Professor Tanenbaum
ENN 191: Art, Politics, Protest
Essay #1 (Revision)
Time and Place
There’s many ways to be heard. A couple of ways of making something known is by standing in front of an establishment and speaking your mind, or even hand out flyers advocating what your stand is. Once you’re heard there are a few things that can happen, the ones w who’ve heard you can think you’re crazy and laugh at you or people can be supportive and the voice of one can become the voice of many. An effective way of being heard can also be though music, whether it’s to start a revolution or just to have your opinion put out there so others can be educated.
“Strange Fruit” performed by Billie Holliday and written by Abel Meeropol in 1939 is an example of music trying to educate. Perhaps people didn’t know of the activities going on in the south at this time... In 1939 USA was much divided and took part in what now we would consider shameful activities. In the south people were being lynched, but to be specific people of color were the only ones being lynched and they were lynched by the white man. The lyrics of the song are very direct are hard to misinterpret,” Southern trees bear strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,” It was not uncommon to see a display of Black man hanging from a tree. Same way a fruit hangs from a tree except, fruits don’t tend to bleed or have “the sudden smell of burning flesh.” One thing to keep in mind is the distinctive voice the performer Billie Holliday says, and with good reason such lyrics can’t just be song by anyone. In my opinion Billie Holliday’s voice has passion, especially when she sings. It’s not a very feminine voice but let that not be confused with a masculine one. It’s very assertive and its perfect for the type of music she sang very outspoken music. The songs performed by Billie Holliday addresses real life situations that occur. Whether it be in a comedic tone or not the meaning of the lyrics are pure and are real. This works out well in a sense because it gives people knowledge on the events of that time. But I can also see this being somewhat of a problem because it wouldn’t satisfy all the types of music lovers, primarily because of the contents of the Billie Holliday’s music.
Malcolm X also had a way of putting things into the light, although not through music he did so through speech. In 1964 Malcolm X delivered a speech in Harlem NY regarding the events that occurred in the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City with the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. The MFDP tried to be seated in the Democratic National Convention and were denied seats. The MFDP consisted of mostly African Americans. Malcolm X as well as many if not most of the African American community was very upset about this. It was clear that racism the in the country had not changed one bit. Although these political white men said they weren’t for segregation and were against of the non equality the black man had been dealing with they did not do anything to help the MFDP. Malcolm X directs his speech to his people, the people who support him mainly the African Americans. He says “…We will never communicate talking one language and he’s talking another language. He’s talking the language of violence… Let’s learn his language.” I thought this was a good way of approaching the situation; clearly speaking to the White man at this point wasn’t going to make a difference except land you in jail. But if you talk to the people who share the same ideas as you then perhaps you can get some change, there’s power amongst the masses. But Malcolm X also spoke directed to the white man about the white man. “Some people wonder well, what does Mississippi have to do with Harlem... America is Mississippi.” At the time Mississippi was a place of great commotion. Many injustices had been done at the time against African Americans. Malcolm X comes out and clearly says that just because he at the time was in Harlem didn’t mean he wasn’t going through the same thing. He was Black as well as those in Mississippi. “If one room in your house is dirty, you’ve got a dirty house.”; “You have authority over the whole house.” The house he refers to is America you can’t have one side believe one thing and another practice another.
These two different forms of expression have a lot of things in common as well as a lot of difference. In the song “Strange Fruit” the message of retaliation isn’t displayed, but the odd rituals were in full display. The misconception people had “Pastoral scene of the gallant south,” were the furthest thing from the truth. With Malcolm X’s speech he does say let’s do something about this! This cannot continue to happen! One thing to keep in mind I think would be important is the time and context. I think these two forms of protest were very effective given the time; you really can’t have one without the other.
