Throughout history, music has served as a rallying cry; a beacon of hope; a source of unity among people, particularly those suppressed by plagues of social discrimination or the full-fledged forces of bigoted legislation targeting those on the outskirts of society. More prominent in the analysis of the United States\u2019 history than anywhere else is music\u2019s unparalleled ability to empower people of all races, ethnicities, genders, religion and socioeconomic statuses.<\/p>\n
In our project, we analyze \u2013 somewhat chronologically \u2013 the progression of music as an agent of social and cultural change in the United States. We explore the origins of traditionally African-American music in the early twentieth century and its unwarranted co-option by white artists. We analyze the suppressed voices of the LGBT+ community and how music gave an outlet for them to express themselves, even if only in their own circles for some time. We look at modern female icons such as Beyonce and Kesha, who have taken to the most public of stages and legal institutions to demand just treatment for women, as well as how their intersectionality brings justice to various groups. We ascribe the same level of importance to political issues which have faded away but still have lingering effects on our country to those that have only come about in recent years. Overall, we dive deep to discover the motivations \u2013 internally and by external pressures \u2013 and the impacts that musical responses to the driving issues have had. We are fortunate to live in a world where censorship has diminished and musical expression, be it on a personal level and on behalf of one\u2019s group, has come to embody the values of all people. From hip hop\u2019s protests against police brutality to nuanced allusions surrounding the forcefully closeted nuances of our LGBT+ compatriots, from songs of slaves yearning for freedom to feminist outcries against the patriarchy, our goal is to educate our audience on ways in which music has provided an ever-expanding platform for people to make their voices heard, and ensure that it remains that way for all future generations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n