In the movie we watched today, one of the most important things said was about the musicians in Harvard searching for truly American music, but only willing to search for it within the confines of high society white America. Music had been produced by slaves and their descendants for years, and that music was good enough for whites to copy but not good enough for them to recognize as an American art. For whites to recognize the influence African Americans had on music, would be akin to admitting that slave labor built this country. By denying the impact of blacks on music, whites sought to ensure that blacks wouldn't develop self esteem and come to the realize their actual worth.
The politics of music directly mirror the ideas and issues in American society. It is natural for this to occur because music is often used as an outlet for social and societal issues. Through jazz it is evident that people were trying to escape the confines and restrictions of society. Blacks used jazz to express their hope for better days to come. Young whites saw jazz as a way to rebel against the ideals forced upon them and used it to explore their self development.
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