Not much actual writing by me on this post because the only thing I feel competent to discuss is music itself. But, the topic is very important to me and, I believe, to everyone whether they think so or not. So what follows are links to some articles and art by others you might want to read or experience.
First, one on the topic itself, politics in art:
I mentioned songs of the abolitionists at the end of the previous article but didn’t follow up with specifics. Here a few you might consider:
- https://outofthearchives.org/2014/04/13/the-songs-of-the-abolitionists/
- https://loc.gov/item/ihas.200197383#:~:text=%5B1%5D%20Sheet%20music%20examples%20of,and%20%22The%20Slave’s%20Consolation.%22
- https://www.voanews.com/arts-culture/songs-against-slavery-used-tool-abolition
For the same time period, songs of the underground railroad:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_of_the_Underground_Railroad
- http://www.harriet-tubman.org/songs-of-the-underground-railroad/
- https://castle.eiu.edu/reading/undergroundrailroadsongs.pdf
- https://medium.com/dose/music-was-the-secret-language-of-the-underground-railroad-e91b3981d21a
As I work on this post, I realize how totally insignificant my suggestions are compared to the overwhelming wealth of knowledge their is on the Internet. Just google [songs of the underground railroad] and you’ll be amazed…amazed!
Even the American revolution had its songs:
- https://www.constitutionfacts.com/founders-library/music-of-the-american-revolution/
- https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/active_learning/explorations/revolution/revolution_music.cfm
- https://www.americanrevolution.org/warsongs.php
Of course, songs of the Civil War:
- https://folkways.si.edu/songs-of-the-civil-war/american-folk-historical-song/music/album/smithsonian
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_American_Civil_War
- https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/music-1860s
Of course, anti-war songs of the Vietnam war would take up a whole book:
- https://www.cfr.org/blog/twenty-best-vietnam-protest-songs
- http://peacehistory-usfp.org/protest-music-vietnam-war/
- https://www.vietnamfulldisclosure.org/10-top-anti-warprotest-songs-about-the-vietnam-war/
Political songs aren’t limited to America. You are probably familiar with the song, Waltzing Matilda. There’s this:
No less an artist than Beethoven is no stranger to political statements in his art:
Back to America and an iconic American at that, Walt Whitman:
The fascists like to denigrate what they derisively refer to as “identity politics.” Of course, no one likes to have their art dismissed as “women’s film,” “gay poetry,” “Black music,” “Latin composers”…the list goes on. But, what can be more important to defend and espouse in one’s art than personal characteristics that are discriminated against in society. I recommend, if you feel uncomfortable with the people of any of those socially excluded categories, you seek out and steep yourself in their art and let what they express build your empathy for their identity. This is politics in art of the most personal sort. I’ll have a complete post on this sometime.
BUT FOR NOW… that’s enough words. Here’s a couple pro-union songs by Pete Seeger to send you on your way:
Hilton Kean Jones 