Topic: Freedom and American History 

Rationale: No idea is more fundamental to American sense of self than freedom.  To the United States, freedom and liberty are interchangeable and seemingly universal. However, that is misleading.  Freedom is not fixed or a lone definition; rather, it is an ideal as well as a reality. Because the United States is a free country, the act of protesting is one of the most precious liberties that Americans possess. Protests can happen in the streets; however, music has been a longtime outlet for dissent. Music has been the viaduct of American protest movements through rock, hip-hop, and folk music. Vietnam, unequal distribution of wealth, minority treatment, police brutality, presidential elections, and more protest topics have been covered through music.

 

With this primary source question, the meanings of freedom will be explored, as well as the social conditions that make freedom possible in the United States. In addition, the boundaries of freedom will be a focus, including the myth of freedom, and how freedom is juxtaposed off of servitude.

 

NOTE: Some of these songs have offensive and strong language. Please know that before you begin this assignment and realize this is an academic course.

 

QUESTION ONE:

Perhaps no movement has utilized music within its confines than the African American Civil Rights Movement. This movement morphed into the Black Power Movement, and then into the Black Lives Matter Movement.  This movement covers basic rights, equality, police brutality, and general socioeconomic conditions of African Americans since the early twentieth century. 

 

You are  required to use at least three different songs to provide your argument for this question. You may not use outside documents for your argument. Your response will be uploaded through SafeAssign in eCampus to check for plagiarism. Any portion of your response that does not follow the directions and guidelines regarding writing, grammar, mechanics, plagiarism, or fails to answer the question will result in a zero for this portion of your exam.

 

Your response should be a minimum of two full pages, Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1 inch margins, and no other heading than your first and last name. Remember, all papers are uploaded in either a PDF or DOC format. No other format will be accepted.

 

You are required to cite all quotes and sources in MLA format. This does not count toward your minimum total length. So, your response will be longer than two pages because you need to include your citations. These citations need to be included in the text and in a works cited sheet (which is a separate sheet at the end of your response). If you do not know how to craft a works cited page, please visit the Brookhaven library. Noodle Tools is available for you to use via the library website.

 

Please understand that you are required to answer the questions asked. This includes college level writing and editing. There should be no first person anywhere in your response, as you were not there to witness these events.

 

If you have questions, ASK before the night it is due. I am available to assist you, and the history tutors are available to assist you. Do not wait until it is too late to attempt completion.

 

 

Context and Primary Sources

Music has always kept company with protest and American History.  Protest songs are associated with any number of movements for social or political change.  Many times, music and lyrics are the best delivery system of the broader political message.  Some artists, like Bob Dylan, are synonymous with protest songs. Other artists may only have one song that discusses a particular topic.  In the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “The freedom songs are playing a strong and vital role in our struggle. They give the people new courage and a sense of unity. I think they keep alive a faith, a radiant hope, in the future, particularly in our most trying hours.”

 

Directions: Each song can be found for free on YouTube. Please reference the artist and the song below to search for a video. You can also get lyrics for each song as reference.

 

 

Civil Rights

Unknown: Eyes on the Prize (date unknown)

Unkown: Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around (date unknown)

Shirley Verett: Oh Freedom (date unknown)

Bill Broonzy: Black, Brown, and White (date unknown)

Lead Belly: The Bourgeois Blues (1938)

Billie Holiday: Strange Fruit (1939)

Pete Seeger (also Joan Baez later and Mahalia Jackson): We Shall Overcome (1945)

Mahalia Jackson: How I Got Over (1963)

John Coltrane: Alabama (1963)

Peter, Paul, and Mary: If I Had a Hammer (1963)

The Freedom Singers: Woke Up This Morning (1964)

Sam Cooke: A Change is Gonna Come (1964)

Joan Baez: Birmingham Sunday (1964)

Nina Simone: Mississippi Goddamn (1964)

Mavis Staples: We Shall Not Be Moved (1968)

James Brown: Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) (1968)

Gil Scott Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1971)

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: The Message (1982)

Public Enemy: Fight the Power (1989)

Public Enemy: 911 is a Joke (1990)

Melba Moore: Lift Every Voice and Sing (1990)

Body Count (with Ice-T): Cop Killer (1992)

KRS-One: Sound of da Police (1993)

Mos Def: Mathematics (1999)

Common and John Legend: Glory (2015)

Kendrick Lamar: Alright (2015)

Kendrick Lamar: The Blacker the Berry (2015)

Prince featuring Eryn Allen Kane: Baltimore (2015)

Beyonce: Formation (2016)

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: White Privilege II (2016)

 

New York Times: article about songs as a weapon

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/archival/19620820songsweapon.pdf

 

Primary Source Archive of Lynching Postcards in the United States (NOTE: these are graphic, so please be warned before you open the page. They are not photoshopped or sensationalized – this is history). This is in reference to “Strange Fruit.”

http://withoutsanctuary.org/main.html