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Overview
The 1960s were a period of protest and upheaval in American race relations. The Civil Rights Act had passed in 1964, and it outlawed segregation and prohibited discrimination. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited discrimination in voting practices. Martin Luther King, Jr. promoted a message of peace and solidarity, encouraging civil disobedience and peaceful protests for African Americans to ensure that they were treated equally in all areas of society. Musicians such as Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, and James Brown sang about black pride and black empowerment. James Brown became one of the most important voices of black pride, earning the nickname “Soul Brother Number One.”
Objectives
- Recall the relationship between music and the American civil rights movement during the 1960s
- Recall how artists such as Curtis Mayfield and Sam Cooke advocated for civil rights in their music
- Examine the role James Brown played in the musical messages of the civil rights movement and the Black Power movement
- Identify characteristics of Brown’s musical style from this period
- Recall several other musicians who conveyed meaningful musical messages to African American audiences during the 1960s and early 1970s, such as Stevie Wonder and Sly and the Family Stone
Conclusion
During the 1960s, many African Americans were fighting to have their voices heard and to be treated equally in American society. Musicians became important spokespeople for the civil rights movement and for the Black Power movement, encouraging fellow African Americans to be empowered, have pride, and stand up for themselves. James Brown was one of the most outspoken musicians of the era, and singers and songwriters such as Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke, and Stevie Wonder also promoted messages of importance to the African American community. As we will see in the following lesson, the genre of funk music picked up where these musicians left off, encouraging African Americans to have pride while at the same time dancing and having a good time.
“Blues and soul and jazz music has so much pain, so much beauty of raw emotion and passion.”
-Christina Aguilera
“Soul was the music made by and for black people. For most of the Sixties it was thoroughly divorced from white popular music, but by the end of the decade several artists with their roots firmly in both soul and R&B traditions had crossed over.”
-Jon Landau
James Brown, also known as the "Godfather of Soul", was notorious for his legendary dance moves. Many performers were influenced by his moves including Michael Jackson & Mick Jagger.
