Da Bluez
From years 1505 to 1870, the world underwent the largest forced migration in history. West Africa was soon to be convulsed by the arrival of Europeans and become the advent of the transatlantic slave trade. Ships from Europe, bound for America, appeared on the horizon, and their captains and sailors-carrying muskets, swords, and shackles-landed on the coast, walked up the beach in their strange clothes, looked around, and demanded slaves. A horrific chapter in history had begun, and neither Africa nor America would be the same again. Approximately ten million Africans were brought across the seas to the Americas to be manipulated into slavery. They were meant to work harsh labor, yet they were no longer meant to have a voice. A few Americans took the time to appreciate the hard work performed by the slaves; however, appreciation is a short step in the long road to equality. It was not until the late 19th century that America began to repair the damages done by this immoral trading of human beings. Once the slaves were "freed" after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it did not do much to end the oppression and prejudice against the black race. Their freedom did not give them a heart; it did not prove they ha
This is where country and blues came together, and both grew to be a highly vital and influential landmark in music history. However, the Napoleons of the Blues shall never be forgotten because they fought a war America had at one time decided it could never win. Both the blacks and whites were finally agreeing on something-music. However, when Little Richard put out his own release of "Long Tall Sally" in 1956, before Pat Boone put out his cover of it, Little Richard already had it at number six. From that standpoint, after the release of the slaves, the work song then matured into their Spirituals, and later was introduced to the whites through black-faced Minstrel or Medicine shows. They spent their lives traveling from village to village, playing the role of a musician, storyteller and wise man. Some white musicians imitated the black music style of Blues so well that in some instances it is undecided today who was white and who in fact was truly black upon listening to old recordings. Once Blues music was not only recognized, but also comprehended, admired and imitated, it opened the gates of immigration, and the nation to this day has matured in its ability to see gray. This offered a new and beneficial lifestyle for the blacks as well as the whites. The music did not seem to have the same color restrictions as the music previously performed. This proves that the culture between the blacks and whites was beginning to mix and blur, and this was due to the affects of the intrigue of Blues music. As the music matured and became more renowned, its influence became prominent in the music styles of the time, and in the intertwining relationships between the races. Although it was socially acceptable for the Blues musicians to write, compose and produce their music, it was frowned upon, until the late 1950's, that the teenage generation be exposed to black Blues musicians. And once in America, there were other hardships to sing about: the ignominy of the auction block, the separation of family members, and the remorseless treatment at the hands of landowners.
Common topics in this essay:
Emancipation Proclamation,
Jim Crow,
African's African,
African European,
Little Richard,
Minstrel Medicine,
America Approximately,
Blues African,
Ships Europe,
Napoleons Blues,
blues music,
blacks whites,
blues musicians,
black race,
black blues,
black artists,
civil rights,
civil rights movement,
musicians white,
white covers,
jim crow laws,
music style,
blues musicians white,
white blues musicians,
white covers black,
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Acceptance Essays
