted to make a change. She witnessed protests and riots that usually ended up in arrest and how after song was able to unify her community and people. During the Albany movement in Albany, Georgia she comments of the power of the music: “It was the first time that I knew the power of song to be an instrument for the articulation of our community concerns.”

http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/

I chose this video because what she said about freedom really intrigued me. She says “The only freedom you have is the freedom you’re exercising.” I completely agree and those are some powerful words, they make you want to do something and to start exercising the freedom you really do have. If she can speak this way then I can only imagine how powerful and influential her music is, and that’s really exciting to me. I can’t wait to find more people and songs just like this!