Surreal Revolution In Black Culture And Music example essay topic

In the 1960's it was a hard time for black Americans. There was a revolution being driven by two well know black civil rights leaders. The first phase of the revolution was driven by a young Islamic black man, Malcolm X, who was a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X was adamant that blacks needed to take care of their own business. In the issue of black integration in American culture. Malcolm X had the ability to reach any one member of the black nation in America.

This revolution was cut short on a sad day in February of 1965, when Malcolm X was assassinated. This left a void in the hearts of the people who he had touched upon in his revolt. This was where things began to get funky. Meanwhile, on the other side of the revolution there was a young man known Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The revolution in which he was leading was a revolution rather different than the one of Malcolm X. Dr. King's revolution was one in which all blacks and all whites could work together.

He spoke of this in his infamous speech I Have A Dream. Though the two leaders were rather different, they fed off each other's roles, which in turn provided possibly the strongest leadership since the Harlem Renaissance, until the death of Malcolm X. After the death of Malcolm X the movement started to get funky. It seemed as though after the assinaition of Malcom X, the revolution's focal point began to change. The movement began to head towards a more intense, and nitty gritty level.

It seemed as though all the non-violent organizations such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the Congress of Racial Equality, as well as the Christian Leadership Conference had little hold on what was about to happen to the movement. The death of Malcolm X brought a new direction in the movement. In a society of a violent system it was hard for young blacks to take charge in an non-violent organization, it seemed to be a hypocrisy. And the idea of tolerance was wearing thin for the whole generation. Later on in the year, around August, the first of many large-scale riots began to break out. The first one was in Los Angeles, California and lasted for a little over three weeks.

This single riot killed 39 people during its wrath of burning block after block. This riot was in a sense a sign of the new revolution to come, due to the song "Burn, Baby Burn" by the Creators, being played in heavy rotation on one of the Los Angeles radio stations. These riots sparked a investigation by the federal commission to study the causes of this riot. After that, rebellion became the current method of protest all across black America. The violent method of protest lead to a movement know as Black Power.

The phrase "Black Power" was brought to the scene during a march on the roads of Mississippi. The march was know as the "Freedom from Fear" march led by James Meredith in the year 1966. "Black Power!" was a phrase that was chanted throughout the entire march. Soon after starting his march, Meredith was shot by sniper. After this, the phrase "Black Power" developed into a political manifesto, used by many black Americans. Following this, Stoke ly Carmichael challenged the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to abandon its ties with its white benefactors and to take the philosophy of "Black Power".

Carmichael had suggested this in a speech which he had given shortly after his release from prison. He also pleaded for, "black people in this country to unite, to recognize their heritage, and to build a sense of community" He advocated that African Americans should form and lead their own organizations, and urged a complete rejection of the values of American society. After this speech the Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee severed their ties from the white community, in 1966. It began to advocate mainly black led institutions in the fight for "Black Power", no longer being referred to as civil rights. The phrase "Black Power" began to be interpreted differently by many black Americans.

As this went on musicians such as James Brown and Curtis Mayfield were searching for their own resources to make their music appeal to these people in need of change. The "Black Power" movement was beginning to find followers of all sorts, who were looking for a place to express the anger and frustration the present society had laid upon them. In Oakland, California during the year 1966, two Merritt College students named Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale formed and organization for black Americans. This organization was called the "Black Panther Party for Self Defense" the goals of this organization involved community policing, active community centers with health and education services, along with a long term plan for black liberation that included a revolution led by black Americans. They followed police, reading the penal code to arresting officers, and began to develop a small following in the Oakland area.

In the year 1967 the Panthers dressed in dark leather jackets and dark shades and walked into the California State Legislature, in full view of the national media. They were armed with rifles and were demanding an audience. The audience was to hear a startling address. The address stated that there are familiar sights appearing in black communities, such as vicious police dogs, cattle prods, and increased police patrols. It stated that City Hall disregards the pleas of Black people for relief from this increased terror. America's Social system went into shock, with the thought of armed black people entering the scene.

Following this address Black Panther Parties opened in over thirty cities nationwide. This made the FBI extremely nervous and they then labeled the Black Panthers "America's Number One threat to national security" in 1969. Over time there were many conflicts between the Black Panthers and police nationwide. As time passed, FBI informants had infiltrated the organization.

Many of the leaders of the Black Panthers were double-crossed, ambushed, or imprisoned because of the infiltration. Despite the number of leaders that went down, the message of the Panthers was still being conveyed. They became the backbone of the black nation in America. By 1969 the entire country was well aware of the power of black radicals and the movement they were a part of. For a brief moment it was possible that blacks were able to tell whites what they really thought.

In 1969 this theory had spread to music, when Sly and the Family Stone had recorded " Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey". This opened the doors to young, black, poor males to take their beliefs to a mass audience. Many were close followers of Malcolm X. Bootsy Collins, the revolutionary funk bassist who played in James Brown's backing band, Parliament, and eventually his own project Bootsy's Rubber Band remembers being in a hectic situation that he fell into. Explaining that the riots were everywhere including right outside his house in Cincinnati, he stated " We was go in' for all of it".

George Clinton who at the time owned a barber shop in Plainfield, New Jersey stated that the National Guard moved in on groups black youths, who fired back. George Clinton said that he witnessed a majority of the city's business district being torched. Because musicians were exposed to such occur ances, the themes of the black revolution were showing up in music. One of the most infamous songs was "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" by the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.

James Brown had a strong hold on placing the emphasis where it was needed. After this song the word Black had quickly become a popular word in marchers, soul singers, and all of the mainstream black population. It had become a word of praise, and as a legal definition of African-American. This was a step forward for black people in America, they were now able to express their emotions. force behind the social revolution of black social culture. In the year 1969 Sly and the Family Stone made its first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and was proving to be the beginning of the blast of black music in popular culture. The black music revolution began to spread like a disease all over the country.

Themes began to be placed in the lyrics of black music, themes that expressed black culture. Many bands were part of this new groove, but one stands out, and that was a creation of George Clinton. In 1967, George Clinton decided to make a change, this change would effect popular black culture till this day. As the breakthrough in black American culture had evolved, the black music was evolving along with it. Black music showed the freedom that the black culture had received, it became experimental, avant-garde, psychedelic, and aggressive. The essence of the Black Revolution was the incubator of The Funk.

It became the driving force behind the social revolution of black social culture. The demise of his long time Doo-wop group The Parliaments had come far to close, so George Clinton took a chance. He made the decision to add a backup band, they were a rowdy group of teenagers from Plains field, New Jersey. The band became a wild mix of rockers and do-whoppers. Over time they produced a large assortment of records that have shaped popular funk culture. Parliament Funkadelic became an outlet for black Americans, by creating a sub culture that could be enjoyed by any race.

They brought many issues to the table, in their work. The issues discussed black culture and its evolvement in popular American culture. Parliament became a surreal experience which enlightened anyone that encountered it. Because Parliament Funkadelic appealed to multiple races, the band forced white people to confront black issues. The music spoke about life, love, politics, style and partying.

All of these were issues that everyone could relate too. Parliament Funkadelic became an empire, it spoke these issues in a playful manner, yet always addressed a point. Creating surreal personas that people could relate too, and always combining humor with his issues. This created little violence and more of a sense in community. In the performances the audience was always included and encouraged to sing along, this was a way to form a connection between all races, joining them together in a common interest. Some examples of this are spotted in song titles, which play on phrases found in common aspects of politics, such as Uncle Jam, One Nation Under a Groove, Groovallegiance, America Eats its Young, and Chocolate City.

An example of this playful use would be in the line " With the united funk we can fly! For if our cause was unjust, We couldn't bring this funk to you. So we feel that it's a must, It is something we should do" or " I'm a soldier, in the army, of Uncle Jam, Come on and work out in that foxhole. Ain't no need to get dirty, but you can get down". Many times the way the words were used detracted from its meaning but it leave it open to interpretation.

Uncle Jam is a song that is dance able but has a marching feel to it, lyrics such as " Uncle Jam's army, here- yeah. Disturbing the peace at the bridge of the river quiet. Marching in the name of the groove. No A WOP-absent without the P. Uncle Jam's army here-so you wanna dance? This is booty do your duty time. We " re soldiers on booty patrol.

And I'm your thrill sergeant, And he's your thrill sergeant. Gonna keep you on your toes, cause Uncle Jam wants you, To do what you " re supposed to do, and join his army! The playfulness in this song can express the point but at the same time people can have a fun time doing it as well. This specific song came out in the mid-seventies but still is a prime example of how Parliament Funkadelic played of the Black Revolution and appealed to Popular Culture. In conclusion the black revolution has evolved over the years.

Popular culture has had a enormous impact on how it was resolved. The entire revolution was evolved and revolved around popular culture. It formed new art such as Parliament Funkadelic. A surreal revolution in black culture and music, shaping the current black culture.