Glossary
Birmingham campaign
A series of nonviolent direct actions and protests organized by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1963 to challenge segregation in Birmingham, Alabama.
Example:
The brutal police response to the children's march during the Birmingham campaign garnered national attention and helped shift public opinion in favor of civil rights legislation.
Black Freedom movement
A broad term encompassing the various efforts and struggles by African Americans to achieve civil rights, equality, and liberation throughout the 20th century.
Example:
The Black Freedom movement saw activists organize sit-ins and marches to challenge discriminatory laws and practices across the United States.
Black artists
Individuals who used various art forms, such as poetry, music, and visual arts, as a means of resistance and to amplify the African American struggle against oppression.
Example:
During the Harlem Renaissance, many Black artists created works that celebrated Black culture and challenged racial stereotypes.
Black churches
Religious institutions that served as crucial organizing spaces, meeting points, and sources of spiritual strength and leadership for the Civil Rights Movement.
Example:
Many pivotal meetings and rallies of the movement were held in Black churches, which provided a safe haven and a platform for community mobilization.
Call and response
A musical technique deeply rooted in African American culture, where a leader sings or plays a phrase, and a group responds, often used in protest songs to build community and engagement.
Example:
In many gospel hymns, the preacher's sermon is punctuated by the congregation's 'Amens' and 'Hallelujahs,' demonstrating the powerful tradition of call and response.
Can't Turn Me Around
A powerful freedom song that exemplifies the determination and resilience of the Civil Rights Movement, functioning as a form of nonviolent resistance and a communication of shared goals.
Example:
The unwavering lyrics of 'Can't Turn Me Around' captured the spirit of activists who refused to be deterred by threats or violence in their pursuit of justice.
Charles Mingus
An influential jazz musician and composer known for his protest songs, such as 'Original Faubus Fables,' which directly criticized racial segregation and political oppression.
Example:
Charles Mingus was not afraid to use his music as a direct form of political commentary, challenging listeners to confront uncomfortable truths about society.
Civil Rights Movement
A social movement in the United States from the 1950s to the 1960s that aimed to end racial discrimination and secure equal rights for African Americans, primarily through nonviolent direct action.
Example:
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was a landmark event in the Civil Rights Movement, demonstrating the widespread demand for racial equality.
Civil disobedience
The active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders, or commands of a government, or of an occupying international power, without resorting to physical violence.
Example:
Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus was an act of civil disobedience that ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Freedom songs
Musical compositions, often adapted from hymns, spirituals, and gospel songs, that served as a source of inspiration, unity, and courage for activists during the Civil Rights Movement.
Example:
Singing freedom songs like 'This Little Light of Mine' helped sustain the morale of activists during long marches and difficult protests.
Global audiences
The international community reached by Black artists and activists, helping to spread awareness of the African American struggle and foster international solidarity.
Example:
Through powerful documentaries and news reports, the Civil Rights Movement gained support from global audiences, putting pressure on the U.S. government.
Global nature of anti-Black racism
The understanding that anti-Black racism is not confined to one country but is a pervasive issue affecting Afro-descendants across the world, fostering interconnected struggles for equality.
Example:
The shared experiences of discrimination faced by Black communities in Brazil and the United States illustrate the global nature of anti-Black racism.
Global solidarity
A sense of shared purpose and mutual support among oppressed communities worldwide, particularly Afro-descendants, in their fight against racial injustice.
Example:
The anti-apartheid movement in South Africa inspired global solidarity among activists who saw parallels with their own struggles for freedom.
Jazz Protest Music
A genre of jazz music used by artists to express resistance against racial injustice and draw attention to civil rights issues, often incorporating traditional African American musical techniques.
Example:
During the Civil Rights era, Jazz Protest Music became a powerful soundtrack for the movement, with artists using their platforms to speak out against inequality.
Little Rock (poem)
A 1958 poem by Nicolás Guillén that captures the intense racial tensions of the Little Rock Crisis, offering an international perspective on the African American struggle for equality.
Example:
Guillén's 'Little Rock' vividly portrays the fear and injustice faced by Black children attempting to attend integrated schools, connecting the struggle to a global fight for human rights.
Little Rock Crisis (1957)
A pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement where nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, faced violent resistance while attempting to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Example:
The images of federal troops escorting students during the Little Rock Crisis (1957) brought the struggle for school desegregation to national and international attention.
Martin Luther King Jr.
A prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement, known for his advocacy of nonviolent direct action and his powerful speeches and writings, including the book *Why We Can't Wait*.
Example:
Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech remains one of the most influential calls for racial justice in American history.
Nicolás Guillén
A prominent Cuban poet who used his writings to connect anti-Black racism in the U.S. and Latin America, raising awareness about the shared experiences of Afro-descendants.
Example:
Nicolás Guillén's poetry often blended Afro-Cuban rhythms with sharp social commentary, making his work resonate deeply with readers across the Americas.
Nonviolent direct action
A strategy of protest that involves using peaceful methods, such as sit-ins, boycotts, and marches, to challenge unjust laws and practices without resorting to violence.
Example:
The Greensboro Four's sit-in at a segregated lunch counter was a classic example of nonviolent direct action that sparked similar protests nationwide.
Original Faubus Fables
A 1960 jazz protest song by Charles Mingus that directly criticizes Governor Orval Faubus for his attempts to prevent the integration of Little Rock Central High School.
Example:
Through its dissonant melodies and spoken word, 'Original Faubus Fables' served as a raw and unfiltered musical condemnation of racial bigotry.
Racial violence
Acts of aggression, intimidation, or harm perpetrated against individuals or groups based on their race, often used to maintain systems of oppression.
Example:
The Freedom Riders faced severe racial violence as they traveled through the South, highlighting the dangers of challenging Jim Crow laws.
Segregation
The enforced separation of different racial groups, particularly in public spaces, education, and housing, which was a primary target of the Civil Rights Movement.
Example:
Despite the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, many Southern states resisted efforts to end school segregation for years.
We Shall Overcome
An iconic anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, sung by activists during protests, marches, and arrests, symbolizing resilience, determination, and the hope for a more just future.
Example:
The powerful chorus of 'We Shall Overcome' resonated through the streets of Selma, uniting marchers in their demand for voting rights.
Why We Can't Wait
A 1964 book by Martin Luther King Jr. that provides a firsthand account of the Birmingham campaign, emphasizing the importance of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience.
Example:
Why We Can't Wait offers profound insights into the strategic thinking and moral urgency behind the Civil Rights Movement's push for immediate change.