How Did Bob Dylan Influence The Civil Rights Movement

The civil rights movement was a period of time where racial tension and social improvement hit an all time high. Music was a powerful resource that many people used to illustrate their opinions and views on the social reform occurring in America at this time. One such example of this use through music is musician and songwriter Bob Dylan. Robert Allen Zimmerman, or Bob Dylan, was born on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. He was raised in a tight-knit Jewish community in Hibbing, Minnesota on the Mesabi Range west of Lake Superior. He spent much of his time listening to the radio and creating band groups with friends. From there, he went to the University of Minnesota where he changed his focus from rock and roll to American Folk. After his first year, he dropped out of college and traveled to New York City and preformed with Woody Guthrie. From there he played on and off at different clubs and with different artists. In August 1962 Dylan made two crucial moves for his career. He legally changed his name to Robert Dylan and signed a management contract with Albert Grossman. In 1963, Dylan began focusing his music towards the civil rights movement with Joan Baez. One such record of notice was Dylan’s third album, The Times They Are a-Changin, which took its subject matter from
He gave this song a sense of ambiguity, which allowed for a person to take the song how they wanted. They either understood the answer or it was as intangible as the wind. This songs influence and popularity soon took off and was seen as the anthem of the civil rights movement as it captured the frustration and aspirations of the black community. It is through this song that Dylan is known for his participation in the movement and it caused the people to dispute over what was right and