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Hello,
in 1933 to 1937 US-Professor Lawrence Gellert searched from Maryland, Georgia, Mississippi, Lousiana to Texas Panhandle for “Negros Songs of Protest” and took a lot of interviews and field recordings. Here the Song “Joe Brown” from his collection.Dieter
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No matter what race you are, all of our ancestors had slavery at one time or another. Polynesians – especially the Maori and Fijians – were among the worst. Here’s how it went in America:
Most modern people are horrified by the idea of slavery, but here in New Zealand every year a few recent immigrants from India, Somalia, and some Middle Eastern countries are caught enslaving newly arrived immigrants – especially women and children – and forcing them to do horrible things. Luckily, they usually get caught and their modern day slaves are rescued.
Sunjamr Steve
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Steve, slavery isn’t the issue, except as a legacy, in which case we are still dealing with it.
These were free black men and women protesting their conditions in the Jim Crow South.
As a legacy, one of the greatest harms of the race-based slavery in the U.S. has dimensions that didn’t exist in many of the other societies’ slavery. The entire construct of white supremacy was devised to justify slavery and that legacy devils us to this day.
The protest songs we’re hearing aren’t protests against mistreatment in general. They were protests against their treatment at the hands of cruel overseers, cruel wardens and bosses.
The slavery of today that you mention is done behind closed doors, the slavery of the U.S.’s past, same as Jim Crow and the institutional oppression black people face today in employment, housing, incarceration is an open part of society. It isn’t hidden.
Don D.
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“As a legacy, one of the greatest harms of the race-based slavery in the U.S. has dimensions that didn’t exist in many of the other societies’ slavery. The entire construct of white supremacy was devised to justify slavery and that legacy devils us to this day.”
Billy, that’s history.
I’d suggest that (right or wrong) the above is a political interpretation of history.
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It isn’t without politics. Little of anything really is—anything that isn’t critical of the status quo supports it, so “no politics” is simply an acceptance of things as they are, not an absence of politics—nevertheless, I’ve never felt the need to use this site to express my criticisms.
I used the Faulkner quote to express my general feelings without saying anything else. But when Steve implied, very wrongly and very politically, that everything is just fine, that U.S. chattel slavery can be forgotten about because “all of our ancestors had slavery at one time or another.” What kind of wretched mealy-mouthed drivel is that? Who sits by and obeys rules when something like that comes up? I don’t.
Having already noted the song made a strong statement, having noted I was paying attention to this post, I wasn’t about to silently assent to his interpretation.
Don D.
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Well as Billy said its a can of worms and a sensitive /highly politicised topic which is often co-opted by people to push modern day agendas – sometimes (subjectively) justified, sometimes not. I’m not even an American so I won’t weigh in.
The blues borders this subject quite a bit so i don’t think the forum could entirely avoid politics but i can see why the rule is in place.
Make music not war 😛
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Billy, that’s history.
If you say so Don mate, I just see an open can of worms so I’ll leave you guys to it..
..Billy..
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Oh, sorry – the song in the video I posted is Berta Berta as performed by Branford Marsalis, from his album I Heard You Twice the First Time. I think that qualifies as a blues song, even though it’s a capella. Most of the video clips were from Parchman Farm Prison, the birthplace of many blues songs.
Sunjamr Steve
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No matter what race you are, all of our ancestors had slavery at one time or another. Polynesians – especially the Maori and Fijians – were among the worst. Here’s how it went in America:
<iframe src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/sxC04N23U3o?wmode=transparent&rel=0&feature=oembed” allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen=”” id=”fitvid0″ frameborder=”0″></iframe>Most modern people are horrified by the idea of slavery, but here in New Zealand every year a few recent immigrants from India, Somalia, and some Middle Eastern countries are caught enslaving newly arrived immigrants – especially women and children – and forcing them to do horrible things. Luckily, they usually get caught and their modern day slaves are rescued.
Well I finished 285 Holy night! If there is anytime to think holy thoughts it should be on this thread! lol.. Anyway before I could really get a good take,,my phone battery dropped to one percent and shut off lol now i;m watching the original star trek before I hit the sack! lol night all!
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