DOCSLIB.ORG

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Songs of the Mississippi Civil

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Songs of the Mississippi Civil We who believe in freedom should not rest, until the killing of black men, a black mot, son, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother's We who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens. Ella Baker 1903-' Portrait of Ella Baker on this page by Sharon Riley. Dear Friends, I was seven years old in the summer of 1964 and I have never been to Mississippi. While attending college at Kent State University, I became familiar with the names Ella Baker; Fannie Lou Hamer; Medgar Evers; and Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney. I was enamored of their courage and conviction , and eventually, I became absorbec in creating a lasting tribute to them and to their timeless quest for justice. The creation of the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project is, in every way , evolutionary and a labor of love. This musical collection and forthcoming anthology was born while I was in graduate school researching songs from the Civil Rights Movement. Digging through issues of Broadside magazine from the early 60's, I noticec that the most powerful and provocative pieces capturec the brutality committed against those who dared to eradicate the segregation and racist status quo in Mississippi. There, in the summer of 1964, close to one thousand college students from the North joined civil rights workers in a dangerous operation to bring about social reforms for southern blacks, including voting rights, better schools, and adequate housing. Their passion and purpose filled the pages of this national song magazine, where the story of the Mississippi Freedom Summer unfolded, at once urgent and eloquent. Like an explorer who discovered a buried treasure, I had to share my riches with the rest of the world. I began by weaving this information into an arts-empowerment program for at-risk, low-income youth and children in Washington, D.C. Not surprisingly, most of my students had been denied exposure to the events and individuals who made possible the Mississippi Freecom Summer, as American history texts typically make cursory, if any, reference to one of the country's most decisive initiatives for social change. Realizing something more had to be done, I put all of my energies and limited resources into developing a national forum for Freedom Summer participants to document their legacies in a non-commercial format , unscarred by censorship and media distortion. Literally hundreds of people have supported my efforts, in a generous offering of articles, testimonies , and the cherished lyrics and melodies included here. I'm careful to remind you, however, that this collection is not meant to be a historical account; rather, it is a retrospective reminiscent of the racial discrimination and economic disparity that continues today I dangerously ignored and inexcusably dismissed. Nor is this project all inclusive. Hundreds of Freedom Summer volunteers were never located, and others have never forwarded their materials despite their initial enthusiasm and my repeated requests. Perhaps, they feel their recollection has been tempered by the passage of time; or, conversely, their memories have proven too difficult to record . It is, nevertheless, a fine tribute, which I have dedicated to the memory of Ella Baker. Ella's name is not widely known among the general public, but to those inside the movement, her uncompromising mission and inspiriting presence were a sustaining force . I am also proud to present this project in honor of Emmett Till , Medgar Evers, Michael Schwemer, Andrew Goodman, James Chaney ... and all those who gave their lives to the ongoing struggle for racial equality and social justice. Freedom Is a Constant Struggle has touched my life in many ways. The captivating power of the material and the wonderful people I met made this experience one of the most rewarding in my life. It is my hope that the songs assembled for this collection stir the emotions of the listener as they have mine, and that they are shared with generations to come . In Peace, Susie Erenrich Executive Director Cultural Center for Social Change A Note About This Recorded Collection This historical album contains analog as well as digital source material, some of which was recorded live more than 30 years ago. Every attempt has been made to obtain original master recordings and capture the best possible sound. Some of the original master recordings had inherent problems, but capturing the song in its historical context was more vital than attempting to obtain more contemporary material. IlISCl 1. Hey Nelly Nelly, pertonne<! by .llly CoIlns Silverslein-Freidman, Hollis Music, Inc., BMI. Used by pennissioo 01 Eleklra Records. From 'Judy Collins 13.' 2. Heres To The Stafe Of MIssisSippi, arrange<! ar<! pertonne<! by I'tlII Ochs WOlds ar<I music by Phil Ochs, Wamer BrothelS, ASCAP Producec urxIer lICense flom Eleklra Enlertairmenl Taken Irom 1l1ere Bul For FOr1lJ1e' 3. 8<Jllad Of Medgar Evers, Ie<! by MaIIhew.kroes, pertonnec by the St«:C Freedoot Si'QeIs. Recorde<! in Allanla GA, include<!thrOl.\lh courtesy of Phonogram, Inc. Used by pennissioo of Matthew Jooes ar<! The Smithsonian Institution. Taken from "Voices of the Civil Rights Movement Black American Freedom Songs, 1960-1966.' 4. Deafh Of Medgar Evers, perlonned by DooaIl.eace. Words ar<! music by Tom Paxlon. No previoos recooIl\!. C Deep Fori< Music, Inc. Recon1ed for IhIs alllm 5. Onfy A Pawn fn Therr Game, pertonnec by Bob IJyIa1. Words ar<! music by Bob Dylaf\ Special Wriler Music. Use<! by pennissi., of ColllTIbia Records. Taken from 1l1e Times They Are A-Changin'.' 6. Too Meny Martyrs. pertonnec by KIn & Raggio Hanis. Words by Phil Ochs. MusK: by Phil Ochs ar<I Boll Gibsoo. Applesee<l Music, ASCAP Used by pennissioo of the Ochs Eslate. Newly ooxded lor IhIs abm. 7 Bfowm' fn The WInd, pertonne<! by Pel8r, PIli & MaIy. Words ar<I music by Bob Dylan, Special Wriler Music. Produced tJ'Ider license from Warner Brolhers Records Inc. Taken from "Ten Years Together." 8. If fsn7 Nice, pertormed by .Illy CoIlns. Words ar<I music by Malvina Reynold~ music by Malvina Reynolds and Barbara Dane, Schroder Music, ASCAP. Used by pennission of Eleklra Records. Taken from 'Judy Collins' Fillll Album.' 9. Ain! Gonna Lef Notxldy Turn Me Round pertormed by .iji.o lasIBr Adaplatioo of Iradili",,1 song by members of the Albany Movement Newly ooxded for IhIs abm. 10. Hammer Song, pertonnec ar<I arrange<! by IIafbn Dn. Words ar<I musrc by Lee Hays ar<I Pele Seeger, TAO 0 1958 (renewe<!) & 1962 Ludlow MusK: Inc. Use<! by pennissi., 01 Dreadnaughl Mus~, 8M1 11 Gomg Down To MlsslsslPP~ pertonne<! by f'tIII Ochs. Words ar<! music by Phil Ochs, c.,lrolle<! by the Estate of Phil Ochs. Used by permissioo of Rhino Records, Inc'/Archives Alive Records. Taken from "A Toas l To Those Who Are Gooe.' 12. 1m On My Way, perfonned ar<! arranged by BaIbor.! DIrre. Adaplalioo 01 a lradilional song. Used by pennission 01 Dreadnaughl Music, BMI. 13. Thirsfy Boofs, perfonne<! by EI1c ArdeBen. Words ar<I music by Eric Ar<!erse~ Deep Fori< Music (SBK Unile<! Partnership lid.) Use<! by pennissioo 01 Vanguald Records, a We~ Music Group Company. Taken Irom 1l1e Besl of Eric ArxIersen' 14. Garry If O~ pertonnec by CaroIy!l Hester (accompanied by David BllITIe). Words ar<I music Gil Tumer, o TAO (1964) & Melody Trails, Inc. (1965). Use<! by pennissi., of Re<! River Productions, Inc. Newly ooxded for !his alllm 15. Wade fn The Wafer, pertonned by .iji.o lasIBr. Tradilional spirilual. Newly ooxded for IhIs alllm 16. Move On Over, pertonned by Len Chorder, produced by Tim Horrigan. Words by Len Chandler, lune lradiliooal (John Brown's Body, Batlle Hymn of Ihe Republic), @ DARHE Music, Inc. Newly ooxded for 1IIIs alliin. No previoos I8COIlII\I. 17. 1m Gorng To Gef My Baby Out Of jail, pertonne<! by Len ChrldIer, produced by Tim Horrigan. Words ar<I music by Len Char<ller~ARHE Music Inc. Newly ooxded for 1IIb alliin. 18. Waves Of FreerJom. pertonnec by Er~ ArxIersen Words ar<I music by Eric Ardersen, Deep Fori< Music Use<! by pennlSsroo 01 Vanguard Records, a Welk MusK: Group Company Tak., flom 'A Crullry Dream' 19. This Wife Ughf Of Mine, pertonne<! by Odella. Tradili.,al song. Use<! by pennissioo of Pookie Tree Mesrc, Rose Quartz Records, ar<I Flyil'l,l Fish Records, Inc. Taken lrom 'Movin' II D~' 20. How Long pertorme<! by MagpIe (Tony l.oooi1o & Greg AI1znor) ar<I KIn & Rogglo Hanis. Words ar<! music by Phil Dchs. No previoos recooIl\!. DISC 2 t Movin' II O~ perlormed by Odella. Words aOO ""sic by Odella. Used by permlSSIoo 01 Pook" Tree Music, Rose Quartz Records ar<I Flying Fisli Records, loc. Taken Irom "Mev in' It On: 2. AmI You Gal A Righi To The Tree 01 We, perlormed by QJy lIId ClIIdIe t:arawal. Words aOO roosic by Guy Caraw~ C (1965, 1985) by Stormking MuSiC, 8M1. Title Irom an old Jam's IslaOO, SC, chant as sung by loci Murphy. Choral arrangement by Pete Seeger. Used by permissioo 01 Flying Fish Records, loc. Taken Irom "Ain't You Got A Right To The Tree 01 lile: 3. Freedom School, pertormed by Jad< llIIdnll. Words aOO music by Jack laOOron. Used by permission 01 Vanguard Records, a Welk Music Group Company Taken lrom "Jackie Washington at Club 47: 4. Song For Ben Chaney. perlormed by Jad< LnIIm. Words ar<I ""sic by Jack laOOroo Used by permissioo 01 Vanguard Records, a Welk Music Group Company. Taken Irom "Jackie Wasliingtoo at Club 47" 5. Goodma~ Schweme( and Chaney, perlormed by Tom I'aldoo.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Freedomways Magazine, Black Leftists, and Continuities in the Freedom Movement
    Bearing the Seeds of Struggle: Freedomways Magazine, Black Leftists, and Continuities in the Freedom Movement Ian Rocksborough-Smith BA, Simon Fraser University, 2003 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the Department of History O Ian Rocksborough-Smith 2005 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2005 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Ian Rocksborough-Smith Degree: Masters of Arts Title of Thesis: Bearing the Seeds of Struggle: Freedomways Magazine, Black Leftists, and Continuities in the Freedom Movement Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. John Stubbs ProfessorIDepartment of History Dr. Karen Ferguson Senior Supervisor Associate ProfessorIDepartment of History Dr. Mark Leier Supervisor Associate ProfessorIDepartment of History Dr. David Chariandy External ExaminerISimon Fraser University Assistant ProfessorIDepartment of English Date DefendedlApproved: Z.7; E0oS SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. The author has further granted permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies.
    [Show full text]
  • Bob Dylan Performs “It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding),” 1964–2009
    Volume 19, Number 4, December 2013 Copyright © 2013 Society for Music Theory A Foreign Sound to Your Ear: Bob Dylan Performs “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” 1964–2009 * Steven Rings NOTE: The examples for the (text-only) PDF version of this item are available online at: http://www.mtosmt.org/issues/mto.13.19.4/mto.13.19.4.rings.php KEYWORDS: Bob Dylan, performance, analysis, genre, improvisation, voice, schema, code ABSTRACT: This article presents a “longitudinal” study of Bob Dylan’s performances of the song “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” over a 45-year period, from 1964 until 2009. The song makes for a vivid case study in Dylanesque reinvention: over nearly 800 performances, Dylan has played it solo and with a band (acoustic and electric); in five different keys; in diverse meters and tempos; and in arrangements that index a dizzying array of genres (folk, blues, country, rockabilly, soul, arena rock, etc.). This is to say nothing of the countless performative inflections in each evening’s rendering, especially in Dylan’s singing, which varies widely as regards phrasing, rhythm, pitch, articulation, and timbre. How can music theorists engage analytically with such a moving target, and what insights into Dylan’s music and its meanings might such a study reveal? The present article proposes one set of answers to these questions. First, by deploying a range of analytical techniques—from spectrographic analysis to schema theory—it demonstrates that the analytical challenges raised by Dylan’s performances are not as insurmountable as they might at first appear, especially when approached with a strategic and flexible methodological pluralism.
    [Show full text]
  • Len Chandler Sings the News ENTERTAINMENT 'Maine'
    KRLA Singer-Poet Older SHOW TIME O , . Stars film Flan Man— 1:00, 5:0», NTERTAINMENT Gun in'the'w*! E Don'l Ju»l Star* There • . PAGE C-6 PASADENA, CALIF., SUNOAY, JUNE 30, 1968 Forgotten I Ihe NI«iil-iJ:».«»l 10:00.. «"> 1000 Clows-a:», C'siundA<i|lMuik-l:00, 10:00 By Vernon Scott «min, DinMr-!:1S, 3:10, 5:25, llttitlit It was Long John Silver in Gun in lh« West-l!:30, «:»3, "Treasure Island" who raised 'Maine'Delights'Em pin'l "iis'l Slo'ii* Tner«-J:lJ, s:ti, r.n his crutch and railed at the CREST MONROVIA . The Forty enemy: "Them that die'll ibe No Way To Trial a Lady EL MONTE the lucky ones!" Plonet of the Apes The rascally mutineer of Flim Flam Man Robert Louis Stevenson's clas- YOiimbo—J:10, 5:20, 7:31), W sic might well have applied Shorl-3:00, 5:05, 7:1S, J:B , At Civic Light Opera HASTINGS Happiest Millionaire his warning to.today's motion Russians Are Coming picture stars. °Con't from 12 Noon to Midnloltl There are fewer dispiriting RIALTO sind>ehhles--l:00, 5'M, 10:00 sights than yesterday's idols. Two of Broadway's top No way to Treat a Lady—3:30, 8:oB You and I go about our musical shows are currently STATE work in anonymity. The hot drawing large crowds of en- Bedazzled' """ shot insurance salesman re- thusiastic theatregoers to the STARL^TE^ R^ tires contentedly to fish.
    [Show full text]
  • Toshi Reagon & Biglovely
    Toshi Reagon & BIGLovely “Whether playing solo or with her band, [Toshi’s] fusion of styles and forms draws listeners in, embraces them and sets them off in a rapturous, hand-raising, foot-stomping delight.” -RighteousBabe.com About Toshi Reagon and BIGLovely Toshi Reagon is a versatile singer-songwriter-guitarist, drawing on the traditions of uniquely American music: rock, blues, R&B, country, folk, spirituals and funk. Born in Atlanta and raised in Washington DC, she comes from a musical—and political—family. Both her parents were civil rights activists in the 1960s, and founding members of The Freedom Singers, a folk group that toured the country to teach people about civil rights through song as part of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Her mother, Bernice Johnson Reagon, is also a founder of the legendary a cappella group, Sweet Honey in the Rock. Toshi has been performing since she was 17 years old. Her career really launched when Lenny Kravitz chose her, straight out of college, to open for him on his first world tour. Some of Toshi’s proudest moments include playing for her godfather Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden, and performing with the Freedom Singers at the White House, in a tribute to the music of the civil rights movement. As a composer and producer, Toshi has created original scores for dance works, collaborated on two contemporary operas, served as producer on multiple albums, and has had her own work featured in films and TV soundtracks, including HBO and PBS programs. BIGLovely did its first performance as a band in 1996.
    [Show full text]
  • Song & Music in the Movement
    Transcript: Song & Music in the Movement A Conversation with Candie Carawan, Charles Cobb, Bettie Mae Fikes, Worth Long, Charles Neblett, and Hollis Watkins, September 19 – 20, 2017. Tuesday, September 19, 2017 Song_2017.09.19_01TASCAM Charlie Cobb: [00:41] So the recorders are on and the levels are okay. Okay. This is a fairly simple process here and informal. What I want to get, as you all know, is conversation about music and the Movement. And what I'm going to do—I'm not giving elaborate introductions. I'm going to go around the table and name who's here for the record, for the recorded record. Beyond that, I will depend on each one of you in your first, in this first round of comments to introduce yourselves however you wish. To the extent that I feel it necessary, I will prod you if I feel you've left something out that I think is important, which is one of the prerogatives of the moderator. [Laughs] Other than that, it's pretty loose going around the table—and this will be the order in which we'll also speak—Chuck Neblett, Hollis Watkins, Worth Long, Candie Carawan, Bettie Mae Fikes. I could say things like, from Carbondale, Illinois and Mississippi and Worth Long: Atlanta. Cobb: Durham, North Carolina. Tennessee and Alabama, I'm not gonna do all of that. You all can give whatever geographical description of yourself within the context of discussing the music. What I do want in this first round is, since all of you are important voices in terms of music and culture in the Movement—to talk about how you made your way to the Freedom Singers and freedom singing.
    [Show full text]
  • Freedom Songs
    OurStory: Students ‘Sit’ for Civil Rights Freedom Songs Parent Guide, page 1 of 2 Read the “Directions” sheets for step-by-step instructions. SUMMARY During this activity, you and your child will listen to some freedom songs on the Internet, and then make your own version of one of the songs. WHY During this activity, you and your child will use compassion and art awareness skills to listen thoughtfully to music and think about how it might have been used in some historic situations. These skills are useful for historical research and thinking about the personal and community meanings of songs today. TIME ■ 10 minutes to listen to songs ■ 10 minutes to sing along ■ 5 minutes for discussion ■ 5 minutes to make new lyrics for “This Little Light of Mine” ■ 10 minutes to record new lyrics RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP This activity will work best with children in kindergarten through fourth grade. CHALLENGE WORDS ■ boycott: to refuse to conduct business with a person, store, or organization, usually to express disapproval or to peacefully force changes ■ emotion: a state of feeling ■ nonviolent: a philosophy or strategy for change that opposes using violence ■ picket: to walk or stand in front of like a fence-post, often in protest ■ primary source: a historical document, photograph, or artifact written, created, or used by someone who experienced events at the time they took place ■ protest: public demonstration of disapproval ■ segregation: the practice of keeping people in separate groups based on their race or culture ■ sit-in: an act of sitting in the seats or on the floor of an establishment as a means of organized protest (see the images of boys sitting at lunch counter) OurStory: Students ‘Sit’ for Civil Rights Freedom Songs Parent Guide, page 2 of 2 GET READY ■ Read Freedom on the Menu together.
    [Show full text]
  • Concert & Dance Listings • Cd Reviews • Free Events
    CONCERT & DANCE LISTINGS • CD REVIEWS • FREE EVENTS FREE BI-MONTHLY Volume 4 Number 6 Nov-Dec 2004 THESOURCE FOR FOLK/TRADITIONAL MUSIC, DANCE, STORYTELLING & OTHER RELATED FOLK ARTS IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA “Don’t you know that Folk Music is illegal in Los Angeles?” — WARREN C ASEY of the Wicked Tinkers Music and Poetry Quench the Thirst of Our Soul FESTIVAL IN THE DESERT BY ENRICO DEL ZOTTO usic and poetry rarely cross paths with war. For desert dwellers, poetry has long been another way of making war, just as their sword dances are a choreographic represen- M tation of real conflict. Just as the mastery of insideinside thisthis issue:issue: space and territory has always depended on the control of wells and water resources, words have been constantly fed and nourished with metaphors SomeThe Thoughts Cradle onof and elegies. It’s as if life in this desolate immensity forces you to quench two thirsts rather than one; that of the body and that KoreanCante Folk Flamenco Music of the soul. The Annual Festival in the Desert quenches our thirst of the spirit…Francis Dordor The Los Angeles The annual Festival in the Desert has been held on the edge Put On Your of the Sahara in Mali since January 2001. Based on the tradi- tional gatherings of the Touareg (or Tuareg) people of Mali, KlezmerDancing SceneShoes this 3-day event brings together participants from not only the Tuareg tradition, but from throughout Africa and the world. Past performers have included Habib Koité, Manu Chao, Robert Plant, Ali Farka Toure, and Blackfire, a Navajo band PLUS:PLUS: from Arizona.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to Music of the Civil Rights
    www.learningtogive.org Introduction to Music of the Civil Rights Era Go online to get the associated handouts, standards, and latest version of the lesson plan: https://www.learningtogive.org/units/music-civil- rights-era-1954-1968/introduction-music-civil-rights-era Students will understand why "freedom songs" became such an important motivating force during the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1968. They will also see how important figures in the Civil Rights Movement contributed to the common good. Duration: Three Forty-Minute Class Periods Objectives: The learners will: summarize important ideas and events of the Civil Rights Movement and describe how men such as Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King, Jr. sacrificed for the benefit of the common good. recognize famous “freedom songs” representative of the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-68. describe the functions of “freedom songs” and the conditions under which these songs were performed. Materials: Freedom songs: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize, This Little Light of Mine, and We Shall Overcome Pencil and paper for taking notes Home Connection: Ask the students to talk to their parents and grandparents or other adult about the Civil Rights Era. How old were they at the time? Were they actively involved in any part of the movement? What were their thoughts, concerns, fears, etc.? What do they remember about the slave, folk, gospel and “freedom songs” such as We Shall Overcome and Blowin’ in the Wind? Do they remember any songs from this era that they can share? If they were activists during this era, would they be willing to share their experiences with the class? (As a teacher, make sure you speak and/or meet with the presenter before he/she speaks to the class.
    [Show full text]
  • Freedom Songs Reading from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/reflect/r03_music.html STORIES AND INTERVIEW OF BERNICE JOHNSON REAGAN What is interesting about the songs that end up as freedom songs is the fact that they function in the Movement as 'congregational' songs. Congregational songs are started by a songleader -- a songleader is different from a soloist. A soloist is someone who can execute the entire song. A songleader is someone who starts the song, and if that performance is successful, it is successful not only because of the prowess of the leader but because people who are located within the sound of that voice join in to raise the song into life. Masses of People Speaking Through Song Some of the songs are a structure into which there are lyric changes that document where that singing took place. It's very easy, if you're not aware, to miss the value of that documentation. Freedom songs are documents created by a collective voice (MEANING: MANY PEOPLE CREATED THE LYRICS NOT JUST ONE PERSON). Often when we think of masses of people we actually think of inarticulate people and we look for a speaker to let us know what is going on. During this Movement, the masses came singing and the songs they sang are essential documents. If you don't pay attention to the specificity of the songs they chose at a particular time, around a specific situation, you miss an opportunity to hear masses of people speak (MEANING: SONG LYRICS CAME FROM HOW PEOPLE WERE REACTING TO THINGS HAPPENING AROUND THEM AT THAT INSTANT).
    [Show full text]
  • Printable Version - the Sounds of Resistance: the Role of Music in South Africa's Anti-Apartheid Movement - Student Pulse 2019/05/28, 2158
    Printable Version - The Sounds of Resistance: The Role of Music in South Africa's Anti-Apartheid Movement - Student Pulse 2019/05/28, 2158 Print Page Vershbow, M. E. (2010). "The Sounds of Resistance: The Role of Music in South Africa's Anti-Apartheid Movement." Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse, 2(06). Retrieved from http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/a? id=265 The Sounds of Resistance: The Role of Music in South Africa's Anti-Apartheid Movement By Michela E. Vershbow 2010, Vol. 2 No. 06 Music and Resistance in South Africa “A song is something that we communicate to those people who otherwise would not understand where we are coming from. You could give them a long political speech – they would still not understand. But I tell you: when you finish that song, people will be like ‘Damn, I know where you nigga’s are comin’ from. Death unto Apartheid!” – Sifiso Ntuli The history of South Africa under white British rule is marked by the existence of one of the most brutal systems of racial segregation that the world has ever known. A system by the name of Apartheid, literally meaning “separateness” in the Afrikaans language, made Africans of color aliens in their homeland. The laws of Apartheid forced millions to live in impoverished townships where they were denied the most basic human rights. Apartheid, under which the white minority held power over the entire population, was met with strong internal and external resistance, prompting global boycotts of sales and trade with South Africa. The most powerful form of resistance, however, was the refusal of South African blacks to remain prisoners in their own land.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sounds of Liberation: Resistance, Cultural Retention, and Progressive Traditions for Social Justice in African American Music
    THE SOUNDS OF LIBERATION: RESISTANCE, CULTURAL RETENTION, AND PROGRESSIVE TRADITIONS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Professional Studies by Luqman Muhammad Abdullah May 2009 © 2009 Luqman Muhammad Abdullah ABSTRACT The cultural production of music in the Black community has traditionally operated as much more than a source of entertainment. In fact, my thesis illustrates how progressive traditions for social justice in Black music have acted as a source of agency and a tool for resistance against oppression. This study also explains how the music of African Americans has served as a primary mechanism for disseminating their cultural legacy. I have selected four Black artists who exhibit the aforementioned principles in their musical production. Bernice Johnson Reagon, John Coltrane, Curtis Mayfield and Gil Scott-Heron comprise the talented cadre of musicians that exemplify the progressive Black musical tradition for social justice in their respective genres of gospel, jazz, soul and spoken word. The methods utilized for my study include a socio-historical account of the origins of Black music, an overview of the artists’ careers, and a lyrical analysis of selected songs created by each of the artists. This study will contribute to the body of literature surrounding the progressive roles, functions and utilities of African American music. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH My mother garners the nickname “gypsy” from her siblings due to the fact that she is always moving and relocating to new and different places.
    [Show full text]
  • BROADSIDE Hootenanny Last Year, She Is Making Her First Record, a Single with "Baby,I've Been Thinking" and "Janey's Blues." (Photo by Diana J
    , ~ - i. THE NATIONAL TOPICAL SONG MAGAZINE JULY 1966 PRICE -- 50; IN THIS ISSUE ******* vlILL HcLEAN JER.-qy HOORE LEN CHANDLER T011 PAXTON PHIL OCHS Janis Fink (,vho has become Janis Ian -- see her 2 songs and article in this issue) is just beginning a prom­ ising career. "Discoveredll at a BROADSIDE Hootenanny last year, she is making her first record, a single with "Baby,I've Been Thinking" and "Janey's Blues." (Photo by Diana J. Davies). Julius Lester is well established in the folk music field. Recorded by V~~GUARD, he sings both traditional and his own compositions.He is an editor for SING OUT! and BROADSIDE, and contributes to other magazines as well. Julius is a board member of the NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL. (Photo by Erik Falkensteen). * * * * * * * * * * * r NEW SONGWRITERS DONNA McBRIDE LOIS DINKIN * * * * * * * * * * * * ,FOR ~mwPORT 166 FOLK FESTIVAL SCHEDULE SEE BACK COVER OF THIS BROADSIDE - 2- verses on platipi btoad~idQ & I D catd~ by Jan I s Fin k i met a man on the subway the other week i once knew this girl he said "in the vietnam war i believe who was a very nice chick i voted for Johnson in 1883 that is until she decided to go ethnic i dont wear a beard or sandals or je,ans papa,i want one of those little dolls i consider myself a minority rent me a beatnik for just one hour a true conformist you know i showed up i'm liberal, yessiree in heels & stockings some of my best friends are clean everyone else there dressed in jeans not to put you down , to show how hip they were it's just that, ~ dig elephants.
    [Show full text]