The Most Influential Methods Utilized by People of Color for Equality

I believe that the creation of and messaging through pop culture, particularly music, is up there in terms of having the largest and longest lasting impact. I could see why people would make an argument for violent rebellion/slave organization with the employment of African-Americans in the Revolutionary War. During this time, many slaves in the American Colonies escaped their plantations to aid the British war efforts. In general, you stood a better chance of becoming free by fighting for the British. Unfortunately, “many thousands of African Americans who aided the British lost their freedom anyway” (Africans in America). Many ended up in slavery in the Caribbean. Some tried to leave places like Charleston and Savannah with the British, but were attacked by the British in order to keep them from following them. Of course, these actions and the later Civil War have had a huge impact on the status of African-Americans for the better, but hindsight is always 20/20.

As early as the late 19th century, African-American music influenced “America’s century.” The musical culture was developed within the bonds of slavery and was the most important influence on 20th century music. “Of all the developing genres, the blues would be the most far-reaching, with its influence felt in everything from jazz to rock, country music to rhythm and blues, and classical music” (20th Century Music). Artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones often credited early 20th century American music such as blues and jazz for their inspiration. Later in the 20th century, hip-hop music and culture was born in New York, and rap music was developed with “its semi-autobiographical lyrics and deep rhythms” and continued the trend of the enormous transformation in the world of music created and nurtured in the African-American community.

Works Cited

20th Century Music | History Detectives. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/20th-century-music/

Africans in America | Part 2 | The Revolutionary War. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2narr4.html