Thesis source

For my thesis I plan on looking at the 1965 Watts riots and how that civil uprising lead to and paved the way for the 1992 Los Angeles riots and ultimately to what is occurring in the Los Angeles of today, Such as the limited or complete lack of resources for the community as well as in my opinion the demise of the ‘New Negro’. By doing so I will use John T Metzger “Planned Abandonment: The Neighborhood Life-Cycle Theory andNational Urban Policy” and Keith Collin Black Los Angeles: The Maturing of the Ghetto, 1940-1950 to show how early African American migrants who relocated in the West in hope of economic stability as well as equality was met by Housing restrictions that really put an end to any sort of upward mobility, thus creating the Watts Riots which were not simply a race riot but more so a class riot. Metzger’s life-cycle theory is the deliberate dispersal of urban poor, followed by the eventual reuse of abandoned areas. The life-cycle theory assisted the real estate and financial industries with a mass amount of land needed to counter the movement of white flight. With readily available abandoned property real estate companies did not have to go through the process of redlining property or using mass amounts of government funds to purchase the land. Rather the land was made available form the destruction of the riot as well as foreclosures from land owners who could not afford the increases in mortgage rates. With annual large numbers of African American migrants coming into the city each year, Watts soon became a Black ghetto that had resources that were soon to be exhausted and was overcrowded. The city of Watts was unable to expand their services and unable to deal with the sudden growth. According to Keith Collins, the author of Black Los Angeles: The Maturing of The Ghetto, 1940-1950, Watts was unable to expand services at a rate equal to or greater than the number of people in need. The community found itself unable to deal with the many ramifications of sudden growth: medical care, school curricula, transportation, crime, and housing. What began as individual problems multiplied into social problems which could be traced back to racial discrimination and racial isolation (Collins, 1980).

Artistic vs Entrepreneurial

During the Great Migration many African Americans moved North and West in search of a new start, in search of financial stability and a better way of life. During the start of the Jazz movement which was centered in New Orleans and once Storyville closed many Musicians set out North to Chicago for work in the factories and in search of joining a new band. With that said the difference between Locke’s “New Negro” and Baldwin’s “Chicago New Negro” is the distinctions between the Artistic New Negro (Locke) and the Entrepreneurial New Negro (Baldwin).  With the Press being predominately centered in Harlem Locke focus was on the Artistic side of the New Negro, in such artist as Langston Hughes and Claude McKay. For the first time African Americans were getting the recognition they so deserved and for the first time their struggles and insight was written from their own words and account. However Baldwin opens with Jack Johnson and Madame CJ Walker to show that African Americans or the “New Negro” Can succeed and compete with White Americans. By using CJ Walker for the first time this notion of Black Beauty and self appreciation was addressed in the Black Community. More importantly by using Johnson and Walker this was the first time that African Americans were in many ways on the same page as Whites. They had the money and the means, and in comparison to Johnson to White men he showed that Blacks were not inferior to Whites, and that a Black man can have the same if not more money then a White man and that the luxuries such as cars, women and prestige could be matched by an African American.

In comparison I feel as though Locke and Baldwin’s interpretation of the New Negro when compared gives insight of Black success and that African American where making advancements as Artists as well  as Entrepreneurs.  

Black Studies Self Assessment

When I entered UCSB I entered as Biochemistry major. During my first quarter I set out to tackle as many classes that would fulfill GE requirements, with that said one of the first black studies classes I took was Black studies 3Intro to African studies with Akudinobi. I had not realized until recently that Black studies 3 Intro to African studies was the perfect introductory class for me, as I was not knowledgeable on my African ancestry, this course got me to think outside the box as to how Africans and African Americans were views in the media and across regions, I also learned about many significant African achievements. However during my sophomore year I changed my major to Cultural Anthropology and still found time to take black studies class but still mainly for the sole purpose of fulfilling GE requirements, I took Black studies 7 Intro Caribbean Studies, 38B Intro African American Literature, 127 Black Women Writers and Black studies 170 African American Cinema. At the end of my Junior year I found myself finished with my GE’s as well as my requirements for my Anthropology major and Education minor, with that said I found myself needing units to graduate and with me having some units in Black studies I decided to pick up the Black Studies major and took Black studies 14 History of Jazz, 104 Black Marxism, 128 Black Experience in Southern California, 129 Urban Dilemma, 137E Soc Black Experience and Black studies 153 Black Pop Music. As someone who was born and raised in the Inner-city of Los Angeles (Watts), Black studies 128 and 129 proved to be very beneficial to my understanding of the maturation of the urban ghetto as well as the origin of many of the social imbalances within the inner-city. Now in my last quarter I’m taking Black studies 1 Intro African American studies and 190 Senior Seminar, Throughout my studies at UCSB I found it very beneficial to be knowledgeable on another culture beside the U.S, and as a future Educational provider I feel that I am in a better position to connect with my students, who will be from different backgrounds and ethnicities which my Degree in Cultural Anthropology, Black Studies and Education will aid in my professional success.

Reflection

As a student at UCSB I have wanted to take The History of Jazz course for some time now but some how the course was not available or the course was filled before I had the chance to register. As a Black Studies major I needed to fulfill the preparation area and The History of Jazz course fulfils that requirement. Before completing this course I knew little about Jazz and more importantly about the culture of Jazz. The only Jazz musician I knew of was Louis Armstrong, and even then I was not acquainted with any of his music or what bands he was in for that matter. I was also not aware of the many styles of jazz such as Swing and Bebop, or any of the historical movements associated with the musical form. When I thought of Jazz I associated it with the 1920’s, music of the past, and I associated Jazz with my grandparent’s generation and its origin in New Orleans and the many Jazz Festivals as well as Mardi Gras.

As a Black Studies major and having taken several Black studies courses, I knew of many historical movements such as, Slavery, the Great Migration, and the Great Depression as will as the Civil Rights movement. What I did not know was the changes that occurred in Jazz as social conditions development and under went changes. What I’ve learned from the course are the styles of jazz and many of the musicians associated with the styles. Ragtime is credited as the origin of jazz most notable musician is Scott Joplin, Classical Jazz or New Orleans Jazz as it is often called combined Ragtime with popular melodies. Louis Armstrong produced Hot Jazz, and Chicago Jazz made greater advancements in improvised music and one of the many notable musicians was Benny Goodman. Swing music in the 1930’s created the interaction between musicians and patrons in the sense that the music got the patrons dancing, as well as many dances were also inspired by the music. Kansas City style jazz was associated with Charlie Parker and lastly Bebop which was created on improvisation and associated with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.

As the course progressed I’ve learned about the culture surrounding Jazz, from the nightlife created by Jazz in New York clubs to the Rent Parties in Harlem. I’ve learned that Jazz was not just practiced by African Americans but many of the notable jazz musicians and bands were White, such as Bix Beiderbecke. I’ve also learned that jazz is a skilled and trained art form that requires a tremendous deal of discipline. After completing this course I have a new found appreciation for jazz and I have even started listening to jazz and found a stress reliever in the music.

Thelonious and the women around him

As a North Carolina native, Thelonious Monk was surrounded and influenced by southern morals. With his arrival in New York in 1922 he was surrounded by his mother as siblings in an environment that was nothing like North Carolina, “North Carolina summers were nothing like the thick, humid, dirty, congested heat of New York City. Barbara Monk was giving up fresh country air, her house on

Green Avenue

with the porch and backyard, her familiar surroundings, and her friends and family for a tiny tenement apartment in the summer heat. It was worth it for the schools, and for the future jobs for her children. But it wasn’t easy” (Kelley 15). Now as a single parent upon arrival to the city, Barbara Monk held study jobs, her children were able to get a proper education all while instilling morals and encouraging her children to be free thinkers, “Barbara had indeed raised her children with very strong morals, but she was not a strict disciplinarian. She kept her children in line by relying on reason, faith, example, and her quiet, dignified strength. Unlike her husband, she did not believe in corporate punishment and she encouraged her children to be free-spirited, vocal, and opinionated, albeit respectful” (Kelley 22). As his mother, Barbara played such an influential part in Thelonious life-it was inevitable that the women to follow would play such a powerful role in ensuring his success as well as safety as a musical artist.

            According to both Robin Kelley and Clint Eastwood, the women in Thelonious life such as his wife Nellie and his most loyal friend Nica both played a nurturing almost mothering role to Thelonious. Both book and film noted Nellie as being Thelonious back bone on and off touring, and Nellie was credited as providing him with a sense of security that would ease him in and out of his sudden onset of depression episodes, “Thelonious insisted that Nellie accompany him for the first couple of weeks in case he became restless and emotionally off-balanced” (Kelley 229). As in the film Nellie was in control of his money, clothing and simply making sure Thelonious had whatever accommodation he needed while on the road. As Thelonious planned on several occasions to move to Africa to stay with his friend Guy Warren, Nellie was there to simply reassuring Guy that this notion may not be the best situation for Thelonious, “You know how he is. I have to take care of him. His Clothing, his food, his this and that…” (Kelley 245). As his wife and mother of his children and occasional caregiver to Thelonious, Nellie embraced his friendship with Nica, who was able to take over when Nellie herself was not available, “The band was scheduled to open Tuesday night, October 15. Nellie had planned to drive down to Baltimore with Monk but had to cancel at the last minute, So Nica volunteered” (Kelley 253). As in the film as well as in the book Nica home became a second home to Thelonious, one where Thelonious would have jam sessions as well as recording session.

            Seen as early as the foundation of his childhood, with his mother playing such a tremendous role in his young life, Thelonious lend heavenly on the women that followed such as his wife Nellie and friend Nica for support. With a high level of respect for the women in his life, they in many cases became the inspiration for his songs as well as titles for such tracks. As stated in both the book and film, Thelonious may not have been what he is known for today with out the help of such women in his life and more specifically Nellie, who had to make life changing sacrifices such as sending her kids to stay with their Aunt as she became too occupied with Thelonious after his mental breakdown.

Racial Competition in Jazz

The United States from the very beginning has always been a melting pot for diversity in cultures, with race playing a tremendous part in establishing racial dominance in the country, with white being the superior race. During the 1920’s the country had seen a boom in the economy as well as in music, where musicians and more importantly African Americans could find adequate employment. However as the 1920’s provided a boom for the economy the 1930’s was another story for millions of Americans with the onset of the Great Depression; where many found themselves unemployed and without disposable funds as the 1920’s provided.

            During the early years of jazz from its origin in New Orleans, jazz was seen as music geared towards African Americans, and in many cases frowned upon by the middle class African Americans as well as the upper class white population. With the migration from the south to Chicago jazz began to become mainstream but was not fully accepted until it hit the night clubs in New York; a more capitalist environment where black bands would play to an all white audience as segregation was clearly drawn at the time. As the Great Depression set in it had a tremendous impact on the entire entertainment industry, “Record sales in the United States had surpassed one hundred million in 1927, but by 1932 only six million were sold- a staggering decline of over 90 percent!” (Gioia 135). With the decline in small record companies the music industry appeared to be going out of business.  With the onset of the talking movies, many theaters limited or halted the live shows reducing and in most cases eliminating paying jobs for musicians. Jazz and musicians were also affected by the end of prohibition and the introduction of the radio, “The end of Prohibition in 1933 transformed many speakeasies into legitimate nightclubs, but the change was hardly a positive one for jazz players. Not only alcohol but the whole ethos and ambiance of jazz culture were demystified in the process. Both could now be easily consumed at home: alcohol legally purchased at the liquor store, jazz carried into the household over the airways” (Gioia 136). With the legalization of alcohol and the mass broadcasting of jazz music in the home, there was soon little to no need for live musicians and they soon found themselves out of a job. With the introduction of the radio the necessity of the talent agent became necessary for the mass distribution of the artist as in the case of Duke Ellington and Irving Mills; Benny Goodman and John Hammond.

            With so much competition within the world of music as well as segregation in place African Americans found themselves competing for limited jobs. As Duke Ellington created and orchestrated his music more towards a white audience, this established his success in the Cotton Club. Due to white band leaders being accepted in society they were more accepted by mainstream America, “Yet it is important to acknowledge the advantages enjoyed by Goodman and other white bandleaders during the era. Unlike the black bandleaders, they were more readily accepted by mainstream America. They typically enjoyed easier working conditions, stayed at better accommodations when on the road, received higher pay, and had more secure careers. They were not forced to suffer the indignities of racism that even the finest black jazz musicians faced on a regular basis” (Gioia 142). With such racial injustices black artist began to take an activist stand to bring attention to the racial injustices that were occurring in society as well as the entertainment industry, for example Billy Holiday “Strange Fruit” a song protesting one of the many racial injustices of the time-Lynching. As race was an earlier determination of hierarchy in America, it was also used for matters dealing with social advances in the economy, resurfacing as a barrier to suppress African American in the declining entertainment industry to uphold racial dominance for white musicians and Americans.

1920's Jazz in NY

The 1920’s proved to be a huge decade for Jazz in New York and Chicago, with the closure of Storyville musicians migrated north for employment opportunities that were guaranteed in Chicago in the industrial industry, where the white workers left jobs available during World War I. With the mass amount of nigh clubs in New York, Jazz musicians then migrated from Chicago to New York for job opportunities in the night clubs. The 1920’s produced four major types of Jazz; the Boogie-woogie was a style of improvised piano music played during the 1920's in Chicago. The second type of jazz was the Chicago jazz; it was played mostly by white musicians. Chicago Jazz tended to be very aggressive and usually ended abruptly. The next was Urban jazz; it was played primarily in an area known as the bucket of blood. This referred to an area along the South Side of Chicago. Lastly Society Dance bands; they were usually big with plush arrangements. They were located downtown and were slower paced and had no improvisation. They were designed mainly for dancing, and they had a more sophisticated sound that was copied by other bands because it was so successful.

During the 1920’s Harlem was going through the Harlem Renaissance, in which two Harlem coexisting along side one another, one Harlem being the predominately white had seen an increase in Black migrants during the start of the war, and at the same time according to Gioia’s “But another Harlem coexisted alongside this one, reflecting a crueler reality and a less promising future. Historian Davis Levering Lewis, drawing on “a prism of census tracks, medical data, and socioeconomic studies,” reaches the conclusion that, even in the midst of the so-called Renaissance, “Harlem was becoming a slum.” This second Harlem was one of harsh economics, low salaries, and looming rent payments (94).  In the second Harlem, Jazz was a major contributor to the success of the “Rent Parties”, True, the Harlem Renaissance created an ideology, a culture context for jazz. But the Harlem of rent parties and underground economies created music (Gioia 94). From the creativity established in these rent parties, it created the scene for the music that boomed in New York night clubs.

            With this new found freedom in New York, Jazz was made appealing in the mainstream as well as to the white population. Compared to Chicago where the jazz was “Hot” and risky, the musicians and bands in New York created a more classical form of jazz, also known as “cold’. To note some of the key musician from Chicago were, Joe Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Pete Johnson, Paul Whiteman and Leon Bix Beiderbecke. In New York the introduction of the Stride piano also proved to be a contributing factor to the “crossover” of the southern New Orleans jazz to what it was in New York.  With jazz in New York being more classical, the racial barriers in a sense were crossed, where white musician could come and listen to the black bands and incorporate what they were doing into a form of their own. According to many Duke Ellington was a major contributor to jazz becoming appealing to the white audience.

Duke is considered by many to be the most important American composer in the history of jazz. “Ellington’s genius lay in adapting the materials of others to his own ends, in weaving the strands and threads of music that he gathered into what can only be described as the “Ellington sound” (Gioia 122). What makes him unique is that he composed music individually for the members of his orchestra instead of lumping them all together. Ellington's opening of the Cotton Club is considered to be one of the most important jazz events of the 1920's. It was there that he and his band gained their international reputation as one of the best jazz orchestras in the world. During Ellington’s stay at the Cotton club “Ellington’s group was one of the most widely recorded jazz ensembles of the period, while regular radio broadcast further expanded his audience (Gioia 129). By the close of Ellington’s Cotton Club years, Ellington would have parlayed this opportunity into a position of preeminence, establishing his group as the most critically acclaimed African-American band of its day (Gioia 126). New York also housed other great musicians such as Art Tatum one of the most successful pianist, James P. Johnson, Willie The Lion Smith as well as Fletcher Henderson.

In sum, both Chicago and New York were key factors in the survival of New Orleans jazz and the exposure of the music form as well. However New York proved to be more successful in numerous ways, for one it was able to pick up where Chicago left off, and in a sense bridge the gap between the racial barriers. Jazz therefore was no longer frowned upon, but embraced and adapted to satisfy the likings of the masses.