How Did Gospel Music Influence The Civil Rights Movement

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Traditional gospel music was written to be performed to express the African Americans’ personal feelings of Christianity. During the 1950’s, African Americans were segregated from the whites. Black Americans believed that the U.S. should be integrated not segregated. The civil rights movement came into play because of the large range of discrimination in the U.S. Gospel music was a tool for resistance during the Civil rights movement, because many protestors would sing hymns instead of violently protesting in the streets. Black Americans would sing freedom songs that influenced their rights against discrimination. Gospel music gave African Americans strength to not violently protest in the streets because they knew violence wasn’t the way to go. To express the relationship of African American traditional gospel music to their struggle towards freedom after the World War II era. …show more content…

African Americans believed that the U.S. should be integrated because segregation was immoral. Gospel music was used as a tool for resistance because many African Americans believed in non-violent protests. Martin Luther King Jr. was among the great civil rights activist who believed in equality. The sermons, prayers and songs of the African American church culture were key components of the civil rights movement. Gospel music was used throughout the civil rights movement to attract minorities, encourage the youth participation, meetings and to instill confidence. King organized many meetings and marches to intrigue Americans to protest against segregation. The “freedom songs” were based on familiar spirituals and gospel songs (Castellini, 9). From the locals, to student organizers the movement changed America and many civil rights song leaders performed traditional gospel music in

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