The Music Behind the Movements
You cannot talk about any movement in African American History without mentioning the music. Many artist have preformed songs that have become anthems for the movement of their time.
Slavery
The music of this time was so important because it was a secret code. Music allowed the slaves to communicate in a way that the slave master could not understand. Songs like "Wade in the Water" and "Go Down Moses" were the Negro Spirituals that took on religious themes such as salvation and redemption. These songs helped guide the slaves to the North, to their "promised land".
Other songs include: (The following are cover songs)
The Civil Rights Movement
During the Civil Rights Movement, inspirational music took on a huge role. Inspired by Negro Spirituals, songs like "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around" and "We Shall Overcome" were seen as the war cries of the movement. These songs were also religious based, seeing that the heart of the movement itself was the church. They filled so many hearts with hope of victory and freedom over their opressors. These songs gave the people a voice with a unitied message. It gave them the fire to keep pushing on. As genres such as rhythm and blues and jazz also began to arise from the gospel music, arstists like Billie Holiday and Nina Simone came forth to tell their truth as African Americans in a different way. These songs were narratives that reflected their racial experince in America. Other singers, like James Brown, brought people together with songs of self-empowerment and racial unity. People of other races also used their platform to vioce their opinions of racial equality and make a difference.
Other songs included:
#BlackLivesMatter Movement
Our artists of today have taken a slightly different approach. Music is no longer the backbone of our movements. Because of our access to social media, they able to share their views with their fans directly which increases their influence. Though music's role has changed, songs like "Freedom" by Beyonce and "Glory" By John Legend ft. Common have been our chants, our war cries. More white artists have used their platforms to speak on the subject and people are not as afraid to say what they mean now.
Other songs include:
