African American Leaders

In the United States of America, leaders are found everywhere from the president all the way to pop culture, and they are essential to times of change in the country, like the Civil Rights Movement. It is people’s qualities that make them a leader, but what exactly does it mean to be a leader in America? Musicians have been leaders all throughout history, but one time they were especially, was during the Civil Rights Movement. In the 1950s and 1960s, African Americans were struggling and fighting to get the same rights as White Americans, and they wanted segregation to stop. African American, white folk, and women musicians shaped and influenced the movement. Throughout the Civil Rights Movement, musicians acted as leaders by expressing the
struggle of African Americans through songs and by creating a voice for the public to stop segregation, showing that being a leader means to inspire, motivate, and move the people of America.

The Civil Rights Movement was for African Americans who wanted the same rights as everyone in America and for segregation to stop. The movement was known for advocating protests that were non-violent in order to get it’s message of equality out through things like sit ins, freedom rides, marches, boycotts, speeches, and much more. Musicians played a major role throughout this time by inspiring and encouraging Americans to take a stand and to fight for what they believe in. Music was an essential part of the movement, as it helped rally, motivate, and teach the people. In a time of so much change, music was used to instigate and promote social change which musicians did through the lyrics and melodies in their songs. Musicians used music to call out oppression, and they used their influence and songs to thread messages of civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, etc.

African American Artists were essential to the movement and they showed that being a leader means to stand up for the people of America.
One example of a African American artist that was a leader is Louis Armstrong, a famous jazz trumpeter and jazz vocalist who was one of the most influential jazz musicians. Him and other musicians had subtle ways of voicing their opinion. In his song “What Did I Do To Be So Black and Blue”, the lyrics explain about how hard life was. The cornus “What did I do to be so black and blue” is Armstrong asking what he did to be his color and why African Americans have to be treated differently because of their skin color. As Armstrong was discriminated by many, he expressed his feelings through songs which helped African Americans in America feel understood. His music inspired the people of America, making him a good leader. Another leader that was an African American artist, was Charles Mingus, a Jazz musician. His song, “Fables of Faubus”, showed his anger over the 1957 Little Rock Nine incident in Arkansas. The Governor, Orval Faubus, ordered the National Guard to prevent nine African American teenagers from entering a desegregated public school. The lyrics in Mingus’s song were so shocking that Columbia Records refused to record them in
1959.

Throughout the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans were not the only ones singing, but there were white folk artists, who were essential to the movement as leaders.
They sang songs that mocked Americans democratic ideals, and they tried to tell the people about the racial inequalities. One example is Bob Dylan, a folk and activist singer. He supported the movement, and he used his influence to support others. Dylan sang songs about being strong during these times which helped the people in America keep fighting for their rights. His song “Blowin in the wind” became an anthem for the movement, and was sung at rallies and meetings. The song was about how he wants there to be peace and for everyone to be free. One line of the song is “And how many years can some people exist. Before they’re allowed to be free?”, where he asks when African Americans will finally be free. The song also was about how there are these questions and all the answers are “blowin in the wind”, which we can interpret that he was talking about freeing African Americans and how we know the answer but we have to wait for someone to take it. Dylan sang it at a voter registration rally in Mississippi, in 1963, showing his support to the movement. Bob Dylan was a leader in the movement as he gave strength and hope to everyone to continue the movement. Another white folk artist of the
movement