The impact of Jazz in the Civil Rights movement of the 60s
Monson, Ingrid. “Monk Meets SNCC.” Black Music Research Journal, vol. 19, no. 2, 1999, pp. 187–200. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/779341. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
In Ingrid Monson’s “Black research Journal”, talked about Thelonious Monk’s involvement in the Civil Rights movement in the 60s, as well as the big role that fund raising concerts played, where many Jazz musicians would perform, which would contribute to the movement. Many famous Jazz musicians like Clark Terry, Max Roach, Cannonball Adderley, Tony Bennet, Miles Davis, and so much more helped contribute to these fundraising events for the purpose of helping to fund the Civil Rights Movement. Monson also went into detail about Monks apolitical side, which slowly started to change through the years in the early 60s. From going as somebody who didn’t want to get too involved in politics, to somebody who would perform in response to a woman of color who was killed due to racial discrimination.
Throughout the entire reading, Monson includes many sources and events to back up her claims. There are many portions throughout the reading that gives the reading context to help better understand the claims that she makes. Such portions of contexts are all diverse and drives the reader to read and learn more. The authors use of direct quotes that are stated by Thelonious Monk and other musicians, adds more depth and security to her claims on how Civil Rights Movement was so powerful that it moved Thelonious Monks apolitical views to the side and how such fundraising events performed by Jazz musicians played a huge role in the movement.
Portions of the text can be used to help support my claim, in terms of Jazz music played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. Especially how a lot of these events took place in the 60s. The evidence of total amount of money that was shown in the reading and the direct quotes from many Jazz Musicians can be used in the argument research essay altogether.
McMichael, Robert K. “‘We Insist-Freedom Now!’: Black Moral Authority, Jazz, and the Changeable Shape of Whiteness.” American Music, vol. 16, no. 4, 1998, pp. 375–416. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3052287. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
In the reading “We Insist – Freedom Now!” written by Robert K. McMichael, the entire reading dives into the racial issues that took place in the 60s, while also including how the media played a big role in shaping the picture of African Americans. The reading goes into detail regarding the different sub genres of Jazz at that time, and how it played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement in the 60s because for instance, the sub-genre “Avant – Garde Jazz” was something that appealed more to people who were white compared to people of color. Which as a result, help shed light to the brutalities towards people of color, leading to white people questioning their social identities.
McMichael uses various sources to help strengthen his claims. Would constantly include quotes from Jazz Musicians and critics such as Sonny Rollins, Eric Dolphy, Nat Hentoff, Miles Davis, Ron Carter, John Litweiler, and many more to help reveal the significance that Jazz and the expressions that came out of the music that played an impactful position in the Civil Rights Movement. There were various portions in the reading that held different information. Some portions held gave context about the social/political issues at the time and some were pure musical. Which gave the reader an all rounded idea and sense of what the author wanted to portray through the writing.
This reading can be used to help provide sufficient evidence to my argument essay because it gives a different view about how Jazz Music played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement in the 60s. It dove deep into social constructs and sub genres in Jazz that were influential, in ways that helped persuade people who were white to rethink their social identities at the time where it seemed normal to discriminate towards people of color.
Feldstein, Ruth. “‘I Don’t Trust You Anymore’: Nina Simone, Culture, and Black Activism in the 1960s.” The Journal of American History, vol. 91, no. 4, 2005, pp. 1349–79. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3660176. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
In Feldstein’s essay “I Don’t Trust You Anymore”, the author talks about Nina Simone’s works as one of the most well-known Jazz singers at that time in the 60s. Feldstein’s when into detail of how Simone’s music played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement by increasing funds through concerts, how her music also supported women’s rights, and much more. The essay also highlights that despite Simone’s efforts in contributing to the Civil Rights Movement, many scholars looked past Simone’s efforts in the 60s. The author talks about Simone’s first ever Civil Rights Song, “Mississippi Goddam” which was in response to the bombing in Birmingham, which later became a political anthem.
Feldstein applied quotes from Nina Simone, while including context in terms of her musical history and how it started to shift into more of a political and activism line of work in her music. The author included various sources to support his reasoning such as how different political issues such as feminism, social constructs, the Civil Rights Movement, and many more were interconnected to each other despite its differences while also arguing how women in black activism and second wave feminism had significant influence at that time as well. Feldstein’s informative tone, with her many claims, pulls the reader in to look deeper into the picture of the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s.
Parts of the essay can be included in the argument research essay as it involves context of the Civil Rights Movement and the 60s. While also arguing how Jazz music was extremely significant in the movement with theexample of Nina Simone. The given claims and context in the essay can be usedto introduce a different view of the Civil Rights Movement.
Saul, Scott. Freedom Is, Freedom Ain’t : Jazz and the Making of the Sixties, Harvard University Press, 2003. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ccny-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3300359.
In the Book, “Freedom is, Freedom ain’t: Jazz and the Making of if the Sixties” written by Scott Saul, talks about the significant influence and presence of Jazz culture, revealed to be a way spiritual expression, how the music is a form of resistance at the time of the 60s, and much more. Saul went into detail regarding Charles Mingus and Max Roach, mentioning how they played a rebellious role in the Newport Jazz Festival which improved Black power in the Civil Rights Movement. Showed how Mingus’s form of resistance in his music targeted corporate entities and overall American Culture.
Saul provides good context, talking about and exploring Jazz’s history from 1950 to 1960s that helped create pivotal environment for the growth of Jazz influence that helped push the Civil Rights Movement. It gave analysis regarding the Newport Jazz Festival and its influence towards American Culture. Revealing key albums throughout the entire reading such as Kind of Blue and Tijuana Moods to help support the author’s proposed ideas. The text is straight forward and informative regarding Jazz’s presence in the 60s.
The entire book, especially the chapter “The Riot in Reverse”, can be used to help support my claims in the argument research essay, because it gives good context regarding Jazz and it’s presence in the 60 and in the Civil Rights Movement. It talks about the Newport Jazz Festival and its influence. Adding on how Charles Mingus and many other Jazz musicians that were apart of the influence in the Newport Jazz Festival as well can all be used within the essay.
Hentoff, Nat. “Memories of an Unlikely Young Firebrand: A civil rights protest album on which she sang (and screamed) helped bring out racial divisions in jazz during the early 1960’s. Recollecting A Firebrand.” New York Times (1923-), Mar 03, 2002, pp. 2-a31. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/memories-unlikely-young-firebrand/docview/92199374/se-2.
In the newspaper, “Memories of an Unlikely Young Firebrand: A civil rights protest album on which she sang (and screamed) helped bring out racial divisions in jazz during the early 1960’s. Recollecting A Firebrand” written by Nat Hentoff was about a Civil Rights protest album where in the record “We Insist! Freedom Now Suite” by Max Roach, had a significant moment on the song “Triptych Prayer/ Protest/ Peace” where Abbey Lincoln was screaming wordlessly. Hentoff talked about this significant moment and how it brought her into the spotlight where it played a role in the Civil Rights Movement. Especially when the entire album was about slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. Such a song helped push her into another direction in terms of song writing, making music, and her career as an activist and singer. Being held in the spotlight led to her being ridiculed and called names, but there was no denying that it had an influence over the movement.
Throught the entire article, the author shares his personal experience and anecdotes with the musicians. Which helps solidify his claims as he holds some credibility through the ideas he was presenting. Conversations he had with many of the musicians such Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach, which shows that he is fully aware of what he is talking about. The given names of examples and events also help support his ideas as well.
The entire article provides sufficient information regarding Jazz, the Civil Rights Movement, and the 60s. The personal anecdotes shared by Hentoff, are good pieces of evidence as well as the mentioned records such as “We insist! Freedom Now Suite” helps solidify my argument.
Gazit, Ofer. “Spiritual Commodification: A Political Economy of African Jazz in the Civil Rights Era.” Musical Quarterly, vol. 106, no. 3/4, Fall/Winter2023 2023, pp. 295–308. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/10.1093/musqtl/gdad009.
Gazit who is the author of “Spiritual Commodification: A Political Economy of African Jazz in the Civil Rights Era” talks about the economic political point of view regarding many of the Jazz albums that were published at that time. Mentioning how many commercial records labels had issues investing in these music projects due to such political perspectives on decolonization and race. Highlighting the social injustice in the music industry, especially during the 60s. The reading also dives in the different rhythmic and changes of instrumentals in African American Jazz and pan – African Jazz to help express more of themselves in the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The author also talked about religion and how many musicians started to venture to other major religious groups like Islam. People like Art Blakey and many other musicians who converted created a sense of community and spiritual gathering.
Gazit offers a different view for the reader to see when it came to Jazz and it’s presence in the Civil Rights Movement, showing the economic political side of things and revealing how it wasn’t easy for the musicians to put out music due to racial injustice. The author also added another view for the reader to see regarding religion. How many Jazz musicians started to venture out to other belief systems such as Islam, which helped influence the spiritual and expression-oriented scene when it came to Jazz. The author dives into musical analysis of the tunes from Art Blakey to help the reader see another view.
Information can be pulled out from this reading and can be used within the argument-based research essay since while it talks about, Jazz and the Civil Rights in the 60s, it gives a different viewpoint by going into specifics of the economic political perspective of trying to publish music within Colored Musicians in the Jazz scene. Showcasing how it was incredibly challenging due to racial biases and fears of outlash.
Reverse Outline
Introduction paragraph
Talks about the influence of Jazz and its role in the Civil Rights Movement.
First body paragraph
Jazz charity events played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement.
-Connects to the thesis as it talks about how charity events raised funding and awareness towards the movement
Second body paragraph
The Newport Rebels Festival was a form of protest towards racial inequality by Jazz musicians.
-Relates to the thesis since the festival was a form of protest that had a lot of media coverage, spreading more awareness to the movement.
Third body paragraph
The influence of Avant – Garde Jazz on racial identity and in the Civil Rights Movement
-Connects to the thesis since the sub-genre led to in depth thinking of racial identities, revealing the racial discrimination happening at that time.
