Arthur Jones Musical Activism Case Study
WHEN/WHERE/PRACTICIONERS
Music and activism are two concepts
that go hand-in-hand. In the African American experience music has always been
a part of activism dating back to slavery. The way slaves were able to organize
efforts to escape, insurrections, and protest in the sense of speaking to each
other without the other folks knowing. They spoke to each other through song.
There has always been song, there has always been churches, and organized
things where people were able to voice how they feel about things in those
settings. During the civil rights movement, the movement could not have been
what is was without the music. Not only was there singing among the protestors,
but the commercial music that was out at the time and that people were
listening to on the radio (Nina Simone, James Brown, The Temptations) commented
on situations concerning race and oppression.
Arthur Jones stated, “When I was in
high school and the Civil Rights Movement was going on, my first introduction
to it was my friends saying were doing a march to protest against
discrimination hiring by the cement company in New York. And so I show up at
the march, and the first thing we do is start singing. My introduction to it as
a teenager was going to protests and singing.”
WHY IT WORKED
Arthur’s work
with both the Negro Spirituals and collaboration with the Flobots on the “No
Enemies” project are successful examples of musical activism. Singing and using
the Negro Spirituals is about promoting activism within the African American
community, but also about a concert tradition that has a history and past of
being associated with activism. The Spirituals allow people to remain connected
to tradition and also promote musical activist channels. The goal is to include
singing and social justice themes in order to get more people interested and
involved in movements ranging from BLM, Woman’s rights, environmental issues,
LGBT and so on.
Concerning the “No Enemies” project
Jones said, “Well I think the collaboration with the Flowbots on the No Enemies
project was direct application to an activist mission, which is the whole idea
of helping contemporary communities understand the way in which music can
empower folks and can strengthen their ability to resist. It is calling on the
spirit on the non-violence philosophy of the Civil Rights Movement. Non-violent
action is empowered through singing.”
Music is
used by activist like Jones to embolden people, encourage them, and to bring
like-minded individuals together through an important cause or movement.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK
The issues
now for musical activism is a large-scale cultural change. There is no longer a
full-range od singing or soundtracks to movements that were found during the
Civil Rights Movement. “But now we’ve got a whole culture where the music
making has been confined to professional people, and the ordinary people in the
street are self conscious about singing and making music,” said Jones. In order
for musical activism to continue to be effective all types of people,
profession or not, need to participate and feel empowered by music that
expresses the messages of movements. During the Civil Rights Movement when
people were afraid they would start singing and take the air back. The singing
carries so much power. It is a way to channel positive energy in frightening
situations when facing injustice and systematic oppression. Music emboldens
individuals. The real trick of for ordinary people to be involved.
KEY TACTIC
The key
tactic utilized within musical activism is strategic nonviolence. Strategic nonviolence is used to create a
framework for broad-based direct action conducive conducive to building large,
inclusive, diverse and effective movements. Music is a great way to use
nonviolent strategy because music represents a way for activist to “take back
the air”. Through music people are able to express their messages in a safe and
inclusive manner. Music connects and emboldens individuals within a movement.
KEY PRINCIPLES
A new principle created through
musical activism and the work of people like Arthur Jones is REAP. This stands
for research, education, activism and and performance. Music and activism
combined represent and cover all of these elements. Music covers all the bases
of research, education, activism and especially performance.
Balancing art and the message is
another key principle of musical activism. Effective creative
interventions/actions require a judicious balance of art and message. It’s not
just what you say, it’s how you say it. In the case of musical activism, you
wouldn’t want the focus to only be on the music because people wouldn’t
understand the message and no awareness would be raised. At the same time,
there also shouldn’t be a focus on the message alone without music to support
and enhance it.
Another significant principle is
don’t just brainstorm artstorm. “Artstorming creates space for the spatially,
kinesthetically and musically gifted folks who might be alienated from a verbal
brainstorm.” (Beautiful Trouble pg. 128) “Artstorming” invites participants to
jump directly into the unmediated experience of creation, engaging the full
spectrum of our creative intelligence. Creating music that enhances a movement
and spreads awareness is a successful way to “artstorm”.
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