Topic of Choice Research

Music during the Civil Rights Movement 

I chose this topic because I find music and the tie between activism very interesting.

          During the civil rights movement there were many meetings and gatherings. Many musicians wanted to show their support by providing them with music or gospel and this resulted in better motivation for the movement. Some musicians even performed in terms of funding for groups of people. Music and chants gave people more solidarity during protests and gave people a better will. It also made some protests deescalate. Many times organizations had received bad news about leaders or members of the group being dead or assassinated. To cope with these tragedies, people sang and held memorials by singing the song the group had once sung together. Rock and jazz was very prominent in terms of political messages. Rock was more rebellious and denounced the government and country for the cruel things going on at the time. Jazz was a very big part of black alliances. Jazz was somerthing they mastered and used as a symbol of their freedom. In some police confrontations, people began singing in hoped they would not retaliate so hatefully or aggressively. Police were in fact afraid and disliked the "loud" singing. It really showed the power of music and how it influenced greatly in the times where everyone was demanding and confirming their rights.