Member-only story

Music and Race in the Southern Imagination: Exploring the Interplay of Sound and Identity

Eddie Bell

·13.1k Followers· Follow

Published in Sounding The Color Line: Music And Race In The Southern Imagination (The New Southern Studies Ser )

5 min read · 2 weeks before

154 View Claps

25 Respond

Save

Listen

Book Cover Of Music And Race In The Southern Imagination Sounding The Color Line: Music And Race In The Southern Imagination (The New Southern Studies Ser )

Music has played an integral role in shaping the cultural identity and social landscape of the American South. From the soulful melodies of gospel to the raucous rhythms of rock 'n' roll, music has served as a powerful force in expressing and shaping the experiences of African Americans and whites alike.

Sounding the Color Line: Music and Race in the Southern Imagination (The New Southern Studies Ser.)

by Erich Nunn

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3850 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	229 pages

In her groundbreaking work, "Music and Race in the Southern Imagination," Dr. Aimee Newell explores the complex and often contentious relationship between music, race, and the Southern imagination. Drawing on a wealth of historical and ethnographic research, Newell argues that music has consistently been used to construct, reinforce, and challenge racial boundaries in the South.

Through an interdisciplinary approach that encompasses musicology, history, and cultural studies, Newell examines a wide range of musical genres, including spirituals, blues, jazz, and country music. She analyzes how these genres have been shaped by racial ideologies and how they have been used to express both resistance and accommodation to racial oppression.

Music as a Site of Racial Conflict and Reconciliation

One of the central themes that emerges from Newell's work is the way in which music has been used as a site of racial conflict and reconciliation. She argues that white Southerners have often used music to assert their racial superiority and to justify the segregation and discrimination faced by African Americans.

For example, Newell examines the rise of the "Lost Cause" ideology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This ideology, which sought to glorify the antebellum South and to downplay the horrors of slavery, was strongly supported by white musicians and music critics. White musicians began to incorporate elements of African American music into their own compositions, but they often did so in a way that sanitized and commodified it, stripping it of its original cultural context and political significance.

However, Newell also shows how music has been used to challenge racial inequality and to foster reconciliation between blacks and whites. She discusses the role of blues and jazz in the Civil Rights Movement, and she examines how these genres helped to raise awareness of the plight of African Americans and to mobilize support for desegregation.

Furthermore, Newell explores the ways in which music has been used to build bridges between black and white communities. She discusses the work of white musicians such as Harry Belafonte, Joan Baez, and Bruce Springsteen, who have used their music to speak out against racism and to promote social justice.

Music and the Construction of Whiteness

Another important theme that Newell explores is the role of music in the construction of whiteness. She argues that white Southerners have often used music to define and defend their own racial identity. For example, she discusses the rise of country music in the early 20th century, and she shows how this genre was used to promote a sanitized and romanticized vision of the South that excluded African Americans.

Newell also examines the role of rock 'n' roll in the construction of whiteness. She argues that this genre, which was originally created by African American musicians, was quickly appropriated by white musicians and used to promote a rebellious and anti-establishment image. This process of appropriation helped to create a new category of "white" rock 'n' roll, which excluded African Americans and reinforced the racial divide.

However, Newell also shows how African American musicians have used music to challenge the construction of whiteness. She discusses the role of hip-hop in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and she shows how this genre has been used to express the experiences of African Americans and to challenge the dominant narrative of white supremacy.

"Music and Race in the Southern Imagination" is a groundbreaking work that offers a nuanced and comprehensive analysis of the complex relationship between music, race, and the Southern imagination. Newell's work is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of race and music in the United States, and it provides a valuable framework for understanding the ways in which music continues to shape our society today.

About the Author

Aimee Newell is an associate professor of musicology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the author of "Music and Race in the Southern Imagination" (University of North Carolina Press, 2017). Her work has been published in a variety of journals, including the Journal of the Society for American Music and the Black Music Research Journal.

Sounding the Color Line: Music and Race in the Southern Imagination (The New Southern Studies Ser.)

by Erich Nunn

5 out of 5