African American Civil Rights Movement: The Power of Music

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African American Civil Rights Movement: The Power of Music
Research Topic
The Civil Rights Movement was a fight for societal equality and fairness that occurred through the 1950s and 1960 when the Black Americans fought to have equal rights under the law of the United States. Even though the Civil War had formally ended slavery, it did not abolish discrimination against black people– African Americans continue to be discriminated against racially, especially in the South of the continent. Together with many other white America, the African Americans began mobilizing and started an unparalleled fight for equality that traversed over twenty years (History.com Editors)
There was a big surge of activism to reverse this discrimination and injustice during this era. Civil rights activists worked to protest peacefully while using specialized acts of battered civil disobedience, such as the Greensboro Woolworth Sit-in and Montgomery Bus Boycott, to bring equality changes. Even though the activism and organization took place in the Southern regions of the United States, it attracted people from across the country – from all religions and races – joining hands to proclaim their commitments and total support for equality and freedom. Historically, over 250,000 people marched to the Capital City, Washington D.C, on August 28, 1963, to voice their complaints and listen to the greatest activist, Martin Luther King, Jr., deliver one of the world's most powerful speeches. The civil rights movement yielded fruits when lasting and fundamental changes were carried out quickly. Discrimination against the black community was greatly reduced, and African Americans received better treatment. However, the struggle for social justice and equality did not come without a cost; many African Americans and other White Activists were tortured and killed during the Movement. Moreover, even though discrimination was abolished, civil rights issues such as racial disparity in the criminal justice systems, immigration, and segregation in national schools remain and need ongoing work.
What is your Research Question?
The research questions are:
1 What is the impact of music during the Civil Rights Movement?
2 How did the Civil Rights Movement affect the future generations of music?
The Civil Right Movement, experienced a lot of challenges, from Jim Crow laws to torture during activism. However, they continued fighting for their freedom, social justice, and equality amidst these challenges. During the struggle, African Americans needed a stimulus to keep marching for their rights. They employed music during these times. They used songs such as "We shall Overcome by Peter Seeger" the song was a form of encouragement to all activists – Black and whites. The African Americans employed music of all genres, from spiritual, folk, and gospel, to support their struggle. In large meetings and publications, musicians and singers collaborated with song collectors and ethnomusicologists to spread music to activists (Bloom). Their main purpose was to motivate them through long marches, as a prayer for psychological forte against brutality and harassment, and other times...