The Civil Rights Movement: Music, the Weapon That Helped Fight Against Segregation

Powerful, impacting, moving and undefeatable-these are words I think about to describe the Civil Rights movement African Americans lead with what seems like the greatest perseverance ever seen in the history of mankind.  For years, ever since the first African slaves arrived in North America, African Americans experienced the suppression brought on by slavery.  Although the 14^th Amendment abolished slavery in 1868 and the 15^th amendment gave blacks the right to vote in 1870, 100 years later nothing had changed within the U.S. regarding the way blacks were treated by whites.  Segregation amongst blacks and whites ruled the Southern States and blacks had no more rights in the 1950s than their ancestors did nearly one hundred years earlier.  Although the Civil Rights movement appeared as though it started out of the blue, it was a carefully planned grassroots movement blacks had been waiting to walk out and pursue for fifty years.  From the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 to the Voting Rights Act signed by President Eisenhower in 1965, African Americans experienced the most brutal treatment caused by whites.  Lynching’s, murders, beatings, thrown in jail, kicked, spat on and humiliated, African Americans faced all during the Civil Rights movement yet they never lost sight of their goal: integration, equality and equal opportunity as citizens of the United States and most importantly, the right to vote. 

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/civilrightstimeline1.html

-Here is a great link regarding all the information just discussed above!

            

One of the main tactics African Americans used to face the violence brought on by white southerners was the music they sang continuously.  This music had deep history in the black church, and many of the songs were old hymns sung by slaves, but with different lyrics that adapted to every difficult aspect they faced.  Music created solidarity amongst blacks; it was the glue that bound each civil rights leader whether white or black together in one common mindset, and it helped keep them motivated through the fight.  The music was the key that kept blacks from giving up the fight, it gave them peace, revitalized their souls and most importantly it constantly reminded every African American why they chose to fight.  During times when blacks were in jail, or organized a protest and were beaten by white police officers and citizens, blacks would often sing and not stop.  Music was the way to fight without using violence but rather get the message across clearly, because no one could stop blacks from singing.  It essentially was the source of all energy and purpose for blacks during the civil rights movement.

            

Music that remained transparent amongst black culture during the civil rights music came from the history of the black church and even as far back as the first black slaves.   But several individuals and groups of black singers helped protest against segregation through the music they wrote which became especially popular amongst the youth.  Some of the strongest protest movements came out of Nashville, Tennessee amongst the black youth and it was there a quartet known as the “Nashville Quartet” became popular with their style of rhythm and blues.  Instead of singing traditional songs that were mainly used during the start of the movement, the songs the Nashville Quartet sang were more complex and dynamic. 

            

Another group known as the “Montgomery Gospel Trip” was similar to the Nashville Quartet in their popular Rhythm and Blues style, but one of the most influential and popular civil rights singers was Ray Charles.  His songs pulled the traditional gospel music and the popular blues style together, uniting the youth and older black generation.  Singers and groups such as the ones stated above gave African Americans a different type of motivation and power during the movement; it gave them a stronger identity and motivation and helped them realize their potential was equal or even greater to whites. 

            

Although the fight for equality amongst blacks in the U.S. is no longer evident as it was during the Civil Rights movement, there are still certain types of Civil Rights movements throughout the U.S.  Segregation is no longer evident throughout the United States but scars still remain from what was evident years ago, especially in the South.  Today, there are groups that exist which protest against such issues various ethnic groups face, such as unequal opportunity for education and jobs and even human rights protests in the heart of Africa itself.  An example is “Sweet Honey in the Rock,” an American Grammy award winning a capella group of African American women who use their music to protest against cultural issues that remain in the U.S.  One of their most popular songs they wrote titled “Are We a Nation?” responded to Arizona’s controversial immigration laws not allowing Mexican immigrants into the state.  The group ultimately joined a protest rally against the issue, a prime example of an activist protest group that still remains in the United States today.