The Music Of Nina Simone

During the 1960’s, Nina got involved with the current events – the civil rights fight – as an activist. Outraged by the events and her own struggles this led her to take action; She used her music to try to change society. Her music was often anthems for civil right movements - such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee - during the 1960s and 1970s. After almost 50 years of music, Nina Simone

From the Civil Rights Movement to the Black Lives Matter movement, music continue to be the expression of all that is contained in the movement. It shows the struggles, the passions, the history of the movements. It gives hope, brightens the day, rallies, and unifies the people of movements.

February of every year is known as National Black History Month. There are many African American people who made a great impact on all African-Americans today. In honor of this month, though, I have chosen to write about Marian Anderson. Marian Anderson was a singer who had made a great impact on many of the black singers in the past. She was one of the first female African-American to perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1955. Some of Marian’s last words to the public were “I have a great belief in the future of my people and my country.”

The 1960s marked a period of social unrest and frustration over civil liberties for black Americans. The dominant figures of the Civil Rights movement were often male political and social leaders such as Malcolm X or Martin Luther King Jr. However, during this period music became an inseparable part of the Civil Rights movement. The civil rights and protest music had a remarkable influence on the freedom movements by spreading the political and social messages rooted in the movement. Consequently, musical artists also became dominant sources of leadership and influence. Nina Simone led an influential and successful life as a musical artist, especially during the civil rights movement. Her music fused genres of classical, soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz to create a completely unique, uncategorizable style of music. Her contralto voice and distinguished musical style made her easily recognizable and popular to a diverse, global audience during the 60s and 70s. Although Simone is often omitted from historical recounts of the civil rights movement, her songs are incredibly significant to the turbulent times as they promoted a sense of black pride and projected the frustration and anger over the oppression of black Americans, especially black women. Simone had dreams of becoming a classical pianist which were never reached. Despite these unobtained goals, Simone was able to become an eminent musical artist that always carried herself with the utmost honesty, dedication, and

People thought of her as the first major African American female concert singer of the twentieth century (Marian Anderson Contemporary). A New York Times reporter after a interview with Anderson summarized that “she suffered the indignities imposed on her people without any protest, and easily rose above them,” (Marian Anderson DISCovering Multicultural America). She was often discriminated against by the hotels and restaurants that she performed at. Since she was forced to pursue her art tenaciously in order she challenged the racial barrier in her own courageous and heroic way. She didn’t speak out publicly during the civil rights movement however, she was still was well known as the “voice of the civil rights struggle (Marian Anderson

In the 1960’s, Nina became known as the “voice” of the Civil Rights Movement. One of her most famous songs, “Mississippi Goddamned,” was banned on southern radios because some say “goddam” was in the title. However many others and I believe it was because of the racial and social control system. “When she wrote it, Simone had been fed up with the country’s racial unrest. Medgar Evers, a Mississippi-born civil rights activist, was assassinated in his home state in 1963. That same year, the Ku Klux Klan bombed a Birmingham Baptist church and as a result, four young black girls were killed. Simone took to her notebook and piano to express her

In the twenty first century there are a few men in this world that admits when you think of artist, you don’t typically think of women. Women rights and racism play a strong role when it comes to African American female artist. For decades’ African American woman have always had a permanent double bull’s eye on their back. Their skin and gender was their worst enemy. In the 1700 century women rights movements started to rise. But if you look up women right movements starting in the 1700 century, the face of women rights is predominantly white women. Between books and the internet, they show that it was mostly white women who helped woman rights. If we still struggle to shine light on African American Women now in the 21st century, you cannot

What is the purpose of music in society? Foremost, in layman terms, music is just sounds. However, individuals then use these sounds as a medium in order to spread certain ideas and emotions across society. Naturally over time different types of music become associated with different communities; thus, this identification creates an overgeneralized interpretation of who these communities are and what they stand for. One prime example is the stereotype that jazz and swing was the music of the African Americans in 20th century Los Angeles. Even though it may be true, the stereotype does not give an answer as to why or how jazz and swing became to be known as “black music”. In order to answer these questions, it is imperative to know what conditions

Music influnced African American culture by allowing them to express themselves in a new way-specifically, through jazz. This also was one of the first times blacks and whites could both come together and embrace the same topic. Like the document says on page 59, "...originated by blacks but embraced by whites." One challenge these artists faced was the on-going segregation. For example, the text on page 56 says, "On one side, the word 'white' was painted, and on the other, the word, 'colored.'" This shows, how the issue of racism and separation of races continued. But this had a positive impact. Like the text says on page 59, "...when confronted with racism, he 'took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues." This shows it was possible

The civil rights movement had a powerful impact of the African American community as a whole. After the movement and several victories over the laws of discrimination from the governement, black people found themselves appearing nearly everywhere. From drawing conclusions, the 70’s was the peak of African Americans in film, television, theatre and even music. So far as the music industry, Black artists were making empowering songs to encourage the solidarity and pride in being a black person. African Americans also made music about current events in the world. Artists such as Marvin Gaye made songs about war, protests and moral issues of the government. In music, the intellect and thoughts of an African American was displayed by their lyrics. No one infiltrated their songs because it was their own creations. However, this was not the same case in movies cast and written for black people.

Mammie, Jezebel, and the ever ready prostitute and Sapphire. In “Four Women” Nina Simone links the history of black women in America as defined

The story captures the turbulent trials that she faced as she sang her way from the segregated streets of a shantytown in East St. Louis to the glittering stages of Paris all the way to Carnegie Hall. Reading and experiencing books within the biography genre provides the learner with an authentic glimpse inside history and encourages them to understand historical events from the perspective of the people who lived it. Paired with the relationship to and relevance of past events to current events, this provides the opportunity to address the segregation of the past relative to the issues of racial bias and racism today that are distinguishable to even the young reader as a part of our society and culture. Children’s books provide an avenue for students to learn about their own cultural heritage and the cultures of other people. It is crucial for young learners to learn and understand these values in the early learning process to ensure that they develop positive attitudes toward their own culture and the cultures of others to

If I could spend 14 Tuesdays with anyone, it would be Nina Simone. Not only was Ms. Simone a remarkable singer, but she was a classical pianist as well. Her songs flow with a rhythm only the best can play. Many of her songs have become jazz standards today, and her original song , “Alabama Goddam,” became an important song for the Civil Rights Movement.

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”-plato.Beyonce always say-”Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.”. Beyonce Knowles and Whitney Houston are inspirational, independent and influential. Both have lyrics that can touch a million people. Their music Motivates us there both independent and also influential through their life and songs.

Music is an important part of life. Its role as a form of art and entertainment is a significant one but more important is that it serves to reflect and reinforce societal norms and values. It is not only used to entertain but also serves as a form of social commentary (Baran, 2009). For instance, the emergence of Rhythm and Blues (R&B) in America after the Second World War was a means of advancing the black race and it helped blur the line between white and black as more young white people became aware of the distinctions that existed in the society. The Hip-hop and rap of the 1980s and 1990s had almost the same effect, awakening in Black Americans a sense of