We Shall Overcome: The Music of the Civil Rights Movement Jason Danielson Hoover High School

PART I Studying Music & Artistic History

Art as a primary source Challenge: be an “English teacher” Challenge: be an “English teacher” Symbolism & meaning Symbolism & meaning “Subjective” points of view “Subjective” points of view Rewards: varying perspectives, interesting sources, and c’mon, it’s fun! Rewards: varying perspectives, interesting sources, and c’mon, it’s fun!

Art reveals history Negro Spirituals Negro Spirituals No personal items (musical instruments) No personal items (musical instruments) Protestant churches (gospel songs) Protestant churches (gospel songs) American white music (brass bands, marching bands) American white music (brass bands, marching bands) Result: “Black music” in U.S. Result: “Black music” in U.S. “Latin” music “Latin” music Kept some cultural artifacts (percussion) Mostly Catholic (didn’t connect to music) Europeans & natives mixed cultures (strings, percussion) Result: “salsa” in Caribbean, samba in Brazil

PART II The Evolution of Black (Protest) Music in the United States

Spirituals & Church Songs African influence: strong rhythms, simple harmonies African influence: strong rhythms, simple harmonies Call-and-response from black preaching Call-and-response from black preaching Double meaning: spiritual & practical (Black Liberation Theology: “God helps those who help themselves”) Double meaning: spiritual & practical (Black Liberation Theology: “God helps those who help themselves”)

Spirituals & Church Songs: examples Spiritual: Wade in the Water Spiritual: Wade in the Water Church Song: This Little Light of Mine Church Song: This Little Light of Mine Civil Rights Protest Song: Woke Up This Mornin’ with My Mind (Stayed on Jesus/Freedom) Civil Rights Protest Song: Woke Up This Mornin’ with My Mind (Stayed on Jesus/Freedom) Civil Rights Theme Song: We Shall Overcome Civil Rights Theme Song: We Shall Overcome

Blues & Jazz European influence: sophisticated harmonies added to rhythms European influence: sophisticated harmonies added to rhythms Entertainment purposes & freedom from slavery- added more instruments Entertainment purposes & freedom from slavery- added more instruments Ragtime: Scott Joplin, The Entertainer Ragtime: Scott Joplin, The Entertainer Blues: W.C. Handy, St. Louis Blues Blues: W.C. Handy, St. Louis Blues “Rhythm Section:” piano, guitar (banjo), bass (tuba), drums, percussion “Rhythm Section:” piano, guitar (banjo), bass (tuba), drums, percussion Horns: trumpet, trombone, sax (clarinet) Horns: trumpet, trombone, sax (clarinet)

Blues & Jazz: examples Big Band Comparison Big Band Comparison Dance: Count Basie, One o’clock Jump Dance: Count Basie, One o’clock Jump Performance: Duke Ellington, Caravan Performance: Duke Ellington, Caravan Jazz & Civil Rights Jazz & Civil Rights Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit Charles Mingus, Fables of Faubus Charles Mingus, Fables of Faubus Nina Simone, Mississippi Goddam Nina Simone, Mississippi Goddam John Coltrane, Alabama John Coltrane, Alabama

Rhythm & Blues, Rock & Roll 1 st time since 1930s black music was popular music 1 st time since 1930s black music was popular music Fueled by popularity of Chuck Berry & Elvis Presley Fueled by popularity of Chuck Berry & Elvis Presley Like jazz before it: considered risqué by “proper” white society (code for “too black”) Like jazz before it: considered risqué by “proper” white society (code for “too black”)

Rhythm & Blues, Rock & Roll: examples Chuck Berry, No Particular Place to Go Chuck Berry, No Particular Place to Go Hound Dog as black & white case study Hound Dog as black & white case study Big Mama Thornton Big Mama Thornton Elvis Presley Elvis Presley White person had to do black music before it would be popular with a mass white audience. White person had to do black music before it would be popular with a mass white audience.

Soul & Funk: Popular Music of the Movement Motown Motown “Gentrified” soul “Gentrified” soul Gentle rhythms Gentle rhythms String arrangements String arrangements Smooth singers Smooth singers Mixed audience Mixed audience Symbolism/allegory Symbolism/allegory Stax Stax “Pure black” soul Driving rhythms Rhythm/horn-driven Aggressive singers Mostly black audience Outright protest

Soul & Funk: examples Motown Motown Smokey Robinson, Tears of a Clown Smokey Robinson, Tears of a Clown Marvin Gaye, What’s Goin’ On (connects civil rights & Vietnam) Marvin Gaye, What’s Goin’ On (connects civil rights & Vietnam) Stax Stax Sam & Dave, Hold On I’m Comin’ Isaac Hayes, Soulsville Sam Cook, A Change is Gonna Come

More Soul & Funk James Brown, Say it Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) James Brown, Say it Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) Stevie Wonder, Livin’ for the City Stevie Wonder, Livin’ for the City Gil Scott Heron, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Gil Scott Heron, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Hip-Hop & Rap African tradition of spoken word music African tradition of spoken word music Black tradition of improvisation Black tradition of improvisation Irony: Became very popular among white suburban teens (remember exotic/”naughty” equated with “blackness?”)- created urban “ghetto” image (gangs, strippers, etc.)- led to market for popularizing this rather than promoting social justice Irony: Became very popular among white suburban teens (remember exotic/”naughty” equated with “blackness?”)- created urban “ghetto” image (gangs, strippers, etc.)- led to market for popularizing this rather than promoting social justice

Hip-Hop & Rap: example Public Enemy, Fight the Power Public Enemy, Fight the Power

PART III Application of Concepts in the Classroom

Introductory/Closing Activity Begin class hearing music, looking at art, or reading excerpt from literature, write short reflection Begin class hearing music, looking at art, or reading excerpt from literature, write short reflection Wrap up class hearing/viewing something artistic from the time period, discuss/write relating it to what they’ve studied Wrap up class hearing/viewing something artistic from the time period, discuss/write relating it to what they’ve studied

Student or Group Project Album/song/portfolio/book review Album/song/portfolio/book review Presentation examining different art forms during specific times in history or connecting artistic development across time Presentation examining different art forms during specific times in history or connecting artistic development across time Study popular culture today and compare/contrast with past popular and artistic endeavors Study popular culture today and compare/contrast with past popular and artistic endeavors

Primary Document Workshop National Archives document analysis worksheets (sound recording, cartoon, motion picture, photograph, poster) National Archives document analysis worksheets (sound recording, cartoon, motion picture, photograph, poster) Put artistic interpretations in same framework as government documents, journals, newspapers, etc. Put artistic interpretations in same framework as government documents, journals, newspapers, etc. Multiple perspectives, student engagement, compare/contrast with more “objective” documents Multiple perspectives, student engagement, compare/contrast with more “objective” documents