Up Above My Head: The Musical Legacy of Bernice Johnson Reagon History 3020 Dr. Bynum Ryan Dooley October 28, 2015 Congressman John Lewis said of the importance of music in the movement for racial equality, “The civil rights movement without its music would have been like a bird without its wings…” Music is an integral part of social development. Songs can bolster a cause or movement, catalyzing action, or subduing conflict. Music is one the most important tools in communication, allowing compound ideas and views to be centralized with a simple melody or verse through composition. Bernice Johnson Reagon and members of SNCC (The Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee) developed an invaluable tool in the fight for racial …show more content…
Always aware of her past with song and verse, music would continue to be a part of Johnson Reagon’s academic, artistic, and social service projects. Johnson Reagon would go on to head the vocal training of the DC Black Repertory Theater, providing the music supervision for award winning documentaries “Eye’s On The Prize” and “Wade In The Water” which were both aired nationally, on public television and radio. In 1973, Bernice would organize the women’s a Capella group, Sweet Honey In The Rock. The group would focus on the musical traditions and cultural heritage of African Americans. The group would experience quick success, performing at the 1974 Smithsonian American Folklife Festival in Washington DC. Bernice would perform with Sweet Honey for thirty years before finally retiring in 2004. Johnson Reagon spoke on her recent retirement and continuing commitment to positive social change on her …show more content…
Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs, Foreward. (Montgomery, Ala.: NewSouth Books, 2007) XIII. Ed Friend's Highlander Folk School Film, 1957. Directed by Ed Friend. Performed by Attendees of the 1957 Highlander Folk School Convention. United States: "Integrated in All Respects" Is a Project of the Digital Library of Georgia in Association with the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies and the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection. 2007. Film. Houston, Benjamin. The Nashville Way Racial Etiquette and the Struggle for Social Justice in a Southern City. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2012. Johnson Reagon, Bernice. "Message From The Founder." Sweet Honey In The Rock: About Sweet Honey. 2015. Accessed October 17, 2015. http://sweethoneyintherock.org/about/bjr/. Johnson Reagon, Bernice. "Bio Statement." Scholarship. Accessed October 17, 2015. http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/bio.shtml. Lovett, Bobby L. The Civil Rights Movement in Tennessee: A Narrative History. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press,
On October 3, 1974, at around 10:45 pm, Elton Hymon and Leslie Wright of the Memphis Police Department were responding to a “prowler on the inside” call. They made the scene and observed a woman in the house next to the intended home of the call. She was standing on her front porch pointing at the house. She advised that she had heard glass breaking and someone was breaking into the house next door. As Wright showed both officers on the scene on his radio to dispatch, Hymon went to the rear of the house.
Jedediah S. Smith Obituary Maycee Stringham 5th Period Jedediah S. Smith was born June 24, 1798 in New York. He was one of the greatest trappers and explorers. He became one of the “Ashley Men” in 1822. Jedediah was a skinny man with brown hair and blue eyes. He was the fourth oldest of 12 kids.
Lovett’s article “The Negro’s Civil War in Tennessee 1861-1865” to be an interesting read. The structure of the article flowed well and was easy to understand. The subject of African-American soldiers during the Civil War is an interesting topic. However, there are some minor issues with the article. The first issue I had with this article was how Lovett briefly mentions how East Tennessee and West Tennessee held different views during this time-period.
Mary Lou Retton was born to Lois, and Ronnie Retton on January 24,1968. She was the youngest of five children, three boys, and two girls. Lois would take Mary Lou, and her sister, Shari ,to West Virginia University for gymnastics once a week. Mary Lou was first pining for Olympic Gold at age four when watching Olga Korbut during the 1972 Olympics. When Mary Lou was seven she watched Nadia Comaneci compete in the Olympics.
Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North by Thomas J. Sugrue is a comprehensive description of the civil rights movement in the North. Sugrue shows Northern African Americans who assembled against racial inequality, but were excluded from postwar affluence. Through fine detail and eloquent style, Sugrue has explained the growth and hardships integral in the struggles for liberties of black Americans in the North. The author explores the many civil rights victories—such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Act of 1965—but also takes the reader on a journey of many lesser known issues that occurred throughout states in the North and Mid-west United States. Sugrue illustrates the struggles of black
Both sources provided basic details about former State Representative Raymond W. Ewell. However, I found the first source, History Makers to be undoubtedly creditable. This source included an exclusive glimpse into the life of the senator. The History Maker, website provides researchers with pertinent facts about Mr. Ewell life. Also, the information provided seem to have been solicited directly from Representative Ewell in the form of a one on one interview.
A visible aspect of the Delta Blues in Rock n Roll is the lyrics and the extent at which artists use them to express deep emotion. The rolling Stones, sang “Paint it black” with the aim of allowing the audience to look into the life of a troubled fellow who wishes his life was all painted black just like his moods. The Alabama shakes, a modern rock band showcase the same emotion when they sing “Bless my heart, bless my soul. I didn’t think I’d make it to 22 years old.” in “Hold on” Similar sadness can be seen in Robert Johnson’s “Come on to my kitchen” who continuously asks his lover to come back to him.
New York: St. Martin's, 2009. 284. Print. Thompson-Cannino, Jennifer, Ronald Cotton, and Erin Torneo. "Afterword."
The beginnings of black gospel a cappella groups began with the Fisk Jubilee Singers from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. Popularity of this kind of group gained momentum when the choir went out on tour and performed in Oberlin, Ohio at
Lewis was inspired to make a difference after hearing Martin Luther King Jr.’s sermon on the radio. He believed in this quote from the Bible: “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (2 Timothy 4:12 KJV). Lewis did not let anyone doubt his knowledge due to his youth. God uses young people like the members of SNCC to bring equality for all. Their goals similar to Lewis’ was to speed up the progress of civil rights.
Hillbilly music was the main genre of music for rural white American’s during the 1920’s. During our class discussion of hillbilly music, I immediately related the genre as the birth of country music today. Hillbilly music was an artistic expression by the people of the rural south. This concept is very similar to the country music that is produced today by musicians from the south who write their music based on what it is like to live in the country. During the time period of the 1920’s, Hillbilly music was only produced and sang by white Americans.
She was not able to remember the names of the group members, but they are: Ketcham Secor, Critter Fuqua, Kevin Hayes, Morgan Jahning, Chance McCoy, Cory Younts, Gill Landry, and Willie Watson (Monger). Although I had not heard this song, I would not consider it one of my favorites because I am not familiar with its genre. Old Crow Medicine Show was formed on 1998 in Harrisonburg, Virginia (Monger); the members are still
A girl who once was a southern bell was transformed to a dull, lifeless person. She had met someone who changed her into a completely different person. Brice’s intended audience seem to be the girl first and foremost, but also young and older adults, those who have been through similar experiences. This twangy, casual country song is told with a forthright tone. The casual language of the song helps the audience understand the storyline much easier.
“Let’s go through Georgia fast so we won’t have to look at it much,” says John Wesley. The grandmother said, “children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else.” The
Music is not only used to capture peoples hearing but it is used to power peoples minds through the power of an individuals voice. Music served a critical role in the African American’s lives, as it was used to uplift their spirits as well as providing them with hope and strength to fight for civil rights and overcome segregation between white superiority and the unfair treatment of the inferior black. Music was defined as the voice of the people that lived through the oppression of the civil rights movement. During the civil rights movement, there were many different types of music genres sung, dependent on the culture, this included spiritual music; gospel and even folk music, which was performed by musicians, singers and even people of any musical talents. Through this, it brought about the uniting of people to join together and sing songs that helped them go through the oppression of the civil rights movement.